𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 |𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐃

10| Connecting

KAMAU AMARI ALEXANDER
DETROIT | AUGUST 2021

MY ARM WAS THROBBING BUT MY eyes stayed on her, Asia. She was not gentle when it came to these stitches, it had been six days since then and my arm didn't hurt any less. Six days I've been staying with Asia, I was under her care.

She had called off of work for a week just to make sure I was okay. I wasn't paralyzed or anything, she was just treating me how the hospital would have.

"I return back to work tomorrow and you are coming with me so I can check your vitals, blood pressure, and your temperature." Asia announces as she continued to scramble eggs.

"I appreciate you.. for looking over me these past couple of days." I admitted.

"Your welcome." She smiled.

Her smile made me smile. It was a weird affect she was beginning to have on me but when she smiled, I smiled. When she laughed, I laughed. When she was sad, I felt my mood change also.

Asia made me feel like Lou, only better.

Most would say it was "too early" but we are grown, ain't nobody got time to be in the "talking stage" for seven months.

"I ain't tryna be nosy or nun but over these past couple of days, whose clothes have I been wearing?" I asked. The question had been on my mind a lot and it felt like a scratch I couldn't get at.

Asia cleared her throat before answering, "My husb— ex-husbands."

"You got me wearing another nigga clothes?" I blurted out.

"When you put it like that it sounds really bad." She made the 'yikes' face before falling into a fit of laughter and I followed right behind her.

"Is he still in the picture? Or.." I trailed off.

"He's resting from the above." She answered with a sad smile.

"Sorry for your loss." I sighed with a empathetic look on my face.

Asia only nodded, placing a plate in front of me.

"I don't eat pork baby." I chuckled, placing the pieces of bacon onto her plate.

"Damn.. you missing out." Asia shrugged.

We conversed here and there as we ate our breakfast. She didn't talk much about her husband but she did hint that she had a kid who was no longer with her. I didn't know if they were dead or in foster care but I didn't pressure her about it either.

"Can we go to the park? I wanna see the sun," Asia asked as she cleaned up the living room.

"Get back connected with Mother Nature."

"You big on that spiritual shit or sum?" I asked, analyzing the stones, sages, and buddhas around her house.

Asia nodded as she dump the trash out of the dustpan into the garbage can.

"We can go to the park uptown and walk the trail." I suggested.

"Okay, I'm finna go take a shower." She squealed, running past me into the bedroom.