Not Single For Long by Faleena Hopkins

Author:Faleena Hopkins [Hopkins, Faleena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-21T18:00:00+00:00

Nax

It’s just us six now, our sons walking ahead on Hudson Street as Bennett lowers his volume. “Something happen between you and Zia?”

“Shoveled my foot into this.” I point to my mouth.

Awakening to someone’s problems other than his own, Josh asks, “Wait. When did this happen? I didn’t notice anything.”

Bennett grunts, “You were too busy being rude to my girlfriend’s sister.”

“I wasn’t being rude!” Reacting off of Benny’s raised eyebrow Josh concedes, “Just didn’t want to give her the wrong impression, that’s all.”

“That you’re a nice person?”

Josh’s eyes steel. “I’m not ready to date! You shouldn’t have set me up.”

“I didn’t.”

I’m not a fan of discord so I smile with patience, “Josh, I think he’s trying to say it was just mini golf with even numbers. Bennett invited Zia without telling me, so Christina must’ve thought she couldn’t leave her sister out. Three three three.”

Our grieving friend blinks down to pavement older than us and our sons put together. “She likes me. I could feel it.”

Bennett grunts, “Don’t know how.”

I laugh, “Back to me?” smacking their shoulders since I’m between them. “We were discussing me and my tasty foot.”

I explain what happened. It’s a short story that gets raised eyebrows and no consolation. We arrive at Josh’s place first, us saying goodbye to Bennett and Elliot, with Joe and Will calling after their redheaded friend, “Come play video games with us tomorrow!”

“Can I, Dad?”

“Sure. Bring the dogs.”

That wins Bennett a grin that shows every tooth. “What time?”

One o’clock is settled, and we walk into an apartment building once used for textile distribution, exposed piping left in for style. In the elevator up, our sons are quiet — probably tired — until Joe looks up at me. “She’s pretty, Dad.”

Surprised, I blink at him. “Who?”

“Zia,” he says matter-of-factly, adding, “She’s very pretty. Nice, too.”

This is sensitive territory, but he seems so relaxed I’m taken aback and have to ask, “Why are you telling me this?”

“You like her, don’t you? Elliot and Will told me you were talking about her last night on the subway while I was sleeping.”

Oof.

He walks off the elevator, with Will trailing as if he didn’t kick me in the gut.

Josh and I stare at each other, not moving. Undecided on what to do about this, we follow the boys toward the apartment and my back straightens in surprise as I lock eyes with a man walking toward us, his hazel eyes with weathered wrinkles narrowing as our gazes hold. Time slows down and as he passes I stop walking to watch his unhurried gait. Keys jingle in a distant reality as Josh opens his door, voice far away calling, “Nax?”

But this feeling I can’t ignore is back, one I can’t quite get my mind around. I call after the man with grey and ginger hair, “Can I help you?”

Pushing the button, he turns to me as the elevator doors reopen, the car not yet called away. His voice is deep and gravelly but steady. “Does Bennett Powers live here?”

“No.

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