off and began to skirt my way down the sidewalk. It was humid and the ground felt sweaty under my feet butI didn’t care. My mind was on one thing, hitting the bed. Well two things, but I’d have to think about that in the morning.
I reached for my keys but was startled when I heard the voice behind me. “Honey, we need to talk.”
Cornered, I had no choice but to face him.
12
KHALIL
I blew the entire mood of David’s night on the town after I bumped into Honey. Seeing her looking so good and getting into the car of another man stunned me like a slap from Naomi Campbell. The guy was obviously wealthy but he looked old enough to be her father. Deep down inside I held out hope that it might have been, but I couldn’t make sense of them being at a strip club. I wasn’t in the club twenty minutes before I announced that I was leaving.
We had all met up at David’s spot and then I’d left my car there, so I had no choice but to call Rorrie. She showed up asking twenty questions. “So what’s wrong? What happened?”
I had thoughts of feigning sickness with the fellas but I didn’t want David to worry about my making it to the wedding. I pulled him to the side and explained to him that I was having some problems with Rorrie and that I needed to get home. He wasn’t happy but said he understood.
Now that Rorrie and I were driving to my car I realized thatwhat I’d told him was true. “I’m not really in the mood to be around a bunch of drunk guys in a strip club.”
“That’s why I love you,” she said. “Most men love that sort of thing, but you are only interested in a virtuous woman.” She was smiling.
“That’s me.” I began thinking back to how I sexed Honey up a few hours after we met. Not much virtue in that, yet I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me I’d begun to slip into this obsession over her. In all practicality, she could have been a whore.
My train of thought was broken when Rorrie spoke. “Khalil,” she said. “I want to ask you something.”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Would you mind it if I didn’t make it to the wedding tomorrow! I got a call from one of my old instructors and they are doing a clinic over at Greater Southeast Hospital tomorrow for children who suffer with HIV. It’s like a free physical and treatment program. They are like five physicians short and I’d like to go over and volunteer. Of course I told him that I had a previous engagement and I’d have to ask my fiancé first.”
“Oh, of course I don’t mind. That sounds like a really great way to give back. To be honest, if there was any way that I could get out of going I would too.” I half-laughed. I was relieved that she didn’t ask me anything too heavy.
“You’re not looking forward to David’s big day?”
“It’s not that. I’m just not big on weddings.”
“What the heck is that supposed to mean?”
I thought about what I’d just said. “You know, big productions.”
“Yeah okay. I guess that’s why you haven’t brought up ours in the past month or so. You think it’s going to be too big a production?”
“Ummm, that’s not it at all. I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.” We were nearly to my car. “Turn right here and then make the left at the stop sign. My truck is halfway up the block.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“Just work and pressure that’s it.”
I looked over at her and I almost wanted to blurt out that I was confused about what I was going through.
We stopped at my truck and as I climbed out she asked, “You following me?”
“Yeah, but I want to stop and grab a bite to eat. You want something?”
“No. But you don’t have to stop. I can cook for you.”
“I got a taste for a sub. I’m going to slide over to Eddie’s. I’ll see you at the house.”
She nodded and sped off. So did I, but in a different direction.
I sat on Honey’s block for an hour before my phone began ringing off the hook with calls from
I reached for my keys but was startled when I heard the voice behind me. “Honey, we need to talk.”
Cornered, I had no choice but to face him.
12
KHALIL
I blew the entire mood of David’s night on the town after I bumped into Honey. Seeing her looking so good and getting into the car of another man stunned me like a slap from Naomi Campbell. The guy was obviously wealthy but he looked old enough to be her father. Deep down inside I held out hope that it might have been, but I couldn’t make sense of them being at a strip club. I wasn’t in the club twenty minutes before I announced that I was leaving.
We had all met up at David’s spot and then I’d left my car there, so I had no choice but to call Rorrie. She showed up asking twenty questions. “So what’s wrong? What happened?”
I had thoughts of feigning sickness with the fellas but I didn’t want David to worry about my making it to the wedding. I pulled him to the side and explained to him that I was having some problems with Rorrie and that I needed to get home. He wasn’t happy but said he understood.
Now that Rorrie and I were driving to my car I realized thatwhat I’d told him was true. “I’m not really in the mood to be around a bunch of drunk guys in a strip club.”
“That’s why I love you,” she said. “Most men love that sort of thing, but you are only interested in a virtuous woman.” She was smiling.
“That’s me.” I began thinking back to how I sexed Honey up a few hours after we met. Not much virtue in that, yet I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me I’d begun to slip into this obsession over her. In all practicality, she could have been a whore.
My train of thought was broken when Rorrie spoke. “Khalil,” she said. “I want to ask you something.”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Would you mind it if I didn’t make it to the wedding tomorrow! I got a call from one of my old instructors and they are doing a clinic over at Greater Southeast Hospital tomorrow for children who suffer with HIV. It’s like a free physical and treatment program. They are like five physicians short and I’d like to go over and volunteer. Of course I told him that I had a previous engagement and I’d have to ask my fiancé first.”
“Oh, of course I don’t mind. That sounds like a really great way to give back. To be honest, if there was any way that I could get out of going I would too.” I half-laughed. I was relieved that she didn’t ask me anything too heavy.
“You’re not looking forward to David’s big day?”
“It’s not that. I’m just not big on weddings.”
“What the heck is that supposed to mean?”
I thought about what I’d just said. “You know, big productions.”
“Yeah okay. I guess that’s why you haven’t brought up ours in the past month or so. You think it’s going to be too big a production?”
“Ummm, that’s not it at all. I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.” We were nearly to my car. “Turn right here and then make the left at the stop sign. My truck is halfway up the block.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“Just work and pressure that’s it.”
I looked over at her and I almost wanted to blurt out that I was confused about what I was going through.
We stopped at my truck and as I climbed out she asked, “You following me?”
“Yeah, but I want to stop and grab a bite to eat. You want something?”
“No. But you don’t have to stop. I can cook for you.”
“I got a taste for a sub. I’m going to slide over to Eddie’s. I’ll see you at the house.”
She nodded and sped off. So did I, but in a different direction.
I sat on Honey’s block for an hour before my phone began ringing off the hook with calls from
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