✞ J U L I A N W E S T B R O O K ✞
Julian's grin grows wider watching Celai through his phone. "I mean, small dogs are my thing because the last time I was around a big dog, it started humping my leg," she says as she goes over her hair with a flat iron. "But if you want to get a Rottweiler, go ahead."
"A Rottweiler would be the goal, but it's whatever they have at the shelter, preferably a big dog."
"A big dog would fit you. When are you tryna go to the shelter?"
Julian starts filling up his water bottle, a part of his preparation to go to the gym. "No time soon; I gotta think about it more."
"Oh, well I'm down to go with you if you decide to go... what's that sound? Are you peeing?"
He laughs. "I've FaceTimed you enough times for you to know I'm not in my bathroom." He holds up his water bottle to the camera. "So to answer your question, yes I was peeing."
Celai rolls her eyes at his sarcasm. "You're annoying. And whenever I see that bottle, I know you're about to go to the gym, which is also annoying cus how come every time I call you, you're going to the gym?"
"Because I go just about every day, love. You should join me one day. Maybe you won't be so compelled to hang up on me when I mention it."
"Well, Jules, I don't need a gym, I like the way my body looks."
Julian nearly chokes when he hears his nickname flow perfectly from Celai's mouth. It takes everything in him not to ask her to repeat herself.
"I like the way your body looks too," Julian ends up saying, making Celai stop what she's doing. "But that doesn't mean you're necessarily fit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you."
"Whatever. I'm chillin. I'll go to a gym when my bad eating habits catch up to me. I managed to miss it in college, I think I'm straight."
"We'll see." He picks up his phone and grabs his gym bag. "I'll let you go though, since I know you got this mancave to do."
"I still have an hour," Celai says, her face turning concerned for Julian to leave. He thinks it's cute.
"I thought you had to leave at six because your client's home is forty-five minutes away?" he says.
"Yeah, that's right."
"It's six now."
Celai grabs her phone in a panic. "Already?!"
"Time flies when you're having fun, huh?" Julian laughs.
"Stop laughing! God, help me make it to these people's house on time, I can't afford to be late... literally."
"You'll make it," Julian reassures as he walks out his front door.
"I gotta go. Can you call me tonight? Around ten? I have something I want to show you."
Julian looks up at the older woman he lives across from, Ms. Valentine, giving him the stink eye from Celai's choice of words.
"Uh, yeah. Bye," Julian says before hanging up and smiling at Ms. Valentine. "How are you?" he asks.
She scowls. "And you're supposed to be a pastor." She walks into her apartment before Julian can defend himself, but he doesn't have time to plead his case.
He has a date with the gym; that's where he's supposed to be.
| ✞ |
"This is not where I'm supposed to be!" Julian says loudly, allowing Mama Ruth's screen door to slam behind him.
He hears sudden shuffling and Mama Ruth comes from the den. "Julian Christopher, what's wrong with you?! Slamming my door. My door ain't do jack to you. I'ont care about you being mad! Slam my door again, I'll slam this oxygen tank over your head!"
Her caretaker, Stephanie, laughs beside her. "Mrs. Richards!"
"You're still new here, Steph, you don't know that this boy used to have the worst mood swings growing up. Just made me have a flashback. What's wrong with you?" she asks Julian again.
"I'm sorry, Mama," he says sheepishly.
She glares at him again before turning and going back into the den. "You and your sister are more alike than y'all want to believe."
Julian follows her and sees Nyomi on the couch with her arms crossed and her face pouted. "You don't wanna be here either?" he asks.
She shakes her head but doesn't say anything, making Julian chuckle.
"Sit down, I need to talk to y'all," Mama Ruth says.
Julian complies and sits beside Nyomi. "About what?"
"I don't know. But God told me last night that one of y'all had something to say. I don't know who needs to say it, but you better get it off your chest."
After a long period of silence, Julian throws up his hands. "The only thing I gotta say is I'm asking Celai to be my girlfriend Friday."
"That's good," Mama Ruth nods. "But I don't think that's what God called y'all here for. Anything else?"
He racks his brain for another moment before shaking his head and shrugging. "Nah, that's it," he says truthfully, leaning back on the couch.
Mama Ruth looks at Nyomi. "What about you, Ny?"
She shrugs, turning her head, and anyone with eyes can see she has something to say.
Julian nudges her. "You alright?"
"Are you?" she defensively asks.
"I'm doing great, I got God and my girl. Can you answer me now?" he asks calmly.
"I'm fine. I just don't want to be here."
"I didn't want to be here either. But we're both here now and obviously one of us has something to say."
