DUBIOUS Read Free Page B

that I get? I can’t believe I put up with his whinning, sorry ass. But I tell you what … I’m gonna be that silly bitch he calls me. I’ll be the one laughing in the end because he doesn’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.”
    “ Felicia, be serious. What are you going to do with all those damn dogs?” Kenya said.
    “ It doesn’t matter what I do with them as long as he doesn’t get to keep them.” It had been four solid weeks since Randy had walked out on me.
    Hell, you don’t even like dogs.”
    “ I don’t know if I like ’em or not, but I’m keeping them. It’s the principal.”
    “ I can understand that, but what good will it do? You’re already overworked as it is. How are you going to run a business that you know nothing about and still maintain things at your own job?” She finished her drink, leaving a lipstick print on the glass.
    “ What, do you think I’m stupid? How hard can it be to manage a kennel?”
    “ Felicia, I know you’re hurting but you’re talking crazy.”
    Something inside of me shut down as I tuned out Kenya’s words. How could she possibly have understood how I felt? She had never been married and obviously had no clue of how much time, love, and money I’d invested in a life that seemingly went up in smoke overnight. How can I explain to her how hopeless I feel and get her to understand my grief? Who the hell made her an expert on pain? I didn’t invite her over to argue or try to be the voice of reason. I don’t want to hear that shit.
    I debated on whether to ask her to leave or to just kick her ass. The urge to hit her was overwhelming, but I settled on biting her with words instead. “Oh, so now you’ve got all the answers, Dr. Phil ?”
    She ignored my sarcasm and continued speaking as if I hadn’t said a word. “Why don’t you just give Randy the business, charge him a hefty rental fee, and a percentage of the profits? He can make monthly payments to you until it’s paid for.”
    “ Give? You want me to give him the business? You have bumped your head. I’ll burn the bitch down before I give that man anything else I’ve worked for. He rode my gravy train too long. It’s time for the motherfucker to walk on his own two feet.”
    “ You know you don’t really mean that. It’s just your anger talking.”
    “ The hell if I don’t. Kenya, if you had been here and heard the way he was talking to me, you would feel the same way, too. He acted as if I owed him something.”
    “ Girl, he is angry too. This is the first time you’ve told him no, and he doesn’t know how to handle it.”
    “ Well, I’ll bet he’s figuring it out now.” My legs started falling to sleep so I stretched them to get the circulation going again.
    “ He’ll come around.”
    “ You seem to be missing something here. I’m the one that’s hurting. I didn’t fuck up our marriage—he’s the one that walked out.” I thought back to the day Randy and I had fallen out.
    “ But you told him to.”
    It took me a few seconds to digest that remark. Yes, I had told him to let the doorknob hit him where the good Lord split him, but I didn’t mean it. I just wanted him to know that I was tired of being his doormat. “Hell, he has never listened to shit I’ve said over the last thirteen years, so why all of a sudden does he start following directions now?”
    Kenya and I both burst out laughing. Although I wasn’t trying to be funny, it was. Men pick the damnest times to pay attention.
    “ You’ll change your mind once you’ve had a chance to calm down.” Kenya started packing her curling irons, putting them in her bag, dismissing me and my problems.
    “ What part of this conversation did you not understand? You’re obviously confusing me with someone who gives a damn what Randy does with the rest of his fucking life. Do I need to use sign language to make you understand?” I waved my fingers around in her face but she ignored me, which only made me