Joy Comes in the Morning by Ashea S. Goldson

Author:Ashea S. Goldson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Urban Books
Published: 2013-06-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-four

When we arrived at the coffee shop together, we sat at a corner booth in the back. I was nervous about being there, and mostly about being seen there with him. He seemed comfortable enough though. He leaned back in his seat, ordered two lattes and even loosened the collar on his designer looking shirt.

“What is this all about?” I didn’t know what to think or how to feel.

“About? Can’t two old friends get together and talk?”

“First of all, we were never friends, and secondly, I doubt if we have anything to talk about. Now get to the point before I leave you sitting here by yourself.”

“Ooh, so cold.”

I crossed my legs. “I learned well.”

“Touché.” Ahmad leaned toward me. “I missed you, that’s all.”

I looked behind me. “You must be talking about someone else, because I know you don’t expect me to believe that junk. Look, it has been a long time, and let’s just leave it at that. I’m engaged now and—”

A waitress served our two drinks.

“Will there be anything else, sir?” she asked.

“No, thanks. That’s it,” Ahmad said to the waitress.

He waited until she had left the table, and then he reacted to my last comment. “Engaged?”

“Yes, engaged.” I flashed the ring. “Does that surprise you? I mean that I would go on with my life. It took me a long time, I’ll admit, but I have gone on with my life. Now I suggest you continue to go on with yours. Now if you’ll excuse me, I . . .” I started to stand up, but he grabbed my hand, and I sat back down.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have come up on you like this. It’s just that I knew I’d be in town for a couple of days. I’m here auditioning for a part in a play.”

“I’m glad the acting thing is working out for you,” I said in my typical who cares tone of voice.

“I’ve had a little luck with it recently, yeah.”

“So?”

“I’ve got a flight out in the morning, and I guess I needed to see you.”

“See me for what?”

“Closure.”

“Closure? Now that’s a joke. What do you think I needed ten years ago when you left me, when you carried your trifling behind back to Los Angeles without even giving me a thought.”

Ahmad licked his lips. “Oh, I thought about you.”

“I never got a phone call or a letter. Why are you here? What do you want from me?”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Well, it’s too late for that. Maybe if you just leave now, crawl back into whatever hole you slid out of, I’ll be okay again.”

“You sound so bitter.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. I know I left you in an awkward position. I was a fool back then.”

“I’m not going to argue with that, but what’s done is done. You can’t turn back the clock. Neither can I.” I couldn’t believe I was actually having this conversation, the one I had rehearsed a thousand times, and yet it never sounded quite like this in my mind.

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