Her Worth

Sixteen

"Hey beautiful." Naji appeared at the front desk, where N'ijah had been working.

"Hi, Naji. What are you doing here? Thought you had work." She turned to putt something down, and when she faced him again, white roses were on the desk.

"I took the day off, for you. I was wondering...if we could go on a date." N'ijah froze. Her divorce had only been finalized around 6 months ago. Even though Jamari had moved on way before, the media was still on N'ijah's ass.

"I'll come. But, let's do it at your house. I want to see what you come up with." She grabbed a rose from the pile and tucked it behind her ear.

"Ok, ok. I'll pick you up at eight. I'll show you how creative I can be, hopefully in more ways than one." And with a wink and a sly smile, he left.

"Okay Boss, I see you." Audrianna came out of the back, holding Israel in her arms. N'ijah had officially made her his permanent babysitter, paying her more than $500 per session, extra on weekends.

"It's nothing. Just a little date. Hey bubba!" N'ijah took him out of her hands and spun him around, making him laugh and clap his hands wildly.

"Yeah, but this is your first date! After, well, you know. This signifies that you're moving on!" Audrianna's words struck a cord within her. Moving on....with someone new?

"A man doesn't signify moving on. I have to do that on my own." She told the girl, and then went to go give Israel a bottle, since she was at work.

. . .

N'ijah sat with her legs crossed in Naji's house, watching him cook a meal. Coincidentally, they had worn the same shade of green, emerald. His shirt accentuated his muscles, straining them with every move he made. She knew that he was hoping to take the shirt off, and hopely, the matching dress of hers too.

"And now, time for the main event. Dinner is served." Holding a chair out for her, Naji set down her plate in front of her. Quickly talking off his apron, he sat down on the opposite side.

"Lasagna. The love pasta." The delicious aroma of the pasta filled N'ijah's senses and suddenly, she was ravenous.

"It's good?"

"Very. You used to complain about having to help your mom to cook, and now you can cook better than some people I know."

He gave a small smile and shrugged. "People change."

"Including you?"

"I'd like to think so, yeah."

"How so?" N'ijah took a sip of her wine, peering over the glass to look at him.

"More mature. Wiser-"

"The most typical answers of all time. Cmon, Naji, I'd like to think I know you better than that. How have you changed?" She asked again. And this time, he had a weird look in his eyes.

"I love you, N'ijah. Does that answer your question? I love you, N'ijah Smith. That's how I've changed. When I rejected you after the eight grade, I would've never known you'd meet him. And then you got married. Do you know how much hurt I felt? And to think I didn't even realize it because I was so wrapped up with Alicia. Why'd you do it, N'ijah? Why did you hurt me so much?"

"How would I have known, Naji? How would I? You ghosted me after graduation, and then I don't heae from you until Zalma comes down and tells me that you're coming to the reunion. Which, by the way, was the most awkward night of my life because the woman who was fucking my ex was there. All up on you. So go figure." N'ijah was fuming. How could she have known about his secret feelings, if they were secret?