Another One Just Like You
From the day I had discovered the truth about Jason, our relationship was never the same.
Jason was the Midwest’s biggest drug supplier and I was way over my head to think I could handle being a hustler’s wifey. With all that I dealt with, all I could think about was him flirting and frequently cheating on me. I knew I had problems. How in the world could that be all that was on my mind?
Jason was out of control. He did what he wanted. He would often flaunt his other women in my face and put the drug dealing out in the open too. I was tired of it and him and I was ready to say good-bye to Jason once and for all.
So Jason calling me to go out to lunch so we could talk was right on time.
“Babe, I don’t have a lot of time for this, but I know you’ve been upset about everything. I can meet you for lunch. I don’t have a lot of time for this, Reese. So we gonna discuss it and that’s gonna be it.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a few, Jay.”
I knew he didn’t wanna lose me so I would sit at this lunch and put it all on the line. I would demand that he respect me and stop with all the nonsense.
I got myself together and headed to the restaurant downtown he suggested we meet at. Jason was already there when I arrived. The whole encounter reminded me of when I was meeting up with Julius, my ex, and ending that marriage. I hoped this wasn’t gonna go like that, with me giving him a bath with my glass of water, like I did Julius.
Jason was sitting down drinking a glass of water and talking on his cell when I came in. He saw me and stood up and got off the phone. He pulled my chair out, waited for me to sit, then kissed me on the cheek.
“Babe, you look nice today. You got your hair done?” he complimented me.
I smiled. Jason could be quite a gentleman at times. He knew how to make me feel on top of the world sometimes. Then there were other times when he made me feel at the bottom of the hill after falling down it. I wondered which one it would be today.
“Listen, babe, no more secrets,” he said. “No more lies.”
“Jason, I just don’t know if I can handle all of this. “Every time—”
Before I could finish he leaned over the table in the restaurant, looked around, then back at me. “If you can’t handle my lifestyle, tell me now. There’s plenty of women who can right here in Columbus.”
I sat there looking at him with my mouth hung open. He motioned his hands and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “So what.”
“Listen, I’m just bein’ honest. There’s females right now who wanna sit in that seat you sittin’ in.” He pointed at my chair. “Listen, just let me know wha’ you wanna do ’bout this, Reese. Either you wit’ me, or not.”
He got up and walked out the restaurant, leaving me sitting there alone. I was crushed and my feelings were hurt. This can’t be the same man who was so caring. Where did he go? I wondered while I sat there, looking like a plum fool. Then I thought, today I’m at the bottom of the hill.
After that conversation he wasn’t even going to get it together. I was certain it was time to go!
I sat there a few more minutes and thought about my relationship with Jesus and how so many times in my life He came to my rescue. I thought about that, and then picked up my cell to call Grandpa. I dialed his cell then hung up. “Why bother him with this? I know what to do: pray.”
I left the restaurant and decided to go by Toya’s house. Toya gave good advice and was a woman of God. She wasn’t only my sitter for the boys, but a good friend. I picked up my cell and called her while I drove.
“Hey, T, what you up to?”
“Oh, not too much. When my boys comin’ back from their dad’s in Cleveland? I miss them.”
“They’ll be back soon, T. Promise you that. I miss my boys so much!”
“Good! Can’t wait to hear ’bout their trip,” she said.
“I wanted to stop by and talk awhile. Kinda going through some more drama with Jason. I need to talk, girl. Jason is headed out with Kev and some more friends so I can hang out tonight.”
“Okay, that’s fine. I’m here for you Reese” she said.
“I’m pulling up. I’ll be in there in a second.” I saw her open the door while she was hanging up the phone. I got out my car and walked to her door. Toya stood in the doorway, smiling at me.
“Come on in here, girl, it’s gonna be all right!” Toya said.
“Yeah, I imagine it gets better,” I replied. “Pour me a cup of that good ol’ coffee you make.”
“Gotcha.” She smiled and then we went inside to her kitchen. “Reese, you are too good for that man. You and your sons deserve better than that.”
“I know, Toya, really I do, but he does love the boys. He spends time with them and makes sure they have the best.” I was so confused about my feelings, in one breathe I knew I needed to leave Jason and in the other breathe, I was defending him and staying in the mess.
“Come on, Reese. How much could he care about them if he treats their mother with so much disrespect? You need to think about that. Reese, I’m tellin’ you, get out of this.”
I sat there at the kitchen table staring out the window. I heard everything Toya was saying and I knew in my heart she was right.
“Reese!”
“Huh? I answered, still while I was thinking how bad this relationship was. I glanced over at Toya.
She rolled her eyes in what seemed to be frustration. “You see that coffee in front of you?”
I looked down into my cup of coffee.
“You better smell it, ’cause you already awoke!”
We both began to laugh. My laughing was to keep from crying.
