𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌'𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑

January 17

January 17, 2024

"Paul, it's too early, Man," Ace told the older white man who always tried to socialize with him at work. It was 7:00 in the damn morning. "Oh okay. Not an early bird?" the man wheezed and slapped his knee. "I'm going on my break," Ace said and walked away. "That kid," Paul chuckled to himself.

Ace went to clock out for his 15 and went to his car. When he got in his car, he sighed. "Lord, give me the strength for this job because I promise I am about to hurt somebody," he prayed. He got his phone out of his pocket and went to Trin's contact. He knew she was up, doing something.

He pressed the FaceTime icon and she answered on the 2nd ring. "Heyyy. Paul bothering you again?" She asked, looking at the camera for a second. "Trin, when I tell you he is so fucking annoying and I'm tryna be nice because I don't wanna lose this damn job," he said. "Yeah, people are just like that sometimes," she said.

"I'm thinking about changing to delivery because he really just making my whole workday miserable. And his breath smell like tuna fish and athlete's foot," Ace rubbed his temples. Trin turned the phone around so he wouldn't see her laughing. "You laughing, Trin?" he asked, now on the verge of laughing as well. "Nope!" she said, trying to get herself together.

She turned the phone back around when she was ready and looked at Ace. "Do you want me to bring you beats by there because you left them here," she offered. "Nah, you don't gotta do that. What are you doing?" he asked. "Oh, nothing, just packing up this piece to send to my client," she said.

"Oh. I miss you already," he said. She began smiling and butterflies appeared in her stomach. "I miss you more. How about I come see you on your lunch and bring you your headphones?" she asked him. "Sounds good," he smiled. "Well, I'll see you then," she said. "Alright, I love you, bye," he said. "I love you too," she said and hung up the phone.

His break was already pretty much over, so he got out of his car and walked back into the building to clock in and start back working. He wasn't as upset anymore because he had something to look forward to.

She was always his motivation. His world revolved around her now. He loved her dearly.

___

Trin pulled up to the warehouse, just in time because Ace was walking out. His face lit up when he seen her car. She smiled because she saw him.

He walked up to her car when she parked and got in. "Thank you, Trin," he said. "You're welcome, Baby," she said. He leaned in for a kiss and she laid one right on his lips, transferring a tad bit of gloss on his lip.

She'd also had lunch for him. He would usually leave and get some when he didn't have his own.

"I like your hair like that. It's so pretty," he complimented her. "Thank you," she smiled. "Speaking of hair, I'm gonna do yours tonight," she said, rubbing the back of his head. He nodded and started eating.

They just talked while he ate, well, she mostly listened. And before they knew it, 30 minutes was over. He didn't want to leave her and she hated to leave him, but she had to. And plus, they would see each other very soon.

"Have a good rest of your day. And don't forget these," Trin said and passed him his beats headphones. "Thank you. I'll see you later. Love you," he said. "I love you too," she said as he got out of the car and made his way back to the warehouse.

She waited until he got all the way in the building before she pulled off. All she could do was smile. As she drove back home, she just thought. Her days were always full of thinking. Whether it was about an agenda she had to get through that day or just regular, deep thoughts.

It seemed like it made the days pass faster.

___

Trin sang along to her music while she retwisted Ace's last mid length loc. He was looking down at the practice test of his final truck-driving test. He was finished with the school part, he just needed to take the test. And after this, he would be able to start. He'd already had a job on lock that paid well.

He would eventually get his own truck and start driving his own routes.

Trin was happy that he had gotten his trade and stuff, but it was going to be the time away from him for her. Most days, she would probably be home alone. He would be driving all over the country, but it was good money.

And then after he started his job and everything was settled, he would get trade in electricity.

He had pretty much thrown his dreams of having a smoke shop away because he didn't even smoke anymore. He had accepted the fact that it was just a stupid high school dream. And maybe he would, a long while down the line.

"So how long do you think you would be away from home when you start driving?" Trin asked. "I don't really know. The time varies," he answered. "Oh," she simply said. "You okay?" Ace asked. "Yeah. I'm cool, are you?" She asked.

"I'm cool. I know it's probably gon be something to get used to in the beginning, but you'll adjust," he said. "I'm fine. It was just a question," she said. "But there's a reason you asked," he said and stood up from between her lap and turned around. "Yeah. Because I wanted to know," Trin downplayed her feelings.

"Y'know, Trin? You have a problem with downplaying and dismissing your own feelings. Look, in the new year, we not doing this suffering in silence bullshit. You're going to communicate to me how you feel. Just let me know and I'll try to find a solution or a compromise because that's what you do when you love and care for somebody," he looked her into her mocha brown eyes. "You care about their feelings, even when they put their own on the back burner," he added.

Trin bit her. "Okay," she said lowly. "Well tell me how you feel about this. Talk to to me, truthfully," he emphasized. She looked at him for a while. She felt like he was putting her in the hot seat or something.

"Umm...Well, I'm really gonna miss you because we've never been separated for a long time, and I'm just used to your presence. Like even when we were fighting, you were still here. But I know that you need to make the money and stuff, so I'm trying not to trip," she said. He sat on the couch and patted his lap. She then straddled his lap and looked down at his black t-shirt.

"There's not much I can do about it right now, but I promise, I will make you as comfortable as possible before I leave. And in the future, I'll see what I can do,"he said, rubbing her thighs.

He didn't tell her that his first route would start on the 31st and it would last for two weeks, meaning he would be gone for two weeks. He just planned on telling her after he took his final test. His first few routes would be long, but they brought in a lot of money.  He wanted to get to the point where he could take care of all the bills and Trin really didn't have to worry about anything.

Trin laid her head down on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and inhaled her perfume. "I'm gonna be fine. Because I always am," she lifted her head and said to his face. "Mhmm," he nodded. Then she nodded and stood up.

"Salmon or chicken?"

___