“How long have you two been seeing each other?” Eli asked. “Can I ask that on TV?”
“Hmm…” Aaliyah thought for a moment. “Probably not.” She looked up at the main camera man. “Cut.” They obliged and Aaliyah continued her conversation. “We dated for about six months before. We’re seeing each other for about two months now.”
“I say that’s more than enough time to know if you’re in love with someone,” Eli slipped his trademark smile. “And you’re still unsure because he’s a senator?”
“I’m unsure because of the past,” she hinted, referring to both her private one and their previous relationship. “I have every reason to be cautious.”
“If a man is proving his love to you, there aren’t too many more options or ‘Hmm…let me think about it.’ Us men don’t like being strung along. Either you want to be with us, or you don’t. If you don’t want us, awesome. We’ll find someone else to suck our dicks.” Eli chuckled and Aaliyah laughed. “Keep it one hundred with him and he won’t lead you astray.”
“Can the same be said with you and Faye?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Eli nodded, “we’ve been through a whole lot. I mean, a whole lot. At one point, I think I hated her and I never hate anyone.”
“So what changed the tide?” She asked. “You went from loving her to hating her to loving her again?”
“You know that saying there’s a thin line between love and hate? There’s some truth to that. If you hate your ex, you probably still love them. If you’re indifferent towards them, you’re officially over them.” Eli admitted. “That’s what a lot of people get confused with. The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. It’s when you truly don’t care anymore. I’ve always cared about Faye, and that’s when I knew I’ll be with her until my dying days.”
Aaliyah thought about Ocean. She would love to say she never cared but she did. She cared more than she wanted to admit. It was also why it didn’t take very long for her to sleep with Ocean again once he made his reappearance back into her life.
Maybe, just maybe, things would work out with them.
After Aaliyah finished Eli’s tattoo, she brought him over to the full-length mirror. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect as usual.” Eli pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to her. “Keep the change and don’t argue.”
“I won’t.” Aaliyah pocketed the money. She gave her longtime friend a big hug. “Thank you for coming by. It means a lot to me!”
“You’re welcome, baby girl. Anytime!” He held her back. “All of my bros are big fans of you by the way. Kieran can’t stop speaking your praises.”
“Really?” Aaliyah pulled back. Aaliyah remembered the last time she’d seen Kieran in person. He was in between relationships and long before he met Tiana. He was recommended the brothel by an Army buddy of his.
She clearly remembered how he fucked her doggystyle against a headboard. He held her neck down with one hand while the other slapped her ass as he drove in and out of her. When she climaxed, Kieran flipped her over and put her ankles by her earlobes as he continued the relentless pounding.
He was worth every single dollar. His wife was a lucky woman. “I didn’t think he watches reality shows.”
“Neither did I but what do I know?” Eli chuckled. “Anyway, I need to head on out and get started with this wedding. I’ll holla at you later, kid.”
“Later, Eli!” She waved. “Tell your family I said hi.”
~~~~~~
“Senator Edwards, can you give us a word on the Supreme Court hearings?”
“Senator Edwards, what do you think about the latest controversy about the Supreme Court nominee?”
“Senator Edwards, can you clarify your recent controversial comments on the growing homelessness problem?”
Jay Edwards turned to the reporter. “I said what I said.”
“Some night think your comments are racially insensitive and cruel?” The reporter continued.
“Listen,” Jay spoke to the reporter, “if you’re a white person in these great United States of America, you have no reason to be homeless. You had a four-hundred year head start.”
“Senator Edwards, what are your thoughts about the current issue involving transgender rights?”
His eyes narrowed while his forehead furrowed. “What current issue? Isn’t everything with them a current issue?”
“The current lawsuit of a transgender woman against her employer for discrimination because he wouldn’t accommodate her for not hiring cisgendered women?”
