Dangerous & Anew (Sequel to Inhaling Alongside You)✔️

Chapter: Thirty-Nine: Illness Gifts Temptation

"How can you stand this?" She asks, her question just as genuine as her soft emeralds filling with query.

I shrug and pass her another one of his folded shirts.

"There's not much to it. I mean you make him happy, who am I to get in the way of that?" I pause, giving her an encouraging smile.

She sighs heavily and shakes her head in disagreement.

"I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be standing with my ex fiancé's new girlfriend, helping her fold his clothes. I don't understand that." She bluntly pinpoints.

I nod silently, seeing her point exactly.

What kind of woman am I? I claim I love this man to pieces, but I encouraged him to try and love another woman?

It seems insane, but for me at some points in our break it seemed logical. I couldn't hurt him, he couldn't hurt me. Besides he had me convinced and himself convinced that he could be possibly falling for Lisa. I couldn't ruin thus bidding possibility, so I sucked it up and told him to hold on to her, don't give up just yet.

So he did just that. Now we're both still hurting in this twisted situation.

"I love him, so I let him go. If he comes back... Then so be it. Right now he's with you. Besides, I like you. You definitely keep him grounded. He doesn't do anything stupid with you ha-ha." My smile widens, earning a light chuckle from Lisa in return.

"Because he knows I'll wake his ass into next Tuesday. Michael just needs a little authority from time to time... A woman to challenge him." She answers smugly.

I assume she isn't trying to sound snobbish with that statement, but it definitely came out that way.

I'm not authoritative. Michael is a grown man, he's not a child I have to raise and scold or even praise as he learns. That's not my job. My job is to support him when need be and tell his ear off if he pisses me off; simple as that.

"I don't know about that... I can't tell him what to do. He's a grown man." I voice my thoughts.

She chuckles sarcastically, sitting on the bed to give me a look of disbelief. She shakes her head once more in disappointment before replying.

"Dude... The man is a bit... Boyish. He's just like my little boy. Michael is one of those men that needs a strong woman to keep him sane, straight, whatever. Otherwise you'll loose grip of him and be left in the dark..." She casually explains as if it was an equally simple answer to what is two plus two.

I frown, glancing away from her for a few minutes.

I lost grip of Michael because I didn't understand him. I didn't understand his choices. I just thought he was being overly complicated, but as Lisa puts it, if I would've laid down a common ground then maybe I would've been with him now, happily married.

Maybe.

"Aw, girl I didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything. I just know Michael... He's not as complicated as most people think. He's an open book... Just need some damn pliers to pry some of the damn pages though." She jokes, shaking her head in a amusement.

I turn my gaze on the gorgeous young woman. I can see why Michael is happy. She gives him the spice he needs. She not only pleases him physically, but mentally and even emotionally as well. It hurts, but it's the truth.

She's an improvement from me.

"She's sick? When did she get sick?" I sigh into the telephone, tossing my duffle onto the bed.