“Yeah but, she didn’t make it,” Tavarus said, as the waitress arrived. “Bring me another Long Island Tea.”
“Make it two,” I said, getting up to hit the buffet. I got back to the table just as the waitress arrived with the drinks. Between mouthfuls I asked, “So what’s up with you and Carmen? Y’all gonna make it?”
“It’s not looking that way. These days the only thing that we can agree on is that we disagree on most things,” Tavarus replied. “Said she was unhappy with the way I was treating her.”
“How were you treating her, Tee?”
“Wasn’t spending enough time with her. Said she was tired of being last on my list. Said I made her feel like everybody else was more important than she was.”
“What’s wrong with you, Tavarus? I’m ashamed of you. Don’t you know women take quality time very seriously?” I said, chastising him with my finger.
“I know that, man, but dig, the way she sees it, when she’s got something to do that’s her time. But when she doesn’t have anything to do that’s her time to spend with me. If there’s anything I wanna do, I better be doing it with her.”
“Right. Any questions?”
“Oh, say, man. That’s not how it works. At least not from where I’m sitting. This is a two-way street. I guess I was supposed to do what I wanted to do while she was off doing her thing?”
“Right. Any questions?”
“You a trip, man. Then she tells me that I could have included her in my life.”
“I know. She probably said that you were ashamed to bring her around your friends.” I throw in between bites.
“Yeah! How did you know? She been talkin’ to you?”
“Angelique used to go through the same trip before we got married.”
“Not Angelique, say it ain’t so.”
“Yes, Angelique.”
“Really, Angelique says the same thing, huh?”
“It’s a girl thing.”
“I feel better now,” Tavarus said sarcastically. “I was starting to think it was me. I was beginning to think that maybe I was doin’ something wrong. ’Cause Cynthia and Gerri used to tell me the same thing, too.”
“Come on now, Tavarus, those are standard lines. They all read the same self-help books,” I said, and flagged the waitress down to get another round. “But you were doin’ something wrong.”
“What’s that?”
“You weren’t spending all your time with her.”
Tavarus laughed at me. He stood up, shook his head, and hit the buffet again. When he got back to the table, he said, “So Angelique goes through them changes too.”
“What, do you think she just lets me run wild? Any time I get too far off the chain, and you know I can get out there sometimes, she knows how to put me back in check. She’s just protecting her interest.”
“That’s different; Angelique’s put in the time. Carmen came through the door trying to call some shots.”
“See, it’s different with Angelique. I enjoy spending time with Angelique. We have a lot of fun together. So to me, it ain’t like an obligation to be with her. That’s where I wanna be. You’ll meet somebody that you wanna spend your time with. Until then, don’t let them sweat you about that shit, Tee,” I said and felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I took out my phone and saw that I had a missed call. I looked at the number, it was Angelique calling from work. “I missed a call from Angelique.”
“Yeah, reception in this joint is suspect.”
“Let me go see what my baby’s talking about.”
“Let me ask you a question, Zack.”
“What’s that, Tee?”