“Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Jordan!”

Temi, breathing heavily glared at the young college student who had moved into the apartments two months prior. Her weave was tousled, and she hid her naked glistening body beneath Temi’s sheets.

“Baby!”

Temi threw her hand up to silence her boyfriend before turning her attention back to the hoochie in her bed. “Bitch, get the fuck out!” When the girl looked to Jordan for help, Temi stormed across the room and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her out of the bed. “Don’t look at him. He don’t pay bills here, I do! And I say, get the fuck up out my crib!” She tossed the girl into the living room butt naked.

“But my clothes,” the young girl had the nerve to glare at Temi, but with one dangerous look from the lady of the house, she realized it was time to go. She grabbed the shirt Jordan had tossed on the sofa and her heels and ran down the stairs.

“Baby, what you mean comin’ home without callin’ an’ shit?” Jordan entered the room wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

Temi couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was he really trying to turn this shit around on her? “Excuse me?”

“I’m just sayin’. You know, this is actually all your fault. If you hadn’t come home early, or if you had called, we wouldn’t be standin’ here all tense and shit.”

“Riiigghht.” She flung a wine glass at him. He dodged and it shattered against the wall; what little wine remaining in the glass when it hit, streaming red down the white of the wall. She grabbed a plate.

“Baby. Calm down. I know you upset, but we can work this out. I’m sorry okay,” he dodged the flying plate.

“Get… the… fuck… out!” She hurled the other plate.

“Get out? Oh, ho now, I live here too.” He ducked.

Temi went into the kitchen and pulled out the chef’s knife. “Actually, you don’t. The lease is in my name, and you haven’t paid shit in months!” She twirled the knife and took a defensive stance. “Now, I suggest you get your ass out of here, before I cut a nigga.”

Jordan laughed. “Oh, baby. You ain’t gonna hurt me. You my boo.” Temi swung at him and nearly sliced him in the belly. “Bitch!”

“I said get out, or I will skin you from head,” she pointed the knife from his head to his crotch, “to head.”

Seeing that there was no reasoning with her, Jordan grabbed his shoes and moved to the stairs. “I will be back for my things.”

“Don’t worry. Yo shit be on at the corner tonight.”

“Wait a minute,” Tahleeah jumped in. “You mean to tell me he was screwing some young bimbo, tried to blame you for catching them, and thought you were just gonna let him waltz back up there to grab his things later?”

“Yep,” Temi took a sip of her wine.

“Well, did you let him back in?”

“C’mon, Tahleeah! Does she look stupid?” Kenya grimaced at her.

Tahleeah rolled her eyes at the older woman, who could be so insensitive sometimes.

“Nah, girl. This shit just went down a few hours ago, and before meeting y’all I went ahead and had the locks changed.” She sighed. “I’m gonna see if I can get the day off tomorrow to pack up his shit and drop it off at his brother’s place.”

The table fell silent for a few moments as they all considered Temi’s story. It was only when Tahleeah’s phone screamed in James Brown’s voice, “Wow! I feel good,” did they wake from their trance. “Sorry. It’s a text from Carlos.”

“Is everything okay,” Sherica placed her glass on the table.

“Yah. He just wanted to thank me for dropping off his cousin and to tell me he loves me.” Tahleeah smiled down at her phone as she replied.

Temi sighed and shook her head. “Man, I wish I could find someone like Carlos; hardworking, family oriented, loves to travel, treats his woman like a queen.”

“Shit, girl,” Sherica jumped in. “We all want that!” Sherica, a pediatric doctor who worked in an office by day and occasionally moonlighted at the hospital when needed, was constantly on the prowl. Despite being heavy-set, she ALWAYS had a man, and they tended to be married. Sherica was confident, intelligent, and oozed sex appeal. Since she had so much fun playing the field with one hottie after the next, it was hard for them to take her seriously when it came to the possibility of setting down.

Kenya laughed. “Good luck! I think Tahleeah got the last one. Shoot, I can’t get Clarence to be half as romantic as that boy!”

Tahleeah was gradually reddening with embarrassment. She and Carlos had been together since she graduated three years back. Her car had broken down on the bypass, and he happened to be towing a car back to the shop where he worked. Since AAA was going to take an hour to get to her, and he promised to drop her at the shop and return for her car; she took him up on it. Best decision of her life! Carlos did as promised and fixed her car for free, which didn’t go over well with the shop owner. However, fast-forward three years later, they were still together, and he owned his own auto repair shop.

“Yah, he is the best,” she placed he phone back into her purse. “Actually, all of his cousins are like that; hardworking and family first.”

“Mmm…mmm…mmm. Then maybe I should be saying I wish I had a Latino!” Temi snapped her fingers.

Laughter erupted at the table. “Oh, so now you want to move from a playa to a poppy!”

 “Ah, come on, Kenya. Why do you have to make it sound so bad? Shoot, with what Temi’s had to go through for the past year, I think she deserves a Latin lover.” Sherica took a sip of her drink.

Temi shook her head. “No…no…no. I am done with temporary stand-ins. I’m getting up there, ladies. It’s about time I looked for my forever man.”

“Forever man,” Kenya scrunched up her nose in disgust. “You only sayin’ that because you ain’t never had one. But, let me tell you something.’ It ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. I swear, Clarence is like my third child, always cleanin’ up after him, always talkin’ back, always eatin’ up all the God damn food.”

