The conversation perked my interest as Rosa had a boyfriend that cheated on her in the past.

“Did you feel like you would have done that to your boyfriend that cheated?”

“I did feel a lot of anger but I was young” she was trying to soften her stance.

I think that experience is what made her very jealous in relationships.

There was no late night at Rosa. She has been studying late at night. It was a good thing as I wanted to get home to talk to Sue.

I rushed home.

Sue was up and on the phone.  I picked up the line to force her off.

‘I am on the phone’ she shouted.

I did it again 2 minutes later.

“I am still on the phone”

She got the hint and finally got off the phone.

I walked in her room to talk. I think she was expecting me.

She explained that Ritchie would not be sleeping over. He would be staying until her graduation. He would not sit with the family and would be in the background watching. They would go out but be very careful. She was saying everything I wanted to hear. She was trying to address my immediate concerns. She explained that Ritchie’s father recently turned an informant which has reduced his sentence. She said Ritchie was going to get protection from the government once it became official.

I was still concerned but there was nothing I could do to stop them from seeing each other. As long as he was not staying in the house I was fine.

For the next few days the pattern was he would pick her up and leave. He and I spoke during that time and reminisced about the past. He barely talked about his life in Atlanta.

Sue was on “cloud 9” with Ritchie here. She was giddy with happiness. I loved seeing her like this even with my concerns about where the relationship with Ritchie was going.

+++++++++++++++

Something surprising happened at work. Ritchie’s ex-girlfriend, Mariella, walked into BJ’s to pick up a few items.

“Hey, how are you” She hugged and kissed me on the cheek.

I had not seen her in a few years. In fact a few months before Ritchie went to Atlanta she stopped shopping at BJ’s. I would still see her mother come in but never her. She was alone. Her son was not with her.

“It’s been a long time”

‘Yes, I moved to Atlanta a while back. Didn’t Ritchie tell you? He said he saw you last week’

I was going to play it off. I did not want her to know I was surprised.

“Oooh yeah, he did mention it. I tried to change the topic “So I guess there is no BJ’s in Atlanta so you come here” I was smiling.

‘No, I am shopping for my mother, she is not doing well”

“Sorry to hear”

‘Your son must be big now”

“Yes, he and Ritchie have so much fun together. Ritchie is so great with him’ She did not say he was the father but it seemed from her statement that he was.

I was trying to keep a straight face. I now had enough information to put ‘two and two” together. I did not want to be abrupt

“How do you like it there?”

“I love it”

We talked a little more and then she went off shopping.

Then I took a deep breath. I was startled. Ritchie had been lying this whole time. The child is his son. It was obvious that the reason he chose Atlanta is because Mariella lived there with his son. It was obvious that she drove with him down from Atlanta. This is why he was not trying to stay with us. This explained the weird way he and Sue communicated. I wondered what to do with that information.

Did Sue know what was going on? I suspect she had a few flings during the time he was away. I wondered what to do with the information I just learned.

I could not go to Rosa or Tami. I needed some time to think this out because Sue’s graduation was close.

Things were going to get stickler. I came home one evening to find Sidney, my old classmate, at the door. He had a big smile on his face. How did he find us? I would later find out.

“Can I come in. I wanted to talk with you?”

I let him in.

We chit-chatted a little and then he made a statement.

“I left my wife and got a divorce’, he declared.

“Ohhhh…I am so sorry to hear”, I was not really surprised. He was a playboy and probably had a lady on the side. His wife may have found out and asked for a divorce. I was positive he was turning it around and saying he left her when it was really she who left him.

There was a moment of silence. I was expecting him to say more. Why was he here? Why did he feel the need to tell me about his marital problems? I was waiting on the punch line that would make him look in a good light. What was he here to show off about?

He looked at me a little surprised like I was missing something.

“I did it so I could be with Sue”, I was shocked.

He continued “It is obvious you did not know we were seeing each other. She was suppose to tell you last week before I came for her graduation”

We both went silent.

I had nothing to say.

The keys to the door started to open.

Sidney got up and approached the door. He knew it was Sue.

As she pushed the door open and in a quick movement Sidney hugged her and tried to kiss her. She was turning pale and started to pull away. Someone was behind her.

‘A who dis?’ a voice behind Sue shouted out.

It was Ritchie.

“Just a friend” she replied and quickly ran to her room and closed the door.

Sidney stood there looking like a man who lost his dog and Ritchie was in the door way looking like a man who was about to bite like a dog. They were both frozen and staring at each other. You could cut the tension with a knife.

I was sitting on the coach feeling I was watching a TV soap opera. I swore they were going to fight. Sidney was a little taller than Ritchie but not bigger. I would put my bet on Ritchie winning any fight.

“A who dis ###*!!!!! Bwoy?” Ritchie was looking at me. His eyes were getting bigger and the veins in his head were showing.

That moment was broken by Sue crying. Ritchie walked pass Sidney gave him a slight shoulder bump and opened Sue’s room door and went in. Sidney looked like he was going to pee in his pants when Ritchie bumped him. I actually think he did as he rushed for the door and walked out the apartment.

I wanted to get away but was frozen on the coach.

I could hear Sue and Ritchie talking. There was no screaming.

The door opened and Ritchie left. It would be the last time I would ever see him.

Sue opened her room door came out and sat beside me on the couch. She was crying uncontrollable. It was worst than the last time Ritchie left. I just hugged her and tried to console her. I had no words. This whole situation was ironic. Ritchie was cheating on her and she was cheating on him. Sidney was cheating on his wife and left her for Sue who did not want him.

Sue’s graduation day was becoming her worst nightmare. I was officially a part of her nightmare.

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