tiana's perspective.
"Hey, look at me. It's going to be super quick, you'll only feel a little poke and then it's all over. I promise!"
"But I'm still scared." One of my patients says, giving me puppy dog eyes. She's only 4 and terribly afraid of needles, so I reassure her the best I can.
"How about I hold your hand? You can squeeze my hand as tight as you want if it hurts you, okay?" She nods her head yes and grabs a hold of my hand. The doctor that I'm shadowing prepares the needle for her. I try to distract the patient as she does so. "Did you go to school today? I know mommy said you're in Pre-K."
"Yes." She shyly responds, trying to keep her eyes on the needle.
"Tell me what you did today. Did you color or do arts and crafts? What did you eat?"
She starts telling me about her day, slowly focusing more on me and the conversation at hand and before she knows it, she feels the little poke from the needle and it's all over. She jumps a little, but doesn't shed a tear.
"See? That was so fast!"
I help the doctor clean up and watch as she talks to the patient's parents before they leave. I then go and gather my belongings so I could leave and pull an all-nighter tonight to make sure I pass this test tomorrow. Before I leave though, the doctor stops me.
"You know, you should really consider becoming a pediatrician. You work so well with the kids. I know you got some other rounds to do but you are great working with the kids. If you ever need a letter of recommendation or some help or guidance, I'm always here for you." She says.
"Thank you." I smile and give her a hug then leave the hospital for the night. My apartment is a 15 minute walk from the hospital, so to save myself some money, I walk to and from there whenever I can. Plus, it's exercise for me so I don't have to do an hour of cardio everyday.
I put my headphones in and listen to some music for most of my walk, but Harlem calls me before I get home. "Hey boo." I answer the phone.
"Tiana I'm going crazy."
"What happened?" I ask.
"So you know I went home to see my brother and to get him situated with your mom, right?"
"Mhm."
"I ended up running into Kyree and honestly, I think I may have feelings for him again. Like I know I sound crazy but it's like at home I have responsibilities and shit and when I was spending time with him I was taken back to that time we spent the summer together. I was young, carefree and happy. I mean I'm happy now but it's so different. It's like two completely different versions of me." She rambles.
"Did you cheat?"
"No! I could never do that to Christian. I love him way too much for that but I almost kissed him."
"Wow, Harlem. Like you haven't spoken to this man in years and all of a sudden he comes back and fucks shit up."
"I know! Help me Ti, what do I do?" She whines.
"I think you need to work out your feelings for both. Spend more quality time with your husband and see if the spark is still there, but build a relationship with Kyree and see if you want to be more than friends or if it was just a little fling because you haven't seen him in a while. But don't be sneaky, go talk to Christian and tell him what's going on."
I get home, finally, and get my mail out of my mailbox before going inside. Harlem keeps talking but a piece of mail catches my eye and I zone her out. I got a letter in the mail from Josiah. "I got a letter in the mail from Josiah!" I exclaim.
"Ooh what is it?!"
"I don't know, I'm scared to open it! We haven't talked since we had dinner that night so like why would he be sending me letters?"
"Just open it bitch we sound like we in high school!"
"Ok, ok." I drop all of my belongings on my couch before sitting on it, then put my phone on speaker in my lap. I rip open the envelope to reveal a wedding invitation. I read over it, confused, but quickly realize that this nigga really invited me to his wedding. We haven't even been broken up that fucking long and he's getting married?!
"Harlem, this nigga got me fucked up."
"Hold on Ti, Harmony put the iPad away because you're not supposed to have it at night anyway and go upstairs and tell daddy it's your turn for a bath. Don't get back up outta bed. I promise you if I come upstairs and you're not in bed you're not getting that iPad back for a week."
"Don't talk to my baby like that." I joke.
"Girl she be too smart for her own good. I'm tryna clean up the downstairs because my mother in law is moving in literally tomorrow and she wanna be down here asking me about that iPad. Christian probably gave it to her so he could give Caleb a bath. But go ahead, you said what?"
"He got me fucked up! He sent me an invitation to his wedding! How the fuck is he already getting married? And it's to some white bitch!"
"I mean, you should go though. He either really wants to be friends and wants to let you in his life or he's being an asshole and wants to show off so go, look bomb as hell and make him think twice. Just don't fuck him or nothing."
I sit back and think for a second. Here I am, heartbroken and thinking about him nonstop and he was moving on quick as hell. "If I go, you gotta go with me."
"Where is it?" She asks me.
"Lucky for you, it's in LA. So you can't tell me no."
"Fineeee, I'll go. But you better hope it's open bar cause you're buying me drinks all night. Just text me the details cause I gotta go. I'm bout to fight this little girl."
I chuckle. Talking to Harlem always makes me feel at least a little better. "Okay, I'll send you a pic. Love you sis."
"Love you too." She hangs up.
—
harlem's perspective.
I hang up the phone with Tiana and go upstairs to help Christian get the kids ready for bed. He has to get up early tomorrow to pick his mom up from the airport so he's trying to put the kids to bed early. Knowing our kids, though, they're still going to be up and wired for at least another hour.
I go into the boys' bathroom, where Christian was giving Caleb a bath, and stand in the doorway, watching him bathe and play with Caleb. My baby looks so joyful spending time with his dad, and Christian honestly lives for this. He's always wanted to be a dad and he treats our kids like royalty. It warms my heart to see them like this. How could I betray him and be even thinking about another man?
But Tiana is right, I should hash shit out with Kyree and see what I want to do. I love Christian and the life we've built, but what if I'm meant to be with Kyree? I don't want to stay with Christian and be yearning for Kyree the entire time. I wouldn't want to do that to myself or to Christian.
On the other hand, though, I don't want to break my family up. I would become a single mother and our kids would be going back and forth from house to house, not growing up with both parents in one household. I wouldn't want to put them through that. It's so much to think about.
"Mommy!" Caleb's little voice breaks my train of thought as he realizes that I'm here.
"Hi baby." I smile and walk over to them. I sit on the toilet seat beside the bathtub. "What you and daddy in here doing? Taking all long in the tub."
"Bath!" He smiles, splashing the water.
"Did you give Harmony a bath?" Christian asks.
"I told her to tell you to give her one. She didn't come in here?" He shakes his head no.
"She acting up tonight I see." I say before getting up to walk out.
"Check on Jeremiah too, he already got a bath and put on his pajamas but I want to make sure he's not watching TV or on the iPad."
"What would you do without me?" I joke before walking out of the bathroom.
I first check Jeremiah's room. Like the angel he is, he was already fast asleep. I go over to him and put his covers on top of him, then give him a kiss on the forehead. I turn his night light on before leaving his room. I then go into Harmony's room, to see her still on that damn iPad.
"Harmony Alexis Knights, you're not getting the iPad back for 2 weeks now since you wanna be smart. Hand it over." I hold my hand out for her to give me the iPad. She does so without too much of a fight. "And I told you to tell daddy to give you a bath, so go do that please."
"Okay mommy." She leaves her bedroom to join Christian in the bathroom. I pick up some toys around her room before leaving it, taking the iPad with me.
What am I gonna do with this little girl?