Page 165 of Certified To Handle You 2

I watched the whole thing…

I ain’t blink, look away or hand the phone back until the video ended on Sha’Nelle smilin’ with the ring held up while people crowded around her.

Two weeks ago, I had sat with my cousins and bought a ring for the same woman.

The box was still hidden in my room ‘cause I had been waitin’ to approach her the right way. I had been lookin’ for houses, land and places to build our future while Sha’Nelle had already promised hers to somebody else.

I handed Kay’Lo’s phone back and looked around the bathroom like I still cared about the house.

“Shit,” I said while forcin’ small shrug. “It is what it is.”

Kay’Lo ain’t move. He only stared at me ‘cause he knew that was some bullshit.

“You a’ight?” He asked.

“Yeah,” I answered without lookin’ at him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Renza.”

“I said I’m straight,” I told him before walkin’ out the bathroom.

I moved down the hallway and headed toward the stairs ‘cause I couldn’t stand in front of him another minute.

Kay’Lo knew me too well. He would see the shit in my face no matter how hard I tried to hide it, and I ain’t want nobody watchin’ me fall apart over no woman.

The whole walk through the house, every room looked different.

The kitchen wasn’t somewhere Sha’Nelle would cook no more. The closet wasn’t hers, the balcony wasn’t ours and the land outside wasn’t where we would build nothin’. It was just another big ass empty house I had wasted my time lookin’ at.

I reached the front door and stepped outside with Kay’Lo behind me. The sun was still out, but I felt cold all over.

“I’m finna go handle some shit,” I told him as we walked toward the cars. “I’mma holla at you later.”

Kay’Lo grabbed my shoulder before I could reach my door and pulled me into a hug. I stood here stiff at first, then slapped my hand against his back ‘cause I knew what he was doin’.

“I got you,” he told me low.

“I know,” I replied. “I’m good.”

He pulled back and studied my face. “You ain’t gotta keep sayin’ that shit to me.”

“I got moves to bust,” I said as I reached for my door handle. “We’ll chop it up later.”

Kay’Lo looked like he wanted to argue, but he finally nodded and let me go.

I got in my whip, started it and pulled away before he had enough time to see somethin’ else. The second I turned off theprivate road, the pain in my chest got worse, but I tried to drive through it.

I told myself I had been through worse shit than this. I had seen death up close and walked away from situations most niggas wouldn’t survive. Ain’t no way some video of Sha’Nelle sayin’ yes to another nigga was supposed to break me down like this.

Still, I couldn’t get enough air into my chest.

Every red light felt too long, and every sound inside the car irritated me. I turned the music off, but the silence only made the video play louder in my head.

I kept hearin’ her say yes. I kept seein’ that cheap lookin’ ass ring slide on her finger.

My own ring flashed through my mind next. That blue diamond I chose ‘cause it reminded me of her was sittin’ in a box with nobody to wear it.

I had spent almost three months believin’ Sha’Nelle needed time. I thought once I got everything straight, I could stand in front of her, show her the future I had been buildin’, and bring her back where she belonged.