to say, but I was kind of glad she walked in when she did.
I started walking downstairs and I could hear Cassandra and Eric talking softly. They must have heard me coming down because while I was entering into the kitchen the whispering stopped. “Good Morning, how are you?” Cassandra asked as she was hoping I didn’t over hear their conversation. “Okay, I guess.” I replied. There was a few minutes of silence before more drama got started. “We think that you should continue to see a therapist.” Eric said in between sips of coffee. I took a moment before I opened my mouth. “Um, I don’t think I need to, but I will think about it.” I told him. “Well, we don’t want to pressure you, but we just think that it’ll be a good idea. Your mom told me you had a nightmare last night.” He answered as if he was trying to be so concerned. Ugh, please I need to get outta here. I couldn’t believe he was trying to pretend that we were cool after the stunt he pulled earlier. Where are you, Stan? I wondered to myself. I called his ass like forty five minutes ago and he still wasn’t there. “Like I said before, I will think about it.” I replied matter-of-factly. The conversation was interrupted by the doorbell. “I’ll get it.” Cassandra said as she gave Eric an evil glare. I heard Stan loud mouth as he was asking how she was doing and apologized again for upsetting me last night. Boy, I tell you if they only knew the real Stan I guarantee you they wouldn’t be this nice to him. “Good Morning, Mr. Thomas.” Stan said. “Good Morning, Stanley. Have you decided on which team you going with?” Eric asked as he was now reading the newspaper. “No, not yet sir, and you know I couldn’t tell you that. My agent would kill me.” Stan said with a chuckle. I stood in the doorway motioning him to come on as I had enough of listening to them telling me what I needed to do. “Nice to see you guys again.” Stan said as he was trailing behind me. “Stanley wait.” Eric said. “Listen, watch her okay. You know her situation so if she looks or feels uncomfortable with something I want you to call us as soon as possible okay.” Eric said flatly while still trying to pretend to be concerned. “Sure, Mr. Thomas.” I could hear their conversation through the door and Stan always said it was because I had dog ears. “Really?” I whispered to Stan. He put his finger to his lips to shush me. I bit my lip as we were walking to his car. Once it was clear to talk, I let Stan have it instead of the intended, Eric. “I’m a grown ass woman. What the hell I look like? Twenty-Seven and still living at home.” I yelled at him in aggravation. “She got rid of my apartment like I asked her to do that. He wants me to see a therapist. And when the hell were you going to tell me that you got drafted to the pros? I mean, I’m gone and no one writes, calls or visits, and y’all wonder why I got an attitude.” I was beyond pissed at this moment. “Kait, Kait.” I could barely hear him calling my name as I kept yelling. I finally stopped talking so he could give his excuse. “First, I was going to tell you today. Second, I did try to visit but they told me you weren’t allowed to have visitors. Third, I couldn’t visit you because I was finishing up with school, and I was gone constantly to training camp.” I couldn’t be mad at him for wanting to finish school. I was proud that he did what most guys wouldn’t do if they were offered a professional contact to play football.
When Stan and I arrived at the shopping strip, I couldn’t help but wonder what I needed to do with my life now that I wasn’t a prisoner anymore. I thought about going back to school to study counseling, but I don’t think that would be wise. I got enough problems of my own that I need to take care of. So, the only other choice I had was to get a job with the family law firm considering the fact that I did finish school for that. I didn’t want to do it, but I refuse to sit around in the house with them all day doing nothing.
“So, what do you wanna do first?” Stan asked me. “Well, I want to get something done to this head and then my nails and all that good stuff.” I said as I was picking at my nails and scratching my head. “Yeah, ‘cause today you are looking just a little bit rough like you just rolled out of bed without touching your head.” He said as he tried to pick at my head. “Shut the hell up.” I responded with a long eye roll.
I noticed that the town had gotten a bit crowded since I left. I really don’t remember the shopping strip being this crowed in the morning. I was relieved to see that my beautician was still in the same spot because I sure didn’t have time to look for someone else. “Well, you go ahead and do your girly stuff and just call me when you’re ready.” Stan said as I was opening the door to get out. “You trying to be funny?” I said while sitting in the car with the door propped open. “What? I don’t wanna sit around in no damn salon listening to you females talk about how men are all dogs.” He replied in a girly voice trying to imitate what he thinks goes on in salons. “Now how am I going to call you? No cell phone.” I held my hands out as if I was holding an imaginary cell phone. “They got a phone in there that you can use.” He said to me. “Kiss my ass.” I told him rudely because who goes anywhere without a cell phone these days. I was gonna look like I was from the past if I asked to us their phone. “Aight, chill…chill. I’ll just go get one added to my line.” Stan said as he was pulling out his phone. “You’ll do that for me?” I asked. “Yes, you know I would do anything for you, Kait. You like the little sister I never had and a woman I will have.” He said as he was grinning and rubbing his bald head. “That was so disturbing. It’s like you saying you wanna sleep with your sister.” I told him as he noted that he was only joking. “By the way how are you paying for all of this?” He asked me. “Stanley, you forgot? I’m a Thomas, store credit baby.” I said as I was getting out of his car.
I wasn’t nervous about being out and people wondering where I’ve been because I’m quite sure that my “so called” parents came up with an excuse. They couldn’t risk the corruption of the family name if everyone knew the truth neither could they afford what people would think if they found out where I’ve been the last three years. Come to think of it, I wondered how they were able to keep the doctors and nurses from snitching. Because everyone knows that when you’re well-known and considered perfect, people try to find your flaw. I really didn’t care how they did it honestly. I really just wanted to focus on getting my life back together.
Once I finished pampering myself, I peeped outside the door to see if I could see Stan. I told him that it would only take about three hours, but to him that’s four hours. “Hey, can I use your phone?” I asked my beautician as she was getting ready for another client. “Sure, honey, and next time let me know when you’re gonna be gone on charity events. You know I’m always looking for a way to boost my business.” She said as she handed the phone. See, what I mean? They were able to come up with an excuse for me being gone for so long. I dialed Stan’s number and he didn’t answer on the first try, so I called him again. “Yo, this me.” He picked up in an aggressive tone. “Is that how you answer your phone?” I asked in a high pitch voice. “Who dis?” He said smartly. “Who the hell do you think it is?” I said. “I don’t know, you called me.” He yelled. “Bring yo damn ass on and stop playing.” I yelled back. “Oh, my bad. Aight, I’m on my way.” Stan said as he now realized who I was. “Meet me at that restaurant at the corner I saw.” I told him. “You talking about the Tasty Food & Bar?” He asked. “If it was at the corner, then, yes, that’s the one.” I quickly hung up the phone as he was talking.
I didn’t wait for him to pull up in order to walk with me to the restaurant. Cassandra and Eric were already treating me like a child and I didn’t need it from him, too. The breeze felt so good blowing through my new relaxed hair. I’ve always enjoyed spring weather because it’s not too cold and it’s not too hot, the temperature is just right. “Pardon me?” What now I said to myself. I slowly turned around and as the wind blew a few strands of hair on my face I swiped it away with my hand to see who was disturbing me. “Wow!” A man said as he was surprised that a black woman could have hair like this. “Excuse me.?” I said to him. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to be rude or stare, but you are eye catching.” He said with amazement. “What did you just say to me? Eye Candy? Listen here, that mess may work with other bitches, but this bitch right here, ain’t the one. So, why don’t you find someone else to play with?” I snapped as I was shaking my head and pointing my finger towards other chicks walking. “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. No, I said catching, catching and not candy. I’m sorry it was probably my accent that threw you off.” This strange man was basically apologizing for