CROSSROADS

10

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mckenna stared at Aaliyah. She didn't know if she was more upset or happy. Aaliyah smiled. "I wanted it to be a surprise, and so did Jay. Why do you seem upset?" Aaliyah closed Mckenna's office door. Mckenna fought to remain calm while in the meeting. Jay
talked about all the great things they were going to do together. Mckenna couldn't focus beyond the surprise. Everything was different now.

"I'm not upset, I just wish I would have known." Aaliyah walked closer to Mckenna. "Baby, this is amazing. We are going to be working." She put her hands on each side of Mckenna's face. Mckenna instantly jerked her face away from Aaliyah. "Aaliyah, please." Aaliyah pressed her lips together. "Why are you acting like this? We thought you would be happy. Damn, do you hate me that much?"
"Aaliyah, I don't hate you at all." Mckenna sighed. "You just don't understand."

Mckenna looked at Aaliyah, whose face was like a hurt child. "Look, I'm real excited to be working with you. But this just puts a damper on some other things."
"Things like what?" Mckenna couldn't believe that two hours earlier she was ready to have a date and consider making Aaliyah her girlfriend. She knew now that couldn't happen.

Mckenna made one promise to herself, she would not date an employee or colleague.
"Man, I don't know why karma is fuckin' wit' me like this, but damn!" Mckenna sat down on the edge of the desk. Aaliyah walked close. She stood in between Mckenna's legs. "Mckenna, I can't think of anyone I would want to be in my career and in my life other than you. Don't you see? This is destiny. We keep trying to change what obviously is meant to happen." Aaliyah pressed her hands against Mckenna's face, her palm on Mckenna's scar.

Mckenna looked at Aaliyah, who was unaffected by the wound. "Aaliyah, I can't mix business and pleasure. I won't.
We can't do this." Aaliyah took a few steps back. Mckenna tried to not focus on the short shorts exposing Aaliyah's milk chocolate legs. "So, I'll go and get a new rep. I'm willing to do that if it means a chance for us."
Mckenna grabbed Aaliyah by her wrist. "Don't do that.
We can make you a hit, and you know it. Girl, fuck relationships. This is business, and you never let your personal feeling get in the way of business. Now, we gon' make you a star. Besides, I'm not in a position to be looking at any type of relationship. I can't go down that road anytime soon."

Aaliyah pulled Mckenna close. She pressed her lips against Mckenna's lips. Mckenna wrapped her right arm around Aaliyah, pulled her body as close as she could. She parted her lips allowing Aaliyah's tongue to enter hers. Mckenna ran her fingers through Aaliyah's thick wavy hair. She wanted to take her on her desk. She thought about it, considering there wasn't anything on it but her nameplate. Mckenna felt her nature calling for Aaliyah's body.

She pulled away. "Girl, please don't make this any harder than it has to be." Aaliyah smiled. "'I'm not. I just figured I deserved one last kiss. Now, let's get to work." Aaliyah sat down in the chair and crossed her legs. Mckenna huffed and shook her head. "All right then." She walked around the desk and sat down. "Let's do this."

Kendall and Fantasia sat in silence. There was so much to say, but neither knew the right way to say it. Fantasia looked at Kendall's vacant expression. She could tell he was just as numb as she was. It had been a while since she realized how beautiful a man he was. He did love her and she knew it. She knew she loved him too, just didn't know if she was in love with him anymore, or ever.

Fantasia thought about their relationship. She always knew Kendall was sleeping with other women. She wondered why she was so adept to turning a blind eye to his indiscretions. Maybe it was because she knew deep down, that she was the one he truly loved. She was the one he married.
"Kendall." Kendall's face lit up as he looked at his beautiful wife. "Yes, baby."
"I wanna go home."
Kendall stood up. "I'll go and check on that right away." Kendall walked out of the room without hesitation. There were no questions. He just wanted to do whatever she wanted.