Page 37 of Drunk In Love
No, I was getting ahead of myself. It was one date. If anything became too serious between them, I’d have to say something. I couldn’t protect Kamaya’s feelings any longer. Not if it potentially became dangerous.
After polishing off my glass, I glance over at the pool table, thinking it was funny how I learned to play pool in this very bar and thought everyone in here was so fascinating. Now I wondered how many adults came here to avoid their lives like I was doing right now.
After selecting a cue and pool stick, I shot a couple of striped balls before a familiar voice called out behind me.
“Max Scott?”
I turn at the sound of my name to see Faith Tucker, my ex-girlfriend. I hadn’t seen Faith in almost two years. Since moving to Jersey City, trekking uptown to Harlem wasn’t easy or feasible, so we were living far apart now, and we didn’t really share any of the same friends. It was strange to go from seeing someone every day to now whole years passing without any contact.
The last time I saw Faith, she was storming out of my old apartment, slamming doors, and asking when I would get my shit together and grow up.
Now I wondered the same as Faith had.
“Faith, it’s been a long time,” I say, stepping into her outstretched arms. Our hug is brief, and neither of us is coming off as comfortable anymore. Faith was probably thinking of the last time we saw each other as well.
“You look good, Max,” she says, pulling back and leaning her hip on the side of the pool table. “You still have that fancy security job?”
I bristle because my long and often inconsistent hours were part of the reason for our breakup. Only because I was working with Kam were my work hours more normal again. Otherwise, I would be acting as a protection agent for high profile or celebrity clients and had to travel when they travel, which included international trips. It meant having to drop what I was planning to do at a moment’s notice.
Something Faith said she was okay with but ended up hating.
“Yes, Faith,” I say, placing the solids and stripes back into the triangular rack. “Still working in my fancy security job. You still teaching?”
“Yeah, for now anyway,” she says, twisting a red-dyed lock around. “My fiancé and I are considering moving, so we’ll see what happens next.”
I can’t help the surprise at hearing she’s engaged now. I instinctively look down at the small diamond on her left hand. “Congrats, Faith,” I say, truly happy for her. I remember another point of contention in our relationship was how important getting married was to her.
“Thanks. I’m actually meeting him after leaving here. My friends from work and I stop in here sometimes since, you know, we’re so close to the school.”
I nod. I was so distracted thinking about Kamaya all day that I forgot that Faith worked only a few blocks away at the middle school. Faith and I were such a long time ago. In the interim two years, I’d met Kamaya and now… No other woman really exists for me.
The epiphany hits me, and I have to purposefully relax my tightened grip on the cue.
“Well, I should get back to my friends,” Faith says, hooking her thumb toward a cocktail table in the opposite corner. “It was great seeing you, Maxwell,” she says.
“Likewise,” I say, watching her walk away, a little sad for what could have been but realizing that ultimately Faith and I just would not have worked out long-term.
No longer able to concentrate on pool, I move to replace the cue back in its holder when in walks my father.
“Maxy! Hey, man!” It’s been almost a year since I’d last seen him, and he looks exactly the same as he always does. Black Kangol hat and wearing all black, including a leather vest. My father has no qualms shouting across the room in a public space, but his lack of shyness is what has always made him have great stage presence.
Despite living only one state over, he toured so often that it was as if he lived on the other side of the country with the frequency of time we had together. Though my childhood was the last thing I wanted to dwell on right now, I couldn’t help but think about the constant shuffling between both parents. Summers and winter breaks in New York while the rest of the year I stayed in DC with Mom.
“Hey, old man,” I say back, grabbing him in a one-arm hug and slapping him on the back. He returns the gesture. My father is from the particular generation who thought masculinity should never be questioned, so demonstrative touches were always a rarity. Again, something I had to accept about him.
“What you drinking, man? Whatever it is, it’s on me,” my dad says and motions towards the bartender. “Two more,” he says, indicating towards my now-sweating glass.
The bartender nods and grabs two highball glasses.
“So, how long are you in town?” I ask.
He taps his fingertips against the wooden bar before answering. Something he’s always done when in the middle of thoughts. “I’m here for two nights for the summer festival. Then the guys and I will be heading to Memphis after this. After that, who knows? You know I’m not one to do all that worrying about what’s ahead.”
Didn’t I know it. Something I’ve had to learn the hard way when it comes to my father.
“What about you, Maxy? How is everything in your life?”
I didn’t know where to begin but figured work was an easy enough topic. “Good as can be,” I start, taking a sip from the glass the bartender just put down. “This work assignment has thrown Kamaya and I for a loop, but otherwise everything is good.” I begin giving him some details about Financial Journal and what is happening with the log in leak, but this kind of nerd stuff only interests Kamaya, and I can see his interest waning.