“Skipping all the small talk and psyche break down, this is what I know about this girl. First, she’s crazy! Crazy like I thought I was about to die every second I was with her. Somehow I can’t imagine my life without her. Second, she has very little regard for others. When we came to an intersection, we had a red light and Rachel didn’t feel like stopping. So she just went through it! She caused an accident. Not with us thank God, but a car slammed on its’ brakes and the car behind it smashed into it. You want to know what she says?” Matt is so inthralled in his story he doesn’t care what the response is. ‘A guy I once knew had that car. I’m sure he deserved it.’” So dismayed by what he’s sharing Matt throws his head in the air in amazement.
    “Matt this girl seems like a head case.” His friend sounds concerned and confused.
    “Yeah, but she has a caring heart. Rachel saw a homeless man and went up to him and gave him the food we had in the carriage.” Matt’s sitting up and seems just in awe of Rachel.
    “Alright, well that seems good. So did you make it home or are you at her place?” Is friends voice seems awake now and shows interest in what Matt’s ending to the night was.
    “Well, umm, that’s why I called you.” Matt begins to look around unsure of how to say this to his friend. “ I don’t know if this makes me totally insane or not, but I am in the middle of Central Park in my tux and I have no idea how I got here.”
    “What?!” His friends exclamation makes Matt push the phone from his ear and wince.
    “Man speak softer, can you just get me?”Matt’s rubbing his head from a mix of a hangover and embarrassment.
    “Dude we live in the city, your in central park, just walk.”
    “Well that’s the thing.” Matt looks around more analyzing his setting.
    “What do you mean?” His friends confused and has a bit of judgement in his tone.
    Matt looks over himself again and delays responding to his friend.
    “You just said you’re in your tux in Central Park.” His friends voice does not seem amused by Matt’s story anymore.
    “Yeah about that. I have my tux jack and bow tie on. I have on briefs. I’m not going to be allowed in a cab or subway.”
    His friend explodes in laughter. “This had to be some girl.”
    “Oh she was. Also, I think I am going to see her soon.” Matt sounds excited again.
    “What makes you think that?” His friend is still laughing at him.
    “Well, unless a stranger wrote on my chest to meet them for coffee at 3 with an address, I think I’m seeing her.” Matt just keep smiling.
    “Way to be man. Do you realize what time it is?”
    “No idea. You’re calling me. Woke me up.” Matt now is curious about what time it could be and why he did not think of this earlier.
    “It’s about 2, so how far is the meeting place from you.”
    Matt looks down trying to read it. “Well, it says where I left you. So I believe this is the place.”
    “Nice. Hopefully she brings your clothes.” His friends laughs at himself.
    “Man I don’t even care.” Matt throws his arms up to show just how little he cares.
    His friend keeps laughing. “Alright man. See you later.”
    “Sounds good.” Matt hangs up and lays back in the grass letting the hangover take over. He can’t help but smile.

“You can never show too much leg. You could show more of those mosquito boobs you have but leg is great.” Monica is video chatting with her sister, whose in Chicago, to help her get ready for the party at Shay’s. She’s looking to impress for the night.

“Trish you sure?”

“Honey you have amazing legs they should be shown to the world.”

“I understand looking good but I don’t want to be easy or a slut.”

“Calm down, I may dress it, you know, slutty whatever but I’m young and single. But you are so conservative. Loosen up a little. You look beautiful. You will turn heads.”

“I hope your right.” Trish goes on to ask all about this boy shoes looking to grab his attention but all Monica says is she’s getting bored with life and feels like she’s seriously missing out on companion ship and hopes to grab some attention to talk to a guy. They leave it on that note but Trish isn’t interiorly convince and Monica does not seem to believe it herself. The right to the party is a blur, Monica is so nervous to see Mike but also not sure if she will. Now she wishes she meet Andrew before hand to not have to walk in a lone.

Monica just stands out the house not sure to walk in. She debates walking in and while starring at the window she hears her name being called. Jay is walking up the driveway with a case in hand. “Ahh that is what I forgot to come prepared for beer in the woods.”

“True, I bring this anytime I come to Shay’s. He doesn’t drink but I feel like the more I bring it sometime he is bound to drink.”

“Wow. Slightly douche.”

“Well, yeah. But I do try to not force it. I just bring it that is all.”

“Then I guess he’s very tolerable.” Monica and Jay just seemed to linger outside of the house. Monica debating to go in a Jay looking like he needs to talk to her. The last encounter was not the best one, and Monica had more than a few choice words to say about it but right now she’s had more on her mind. She’s got a guy on her mind, reading the Bible, and thinking some serious life changes. But let’s have this Jay situation play out.

“If you don’t want to go in a lone I can give you a hand.” Monica gives Jay a once over. Not sure what to say. “I know I am probably not your type but just trying to be a friend here doll.” That gets her.

“I am not your doll. Listen I am not a bitch just going throw stuff so wondering how I even got on this road, this town, and talking to you. Just way to much to think about. Sorry I don’t even know you, but that is why I am standing here and looking at this house and wondering if I should enter.”

