Page 20 of Ember

“I will, you be safe on shift.”

* * *

“Miesha,” Casimir slurred, lazily looking over at her. “Why you ain’t got no man?”

“For the same reason that, outside of the bottom of the barrel thots you entertain, your hand has been your faithful companion for the past year, any other questions?” She drawled, picking up a pillow and slinging it at him.

“Heyyyyyyy,” Danica blinked lazily, laid out in her bed. “Y’all quit it.”

“Tell him to quit.” Miesha grumbled. “He’s the one that’s always starting shit.”

It was quiet in the room for a minute before Danica let out a snicker. “But it’s not like he’s wrong. You don’t have a man.”

Casimir and Danica both laughed as Miesha kissed her teeth. The three of them had all piled up at Danica’s place for an impromptu celebration of her job offer. Casimir came bearing a bottle, and after an hour and a half of hitting the sauce, all three of them were drunk, full, and in Danica’s bedroom talking.

“Fuck the both of y’all. I don’t have a man because I don’t want one.”

“I think you're scared.” Casimir argued. “Or you like women, one or the other. You ain’t gotta live your life in the closet though, sis. You like what you like, and I’ll slap the shit out of anybody that comes at your gay ass sideways.”

“Cas, I will never understand your ability to insult and defend somebody in the same sentence.” Danica sniggered.

“I’m going home,” Miesha announced, nearly face planting when she stood up from the bed.

Grabbing the back of her shirt, Casimir gently slung her back into her previous spot. “No, your drunk ass is not. Lay down.”

“There are a couple of handsome men down at the station that work with Tucker,” Danica suggested out of the blue.

“No, thank you, sis, I’ll leave the men in uniform to you. I’m not interested.”

“Can I talk to y’all about something?”

“Since when do you ask permission?” Casimir snorted.

“Shut up,” Danica frowned, struggling to sit up. Thankfully, Casimir threw her a bone and grabbed her wrist to help steady her. “This is serious.”

“Okay,” Miesha nodded with her eyes closed. “Shoot.”

“Me moving back home is okay, right? Like, I’m not making a bad decision?”

“Hell yeah, it’s okay. We’ve been missing the hell out of you since you’ve been gone.” Casimir assured her. “And if anything, you need us right now.”

“By moving back home, I think she’s really questioning whether it’s okay or not for her to have feelings for Tucker,” Miesha chirped, eyes still closed.

“That’s not what I said.”

“But that’s what you mean, sissy, and yes, it’s okay for you to like him.”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Casimir’s arm sliced through the air. “Damn, Miesh, can we find out more info about the situation before you go pushing people off the deep end? We don’t know his ass like that for you to give her permission to make something happen with him.”

“Boy,” Miesha’s eyes finally peeled open as she sat up. “Fine. Danica, does he treat you well?”

“Yes,” she answered, nibbling on her lip.

“Is he there for you when you need him to be?”

“So far.”

“And how do you feel when you’re around him?”

Danica paused, staring at the floor for a minute before her lips curled into a smile. “Before him, I felt like I was drowning. And no matter how hard I tried to push myself to the surface, the waves just kept coming and pushing me back under. Figuratively speaking, it feels like he saved me.”

“Then you already know the answer to your question, sis,” Casimir downed another shot. “You don’t need confirmation from us, but if it helps ease your mind, then you have it.”

“For sure,” Miesha agreed. “Your happiness is the only thing that matters. To hell with everybody else. And if anybody comes with some negative shit, Cas will just whoop their ass.”

“And you know that.” He confirmed.

Their support left Danica relieved, but she still had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had to find a way to take Tucker’s advice and give herself closure with Amad. And she knew just the solution.