Temptation Island

Chapter 4: Ashanti

It was only six o'clock in Atlanta, and I found myself snuggled in bed under my covers, watching reruns of Martin. I'd seen them so many times that I could recite them word for word. Sheneneh was my favorite with her crazy self. However, that evening it seemed as if the show were watching me more than I was watching it. I was so tired, and my body ached. I was trying to stay awake because I was expecting an important call that hadn't come yet.

I sighed and leaned back on my pillows. Most would say a grown woman in her mid-thirties who just lay in bed had to have been depressed. But my bedroom was my happy place. I'd filled it with all of the things I loved. One of them was pictures. Every wall was covered in pictures that held my fondest memories. Among them were a plethora of photos of me and my very best friends. Kimberly, Kelendria, and Melody were more like sisters to me. We were beautiful black women of all shades, me being the most chocolate out of the bunch. In college, we all but had the boys on campus eating crumbs out of our hands.

Kimberly and I had grown up together thick as thieves since our mothers lived in the same apartment complex. We met Kelendria and Melody our first year of college, and we became inseparable. Even when both Kelendria and Melody moved out of state to pursue their dreams, we remained close. In fact, we started our own travel club called the Travelistas. That way, we would for sure see each other for a week every year. Sometimes we were able to get away together more frequently, but that one week in the summer was law for us. It was one we always looked forward to.

We all took turns who would choose and plan the trip, and this time was my turn. Usually, we would go to new places we'd never been, but I decided to go back to Hawaii. I'd fallen in love with the waters and sights there. My soul yearned to go back. The only one who had an issue with it was Melody, and that was only because she wanted so badly to go to Tokyo. She would have her time to do that, but she would have to wait.

On the nightstand next to my bed, my phone rang. Hoping it was the person I was waiting for, I hurried to pick it up. Only it wasn't who I was expecting. It was Melody.

"I must have thought you up," I said when I answered.

"That's because you know there's a 911 situation going on," she said almost breathlessly into the phone.

"Girl, are you running? You sound like you can't breathe."

"That's because I had to run off to my office to call you! Shanti, you aren't going to believe this, but I think Tyrese is cheating again!"

"Again?" I made a face and sat up. "I don't remember the first time."

"Shanti, you don't remember when I caught him having coffee with that bitch?"

"You mean his colleague?"

"Colleague, side chick. What's the difference these days?" she asked, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry, girl. But the only thing I remember from that was that you were never able to prove he was cheating."

"Well, it was suspicious, just like now. Do you know he's been short on bills the last few months? And he keeps conveniently forgetting his wallet at home whenever we go eat or do something. And I called his job. He still works there. So the money is still coming in."

"So how does this equate to him cheating?"

"He has to be spending all his money on another woman! You know these new-age bitches are expensive! Where else could his money be going?"

"Have you asked him about it?"

"Yes, but all he says is that I should trust him. And he threw in my face how he supported me when we first got to North Carolina."