Nyomi averts her eyes and looks at Mama Ruth. "How do you even know God said to sit us down? How do you know you didn't just make it up in your head?"
"You and I were just talking about this, you will always know when it's the Lord's voice because you'll feel it. It's the enemy that makes you believe it's not."
"Yeah, hearing God's voice and believing it's Him is stepping out on faith," Julian adds.
Nyomi shoots him a dirty look, like he just offended her, and she looks back at Mama Ruth. "But how do you know? I've been asking God the same question all week and I haven't gotten a response yet."
"First of all, you're working on God's timing, not the other way around. Second of all, God doesn't only speak to you with His voice. You can flip to a page in the Word or hear the same Scripture repeatedly. Or-"
"No, Mama, this is a specific question that can't be answered with the Bible," Nyomi interrupts, annoyed with Mama Ruth's response.
She raises an eyebrow. "Unless you're the author, I don't think you know that. The Word is living, girl."
"But another way God can speak to you is by using other people," Julian cuts in.
"Did I ask you?" Nyomi questions.
He scrunches up his face. "What's your problem with me today? I did nothing to you but somehow I made you mad."
Nyomi stands up. "I don't have time for this," she mumbles.
"Sit down, Nyomi," Mama Ruth attempts to say calmly.
"But, Mama-"
"Sit. Down."
Nyomi plops back beside Julian and crosses her arms. Julian looks at her, but she keeps looking straight, avoiding his eye contact.
"If you don't want to be here so bad and if we repulse you that much, maybe you should say what's stinking up your attitude so you can leave," Mama Ruth says sternly. "And that goes for both of y'all."
Julian scoffs. "I don't have an attitude."
"Julian," Mama Ruth warns and that's enough to shut him up. "One of y'all got five seconds to start talking," she states.
Silence fills the room for at least thirty. Julian watches Mama Ruth slowly lose her patience and at the very end of it, Nyomi begins to speak.
"Julian is being stupid."
"What?" he says as he looks at her.
She says it to his face. "You're being stupid. You're sitting there letting this girl use you and you're so far up her behind to notice."
"I thought we were over this, you helped me pick out an outfit for our date and everything. And you don't even know her to say that about her."
She whips her head toward Mama Ruth. "Mama, what does it sound like when a girl has you pay when you go out to eat, has you drive you around the entire state of Virginia, has you help her pick out a car, probably discounted, and then magically becomes able to drive it?"
Mama Ruth shrugs, providing no help.
Nyomi continues. "You're being used, Julian, and I don't like that girl. Put it in perspective: when you thought I broke my sobriety, you came rushing to my aid, but the second you saw I was okay, you wanted to go back to that girl. I didn't know it initially, but I know how you move. What's gonna happen if you marry her? Will you even care about me anymore? From the moment I was born you were taking care of me, and you were still there through my suicide attempts and alcohol addiction, but I don't know if you'll be there next time. I'm barely twenty, how do I know I won't have more issues later down the line?"
Only Nyomi's sniffs from her beginning to cry fill the quiet room. "And I know what you're thinking: you think I'm only saying I don't like Celai because you want to be with her, but don't forget who was trying to set you up with women I knew would be good for you. Your problem is you like to fix people, and Celai must be a huge project to you. You don't like to admit it, but mom left scars on you too. You like being used because it makes you feel important, but what's gonna happen when she's 'fixed'? You're being stupid by letting her use you and you need therapy."
Julian wants to deny her claims but he wouldn't be able to convince himself. Her words have some truth to it— whether he's aware of that or not.
"Julian?" Mama Ruth says, making him look at her. She nods her head to Nyomi as an attempt to get him to respond.
"What am I supposed to say? She knows me best." He looks at Nyomi. "But even still, I do wish for you to meet Celai before you assume all that about her."
She throws up her hands. "Did all I say go in one ear and out the other?"
"No, no, we both heard you and we see where you're coming from," Mama Ruth says. "But I see where Jules is coming from also. Yes, he likes to 'help' people, and maybe some of that is rubbing off on this girl, but at the end of the day, you don't know her, or what she's about."
Nyomi taps her foot furiously until her phone pings. She looks at the message on it and gets up. "I'm going to continue what I was doing before you pulled me in this mess," she mumbles.
This time, Mama Ruth doesn't stop her. Both she and Julian hear her leave out the front door, and Mama Ruth shakes her head sadly. "I hate that Andrea left this effect on y'all. I tried to help her, I really did. I pray to God that He heals you two every day."
"Maybe that's why He brought us here today. Maybe your prayers are soon to be answered."