Page 10 of The Marriage Rebound

“Hey, bitches,” Nish said as she walked up. “Ooh, I like this place. How we end up here?”

“Where the hell you been?” Denise asked.

“With my man,” she answered with the roll of her eyes and a flip of her sleek bob. “He got back early from his last long-haul trip and well, he missed me,” she finished with a smirk and a shrug.

Denise frowned and smacked her lips. “Well, yo ass gotta catch up. Whatcha drinkin’? Sasha opened a tab. This was her pick, so she’s payin’ for these expensive-ass drinks.”

Tanisha looked between me and Denise. “Say less. I ain’t turning down free drinks. How far in are y’all?”

I tapped the screen of my phone again. Still no messages or missed calls. Courtney always tried to reach out. It was her thing because she was a fixer. She was supposed to fix this . . . us. Yet she’d been as radio silent as I had. Her last text had come around one a.m., two words: alright then.

In one gulp, I finished off my drink. “Not far enough.”

“Oh, shit. What I miss?”

Denise started waving her arms. “Ooh, ooh, ooh, let me tell ya, it’s been good.” She gleefully rubbed her hands together. “Our girl has been standin’ on business.”

I excused myself, heading to the restroom. I didn’t need or want to hear a recount of everything. Then she’d had the nerve to make that bullshit comment about flying economy as a “compromise.” Yet she had the nerve to be upset . . . be hurt . . . And she was hurt? Coming off the big win I expected her to be all smiles and excitement, but when I saw her, there was no joy in her eyes. Had I gone too far by ignoring her messages?

A laughing group of ladies entering the bathroom interrupted my thoughts and I shook off any second-guesses that were trying to form. It was over and done now. Nothing could be changed.

After taking some time to collect myself, I weaved my way back out, stopping at the bar to get another drink before rejoining Tanisha and Denise, though when I got to the booth it was only Tanisha.

“Where’s D?”

“Dancing,” she replied after taking a sip of her own drink. “So, you deep in your petty huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ ’bout.”

Nish simply pursed her lips and tilted her head. “Now, you know damn well.”

I sighed and sucked down some more of my Moscow mule. Tanisha, the voice of reason. “I went to the lil’ welcome back thing, didn’t I?” And saw the smiles and patience she had for her fans, especially the young ones. It made me a little envious. Courtney had so much to give to everyone else. Everyone but me.

“Like I said, petty. How are you sittin’ over there downplaying your wife’s accomplishment? I get your feelings are hurt because you didn’t go to the game.” Her attention drifted to where Denise was grinding on someone.

The place wasn’t super busy, which wasn’t surprising for a Thursday night, so it was easy to spot her. She and the woman were pelvis to pelvis, dancing so close it was border-line obscene. She was having a time, and I needed to be doing the same. Too much uneasy energy I hadn’t been able to shake.

“You g’on let her gas you right on up out of a relationship.”

I snapped my head back in Tanisha’s direction at the comment. “What?”

She raised a brow as she sucked down more of her drink. She had a way of saying a lot without uttering a word. Although in this case she didn’t have to. It wasn’t like she hadn’t voiced her opinion before.

I shook my head. “It’s not . . . She’s not doin’ nothin’ but keepin’ me from losin’ my shit.”

“Really? Whose idea was it to come out tonight?”

I cut my eyes back to the dance floor. “Please, us goin’ out ain’t nothin’ new.” I sucked down more of my beverage. The tingling lightheadedness that signaled the move from tipsy to drunk was the forgetfulness relief I was chasing.

“Uh-huh. Look, I get it. Courtney not letting you go to Phoenix hurt, and I’d probably be pissed too.”

I rolled my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “But?”

Tanisha settled back against the leather booth and crossed her legs. She stared at me for a moment before shaking her head and waving her hand. “You know what, never mind. We’re here for a good time. Let’s do that. And I’mma let you handle you and your relationship how you see fit.”

Sometimes with the two of them it was like having the little cartoon devil and angel on my shoulders. I needed that balance in my life, and she and Denise got along well enough for the most part. Depending on the day.

And the situation.