Sherica and Temi merely shook their heads at Kenya. As much as she complained about Clarence, they knew she loved him. A firefighter by trade, Clarence went missing during a recent fire in the Western Branch area when some timbers fell, and he was cut off from the rest of his crew. Kenya had heard how bad the fire was and went to the scene. When Clarence didn’t come out before the front of the building collapsed, tears streaming down her face, she passed out. She woke a half hour later in Clarence’s arms; he had escaped through the back with a young survivor.

“Temi,” Tahleeah interjected, “You know, if you’re serious, we could probably hook you up with someone.”

“Are you for real?”

“Yeah. Carlos has several single cousins, but they’re not looking for hook-ups; they all want to find the one.”

Temi thought about what Tahleeah was saying for a moment.  Was she really ready to settle down? After being with Jordan for so long, should she take a break before jumping into another relationship?

“Temi?” Tahleeah raised her left brow.”

“Hmm?” Temi left her thoughts behind to rejoin the conversation.

It was Tahleeah’s turn to shake her head. “Do you want me to talk to Carlos? See if he can set you up with one of his cousins?”

Temi polished off her third glass of wine. “Yes. Let’s do it!”

“Artemisia Clarke, my darling, you look terrible.” Thom stood over her as she logged into her computer.

Well, she felt terrible, so she was bound to look it too. After returning to her empty home from her ladies’ night, Temi had decided to begin packing Jordan’s things. As angry as she was, she couldn’t help but sob her heart out when she took their pictures off the walls. Everything seemed wrong. He was supposed to be her forever. They had talked about getting married. He had told her that he wanted four kids and the names of each of them. How often had he said he loved her? If he had been cheating for a while, why ask her to stay home from work? And… why hadn’t she just stayed? Then again, if she had stayed, would he have just rescheduled this rendezvous for another day? The more her mind raced the emptier she felt. How could she live with someone and not know him at all?

The whimsical look on Thom’s face was replaced with concern when Temi didn’t respond, so he kneeled beside her and placed his arm about her shoulders. “Artie, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Temi looked at Thom and her eyes began to well up. She blinked rapidly and looked away in a failed attempt to force them back. “Umm…mmm, girl. Come with me.” Thom took her by the hand and led her to his office. “Now sit.”

As Thom closed the blinds to his office and locked the door, Temi merely looked down at her hands and tried to regain some semblance of dignity. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t want Thom to see this side of her; the broken, miserable, insecure version of herself. Though he had become possibly the best friend she ever had in all the world, she had never been vulnerable with him… really vulnerable anyway.

Thom looked down on Temi and his heart sank. He had never before seen her so lost. She was always strong, confident, funny. Slowly he sat down and pulled his seat in front of hers before reaching for her hands. “Okay, diva, let it out. What’s happened.”

Temi looked at him then. She had always found Thom very attractive, but with the air of superiority stripped away, he was even more so. “It’s Jordan,” her voice wavered. “I got home yesterday and found him sleeping with one of our neighbors.” Once the words had left her lips, she looked away.  She couldn’t hold his gaze.

Thom’s mind raced, his eyes burning with anger. He released Temi’s hands, stood, and began to pace angrily about the room; each step digging into the carpet before coming up to do so again. Artie had taken care of that bum for half a year and he dared to treat her like this!?! Thom was furious. He had the urge to go straight over there and beat the shit out of him. “Where is he,” Thom’s voice was so cold; no hint of amusement… no laughter.

Temi looked up. “I don’t know,” tears began to stream down her face. “I kicked them both out when I got home. Then, I had the locks changed. Which, by the way,” she reached into her pocket, “here’s your new one.” Thom would house sit for her and would use her place as a crash pad when she was out of town or staying with her mother.

Thom accepted the key and smiled. She had the locks changed. Good girl. “What about his things?”

“I began packing them up to take to his brother’s place last night. I haven’t finished, though.  In fact, I was planning to ask if I could have the rest of the day off to finish, but I’m not sure I have it in me.”

Thom sighed and strolled back toward her. He kneeled and took her hands in his. “Listen,” he kissed her hands. “You don’t have to do this alone.” He helped Temi to her feet and gave her a big hug, burying her face in his chest.

Temi closed her eyes and breathed in deep the warm scent of his cologne. The night before, Temi had received validation from her girlfriends, but Thom was giving her something else… care and love. In his arms she relaxed. She hadn’t noticed she was tense, but the way she felt now, she thought she could sleep the whole day away.

“Okay, diva,” he rubbed her back, “this is what we’re going to do. First, we’re going to get out of here. Then, we’re going to pack his shit up and get it out of your place. While we’re out, we will stop by the Heritage Store in Virginia Beach, have lunch and pick up some sage.” He pulled away from her just enough to look her in the eyes.

Temi managed a weak smile as she furrowed her brows, “What’s the sage for?”

“Oh, you poor dear. I clearly have so much to teach you,” he kissed her on the forehead. “The sage,” he was now shutting down his computer and throwing on his coat, “is to cleanse the negativity up in that bitch. Lord, we can’t have you living with bad juju. Now,” he was ready to go, “I’ll let Karl know we’re leaving while you log out and grab your shit. Deal?”

Temi nodded, and they were off.