"So when is Haven going to meet her uncle?" my best friend asked while helping me cook dinner.
"Honestly, whenever she wants. I'll tell her about him and see what she wants to do," I said truthfully.
"She's only a child, Sky. Make some decisions for her, for Christ's sake," Hazel said, cutting the vegetables with a bit of frustration evident in her voice.
"Someone's not getting along with her boyfriend again. What happened this time?" I knew what Hazel was saying was true, but her tone gave away that she and her boyfriend were fighting once more.
"Ugh, he thinks I should stop working and let him provide for me. But I don't want to give up my job. I love being a nurse; helping people makes me feel good. I just want him to understand that, yes, he's got a new job that could have us set for life, but he never knows how long it's going to last. Plus, I like working at the clinic," Hazel explained.
"Girl, I wish a man would tell me to stop working. He is going to take care of me," I said, giggling.
"Sky, this is not funny," she said, throwing a carrot at me.
"First things first, that hurt. And you guys are going to get over this. Explain your side to him and make up like you guys always do."
"But this fight was bad," she said, looking away from the vegetables and gazing at the floor.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I told him I was sick of him trying to control me and he was the worst boyfriend ever. I wanted him out of my house, and he said he would be gone by the end of the month because he needed to find somewhere to stay. Sky, I messed up. Could you talk to him for me, please? I beg."
"No can do. You need to solve this yourself, Hazel. And you need to learn to control your anger. That man loves you a lot, and your words probably really hurt him. Fix it before it's too late, and you're crying and moping around the house like a lost puppy. The last time you did that, it was quite annoying because we were living together. Lord, you might show up at my job this time. Just talk to him and work it out. Now help me with this dinner."
Hours later, it's now around 11 at night. Hazel has left and gone home to talk to her boyfriend.
"Haven, come downstairs!" I shout from the living room.
I watch as my daughter comes running down the stairs in her pajamas.
"Mummy, do you know I'm going to be 7 next week?" she asks while twirling in a circle.
"Yes, princess, I do know. And mommy has a big surprise for you."
The next day...
"Ambrose, we need to talk," I said as I walked into his office, only to witness a sight I never wanted to see. Kayla from tech was in the middle of a compromising position with Ambrose. She hastily jumped up and scurried out of his office, fixing herself as she went.
"That was gross, Mr. Clark," I remarked while fake gagging.
"I was stressed, and she came on to me. But, as you could clearly tell, she was boring, and I didn't enjoy it," he explained honestly.
"Does your girlfriend know you're cheating on her?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch in his office as he adjusted his pants.
"If you're referring to Sasha, we broke up two years ago. Turns out all that loyalty meant nothing to her. What's so crazy is that I tried to be loyal, even though I had someone else on my mind. Can you believe that Sky?" he shared, giving me more insight into his personal life.
"I didn't like her, but I found it amazing how you dealt with her for seven years. I commend you," I said.
He laughed and then called me over. I went willingly, and he gestured for me to sit on his desk, and for some reason, I did. It was like I couldn't resist.
