“Chris said you looked like a family.” She was hoping for a reply to her statement, but nothing. “Sean, is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Kyla just threw me off guard. I wasn’t expecting her to be…I just knew she’d bring up…”
“Has she tried anything?”
“No. She won’t let me do anything and she’s taking good care of me and Simon.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted? I gotta tell you when you said she was staying over, I was more happy than concerned.”
“Why?”
“The next couple of weeks are very busy for me. Pastor has a full counseling schedule and I really wasn’t going to be able to come over to look after you and take care of Chris and the baby.”
“Trina, I didn’t expect you to come over.”
“No, but you’re family, and like Kyla, I was concerned about you over there by yourself. I think this is a great lesson in love.”
“Love? Who said anything about love?”
“You men, you always go to the extreme. Not romantic love, friendship love knucklehead. You don’t see how valuable this lesson is. You’re giving Kyla the opportunity to see how important a good friendship is and what it means to be a friend. She needs this right now. She’s been searching for something and here you have the opportunity to minister friendship to her. And although you’ll never admit it, you needed this lesson too.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you’ve been so busy trying to avoid your feelings for Kyla…”
“What feelings?”
“The ones that caused you to defend her this morning to Chris.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Sean, it’s okay to admit you like her, she’s a nice woman.”
“Who’s involved with someone else. And even if she weren’t, we aren’t on the same page. I can’t give her what she wants. And let’s not forget, I’m committed to God and she’s…”
“That’s just temporary.”
“I told her not to change for me.”
“And when she does, it won’t be for you, but because of you.”
“That’s the same thing.”
Sigh. “You are starting to sound like Chris. The only man a woman will change for is God, and I hate to break it to you, you ain’t Him.” They laughed. He knew Kyla was changing. He saw it in her eyes a few weeks ago.
“I don’t want her to do somethi
ng she doesn’t want to do.”
“Like looking after a man she’s not involved with and his dog. Sean, sometimes my husband can be an idiot and because he wants the best for you, he has a tendency to say things he shouldn’t. I’ll talk to Chris.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Yes, it is. I know my husband and he was probably rude.”
“Well…”
“I was going to suggest dinner, but I don’t think that would be a good idea.”