TEN  Heavy boots enter the sitting room. I wonder how I never hear that door opening when he comes home. What sort of work is it that makes him return home past midnight? He stands in front of my couch for a while then moves to the television. I keep my eyes half closed as I watch him in the dark room. He turns and looks at me before turning off the television. I wonder if he is trying to annoy me by turning off the television all the time.  I grit my teeth and hold in all of my resentment. He picks a book I left out of the pile. His gaze returns to me then he returns the book to its place. He walks to the couch and lightly pats my feet. It is like he is trying to wake me up. His hands are cold against my warm feet. I have to act like I am in a deep slumber so I do not move. He walks out of the sitting room. I wait to hear his room door close but I hear nothing. Soon he

TWELVE Zuri leads the way. She seems to know the bouncers at the door. Just a wink at them and we are in. I have been to a club before and this place, if it is a club. It is a different kind of club; it seems like a sex club.  At a corner by the bar was a girl performing fellatio on a man on her knees while the man held her hair in one hand, and held a cigarette in the other hand. From Zuri's gait I can see the excitement bubbling in her to be here. She stops at the bar and looks around. I also pose and look around. There is a booth at the far end. Two girls played with themselves to entertain the men seated there who had ladies sitting astride and rocking their bodies back and forth on them. All were still clothed but I could tell they were actually skin to skin.  Zuri turns and hands me a glass of lucid drink. I sniff it as I continue walking behind her. I have been seeing faces here and

FOURTEEN I slowly turn and let out a laugh when I fully face him. "How long have you been there?" He begins to move in. " Long enough to see a different part of you." Suddenly lacking words, I walk to the chips and pick it from the floor then I return to the window and begin to chew carelessly with my eyes in his direction. Dwayne keeps his palms on the back of the long Sofa, facing the television - facing me. "Where is your family?" he asks. I say nothing. "Were you married, Imani?" That question makes me smile and then I exhale. Some of the weight dissolves and spreads again inside me returning to their crooks. "Well, did you have a child?" I do not understand the pamphlet his questions are coming from. The absurdity is pushing me to laugh out loud. He seems to be randomly t

 SIXTEEN ‘’ Don’t move,’’ he says. Hearing that voice makes me automatically move and turn around. ‘’What the fuck!’’ He lowers his eyes and puts his knife back in his boots. I also return mine to my belt holder and veil it with my shirt then pick my food from the ground. ‘’ Dwayne, why are you following me?’’ Now, he readjusts his stance. ‘’This is not the way back to the house.’’ ‘’ What?’’ I ask, blinking rapidly. ‘’ I am not allowed to have a personal business?’’ Dwayne scoffs. "I really don't understand the game you are playing, Imani. If that's even your name, but whatever you do, do not touch Zuri." I roll my eyes with my head. " You have said that be