It was a beautiful Sunday evening in September but thirty-three-year-old Kendra Mercury could see nothing beautiful about the evening as she waited anxiously for Ian Sharp, her boyfriend of eight years to come home from playing basketball with his friend, Julian Capers. She was fully dressed in black jeans and a light grey sweater as she lay down on their king-size bed in their large bedroom. She had just received the confirmation that she had been waiting for. For the umpteenth time, she mentally went through what she was going to say to Ian. She knew Ian would be upset when she broke the news to him but she could not keep it a secret any longer. Besides, he was going to find out sooner or later anyway.

   Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ian, wearing a hooded Nike tracksuit, entered their apartment, which was located at a Hundred and Twenty-Eight Street near Ninth Avenue in New York. Their apartment was such that the front door to the apartment immediately led to the foyer, which in turn led to the living room where they had set up a dining table and chairs. The apartment was partially carpeted with area rugs and tastefully furnished with beautiful paintings and other home furnishes, thanks to Kendra. The coat-closet was on the right side next to the main entrance and the kitchen was on left side. Their large bedroom and bathroom were at the back. Ian had his earphones, which were attached to his cellphone, firmly plugged into his ears as he sang loudly, off-key, to Kanye West and Jamie Foxx’s Gold Digger song. He was apparently in a good mood. As soon as Kendra heard him come in, she got up from the bed, took a deep breath and made her way to the living room to give him a kiss and a false bright smile.

    “Hi babe, how was the game?” she asked with false cheerfulness.

   “It was cool. I feel great and my thirty-five-year-old body feels younger,” Ian replied in his raspy voice as he kissed her back warmly and returned her embrace. “Wow, babe, I love it when you kiss me like that!”

    “I missed my man,” Kendra smiled sexily.

   “And I missed my woman,” Ian responded equally sexily, passionately kissing her all over her face.

     “Hmmm…nice,” Kendra said when he stopped for air. “Are you hungry? I made your favorite meal: fried rice, fried ripe plantains and red snapper.”

   “That’s a nice surprise! What’s the occasion?” Ian asked happily, his mouth watering at the thought of his favorite meal. Besides being fantastic in bed, Kendra had always been a really good cook.

    “Can’t I do something nice for the man I love, just because?” Kendra asked brightly while secretly dreading the conversation that was about to take place. Ian could be the most charming, romantic guy that a woman could ever want, but at the same time, he had the ability to cut you off emotionally and without warning if he did not get his way.

    “Sure you can, babe.” Ian turned her around so that he was embracing her from the back in that warm protective way that she loved. She always felt secured when he hugged her like that.

    “Good, let’s chow down!” She was anxious to talk to him about what was on her mind, even though she was also very nervous about what direction the conversation could go. You just never know which Ian you were going to get by the end of a conversation. Either way, it was time to roll the dice… 

 

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