When he punches the man, knocking him out, I am in shock. Then, taking in the look of fear and bruises on the woman and seeing her son visibly relax at the man being taken down, I find relief.
I lift my hand in the air, giving Coal a fist bump for protecting his woman and child. Before I can be seen, I then pull away, knowing I need to reevaluate how I’m going to handle fixing things.
I respect my world and the people in it. If Coal has a wife and son, I won’t worry about making him a meal. That could be mistaken as an attempt at a romantic connection.
The man is hands down sex on a stick, but if he’s taken, then I respect his woman and her place in his life. I just want to get things right between us so all our energies will be even once again.
Back at my apartment, I get to work with what I think is best for a family gift. First, I get out the trays and freeze the goat milk. Then I go in my craft bin and find the dinosaur molds. Surely, the boy will like dinosaur soaps.
Back in the kitchen, I pull out the stainless-steel bowl that fits in the sink with all the ice. Grabbing the essential oils necessary for making the soap and lye, I line it all up for once the milk freezes.
Coal may not want me to make this right, but by the stars, I will. With my hands and my heart, I will make a cleansing bar for him, his wife, and his son. As they wash away the day’s dirt and grime, my energy will wash away the negative impact I created or became tied to, I’m not sure which. Either way, I will be the positive I set out to be in every person I encounter.
Making soap is a soothing process for me, but it’s also time consuming. This isn’t going to be something I can finish tomorrow. In fact, the curing will take weeks.
Instantly, disappointment hits me hard.
I need another plan.
Okay, so Coal has a woman and a son. They are clearly important to him since he punched that guy just for being around them.
I smack myself in the forehead. “Think, Paisley, think!”
I try to come up with something as my doorbell rings.
I open it excitedly before immediately rushing back into the kitchen.
“Paisley, slow down!” Desirae calls as she comes in with Morgan on her heels.
“What are y’all doing here?” I ask as I go into my cabinets, pulling out pure maple syrup—the real deal, not processed—millet, and a few other items I need.
“Did you forget?” Morgan asks, watching me.
“Obviously,” I give back as I pull out my dried cherries.
“We’re supposed to have cooking class,” Des says dryly.
I drop everything with a clamor on the countertop. “Yes!” I dance around. “Perfect. Today, we make breakfast cookies!” I squeal with delight. “Yes, you heard me. This ain’t your momma’s breakfast, babes. We’re gonna make carrot and cherry breakfast cookies today for Coal.”
“For Coal?” both women question simultaneously.
“You’re not still stuck on this whole hitting him thing, are you?” Des asks while Morgan continues to look at me as if I have grown two heads.
“Wait! Hitting him? What did you do, Paisley?” Morgan looks at me.
“Nothing,” Des answers for me, to which I hang my head guiltily.
“I hit him with my car,” I admit.
“Oh my, is he okay?” Morgan continues talking to me, while Des moves freely behind me to put away the ingredients.
“Yes. No, but yes, physically. I’m not, though,” I stammer through my own confusing thoughts.
“Wine,” Des says, pulling out my homemade plum wine we made last year. “This calls for wine, since you obviously didn’t listen to me when I said you’re off the hook with Coal.”
Morgan takes me by the hand and leads me to my couch. We both sit down, and like every other time Morgan or Des sit on my couch, they sigh.
“Really, one day, Paisley, we’re gonna get you off this wooden framed couch with your hand sewn pillows made from your old T-shirts and into a really soft, luxurious couch that we all want to come over for movie night on.”
“Enough about my couch!” I drop my head into my hands. “I have a crisis.”
“Look, honey”—Des sits on the floor in front of me with a glass of wine—“Coal isn’t the kind of guy who dates.”
It’s my turn to look at her like she has two heads. “I know. He has a woman and a kid. I have to fix things with Coal because everything has been messed up since I bumped him. Like today for instance. My earbuds completely died at the gym. I actually had to listen to the people around me. How can you get in the zone with all that chaos? You can’t! Then I saw him at lunch. I followed him and found out he has a woman and a kid, which is good, but then I want to make dinosaur goat milk soap for his son, but that takes weeks! I can’t have the moons off and the black cloud over me for weeks!”