“How about I just wait with you. Here.” Jay hands Monica and beer. “Relax a little and we’ll just wait out here.” Monica sits on the stone porch next to Jay and puts her heels next to her.

“So much for showing legs.” Monica says softly.

“What.”

“Nothing just thinking of what my sister would be saying right now.”

“Gotcha, hot many you got?”

“Just her, no brothers. You?”

“I have a brother and a sister.”

“One of each nice.”

“Yep. I’m sure my sister wishes she had a sister but she had two protective brothers instead.”

“That’s nice that your protective.”

“I think so, she doesn’t all the time.” Monica tells him he knows how it is because she’s protective of Trish, especially after they were in a car accident when they were younger. It wasn’t anything major but she promised after that to always protect her. It might not have always been for the best but it was what she knew to do. Jay shared how he’s watch his brothers life always go on the right track and he’s tried to be a good example but he’s brother has turned into his example for his life. Spin on the older siblings role. But his sister has always been the star. She does sports and is at an Ivy League school dating the perfect boyfriend. Her life seems so type A but that is also her personality.

After all there sharing they realize they’ve been outside for a good two hours and drank half the case. Jay figured he might as well bring it in before Shay has to question where all the beer really went. Monica says she’ll wait a minute before going in, she wants to look at the stars which you can’t get a good look at by her. While gazing at the stars Monica feels some ones arm slip around her waist. She does not know this arm but feels as though this is where it belongs. When she turns to see who it could be, it’s Shay.

“Taisha what the hell, why does Desiree come back to my house saying there is a naked man in your bathroom.” Crap.

“Jeremy get in my closet.” Jeremy runs to the closet while I grab pants to put on to make my way down the hall to meet Andre as he’s coming up the stairs. “Andre what?”

“Don’t what me! Desiree came over yelling about how she gets home to find a naked guy basically out on display. Are you seeing someone?!”

“There wasn’t a naked man on display. I don’t know she said she say someone but when I got there no one was there.”

“So are you calling our daughter a liar?”

“No. Andre calm down.”

“You know why I’m also upset. I was here, with you. You turned me down.” Why did he have to bring that up. I move past him to make my way downstairs. “Taisha, where are you going?”

“To get some water. Care to join me.”

“Water? What about some red drink? Do you have any red drink?”

“I have to go to the store to get some.” I am at the bottom now and he can’t but help put his arm around my waist. This move gets me every time. I freeze with chills going up my spine.

“Desiree went to a friends.” I can’t make a sound. He’s kissing my neck and I am paralyzed. I look out the window to see Zola making her way to the front door. Taisha knows she wont knock so jumps in a panic.

“Zola’s a’comin stop!” That name always gives Andre’s chills. She is about the age of both our parents and has that effect to make everyone put on their best behavior.

“Zola?! I got to get out of here. You know what that womens like.” I love seeing Andre scared. Zola lived across the street from Andre when he was growing up. He was afraid to play in the front yard because she might tell him he could do something better or yell at him for making noise. He was more afraid of Zola finding out about him getting into trouble then his own mother. Zola was like a grandmother to him. “I could sneak out the back door. Yeah that’s what I’ll do.” Just as Andre turns to make his way for the door Zola is knocking on the door and walking in.

“Andre! I thought I saw you running down here earlier. Glad I got to see you. Been a long time.”

“Zola. Is hasn’t been that long.” Putting on a school boy face he makes his way over to her giving her a kiss on the check. “What can I get for you.”

“Nothing silly. This ain’t your house. I’ve come to talk to Taisha, this is her house isn’t it. Smart of her living next door to me when you left her, she knew you’d give her space.”

“Zola!”

“Don’t Zola me, now scat, I need to talk to her.”

“Taisha I will see you tomorrow. Zola, always a pleasure.”

“Mhmm. Bye now.” Zola has a careful eye on Andre watching him turning down the porch and walking to his car. “Taisha, what do you think you are doing?”

“What?”

“Don’t what me. I know for a fact there is a boy here and he is not here for you daughter. Or that your ex just happens to come in the middle of the night.”

“Zola I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turn walk towards to kitchen. “Could I grab you a cup of tea?”

“Taisha it is me your talking to. I don’t gossip. I hear the gossip and come a runnin’ to you. But when you come up in the gossip I need to start cracking some skulls.”

“People are talkin’ ‘bout me?”

“Yes honey. Now you see why I needs to come ova here to see what is going on in the think little skull of yours. Andres is no good for you. He tried being your husband and a father. He couldn’t do that. Now this boy comin’ here, what makes you think he could?”

“Zola, I.” Taisha just stares at the floor beginning to shake. Then collapses with Zola catching her.

“Damn child. Whenever you gets in a panic you go to fainting. One day this wont work.” Zola puts Taisha on the couch and heads to the kitchen to make tea while waiting for Taisha to awake.