Page 50 of Kobalt

You don’t know how to. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow.

BAE:

Okay. Is there anything I can do for you?

ME:

No. I’m fine.

“Hey, beautiful. All I’ve been thinking about all day long is you.” Kobalt greeted me, placing a large bouquet of at least fifty red roses in my arm as soon as he opened the door.

“Baby, the surprise was supposed to be for you, not me.” I gasped in surprise after I stepped into his condo.

Short and tall vases of red roses and pink tulips stood throughout the candlelit living room. Candlelight flickered on the various surfaces around the room: the fireplace, the tables, and the floor. Jazz music played in the background. He had pushed the furniture out of the way, and in the middle of the floor was a beautiful dusty mauve, crimson, and golden-brown blanket. On top of the blanket, a feast of Thai food, my favorite, was spread out, and a candle sat in the middle of the food. Two pillows covered in material the same color palette as the blanket sat on either side of it.

“You deserve the best.”

“Can I go wash my hands before we eat?” I asked.

“Of course.” He took the flowers from me while I went to wash my hands.

After I washed my hands, I had to satisfy my curiosity. “I told you that I was heading home. How did you know that I would come here instead?”

He smirked and chuckled. “You forgot I have your location? I’d already ordered everything, and I was going to come by anyway to drop off the food. When I saw you going further away from your place, I decided to go forward with my plan. I figured you would pop up here.”

“Oh, damn. I should’ve turned it off or powered my phone off.”

“You know that would’ve only made me suspicious.”

“You’re right, because if you had done that, I would’ve been worried.”

He reached for my hand and pulled me to the blanket. Before I sat on the pillow, he lifted each of my legs and removed my heels from my feet. After I sat down, he served me before he plated his own meal.

“I spoke with Passion this afternoon,” I announced.

He slowed his chewing and glanced over at me. “And?”

“She told me that she spoke with Niagara. She’s out of town for a few days.”

“Did she say where she went?”

“No.”

He shrugged. “She’s an adult. She’s got the right to make her decisions. She just needs to learn to respect the same with everyone else.”

I reached a hand toward him and took his hand in mine. With a little squeeze, I reassured him. “She will, babe. Niagara’s hurt right now, and she has every right to be. That day that everything happened, she was the one who found me, and she stayed by my side in the next week and a half. She packed her things and basically moved in with me. She was the only one who was there for me during that time. More than likely, she feels played.”

“First, I wasn’t here because I didn’t know. Second, you didn’t play her. We all could say we should’ve done things differently in hindsight, but what’s done is done. She can’t walk around holding grudges; it’s time for forgiveness and healing now, and that’s not something Niagara’s ever been good at.”

“Give her space and time. I know that she’ll come around.”

“That’s just it. The folks that she needs to easily forgive and love are the ones she gives hell. Then there’s muthafuckas like Edward Harden who she willingly forgives, runs up behind, and even kisses his ass. He doesn’t deserve her spit, let alone the love she shares. It pisses me off—why is she like this?”

“She wants his approval, his love, and acceptance. I think the lack of it causes her to feel unworthy at times, and maybe if she had it, she’d feel validated,” I explained.

“She doesn’t need that nigga to validate her.”

“I know that, and you know that, but until Nia believes it here and feels it here, it doesn’t matter,” I stated, tapping my temple and pressing a fist over my heart.