The Other Side of the Pillow

We got our main courses and ordered some iced tea with lemon. Again, Courtney’s crab cakes looked like, well, crab cakes, and my entrée looked thought provoking. I had no idea what Char was when I ordered it but assumed it was fish. It was and it was actually good.

“I’m normally a creature of habit but I’m going to start being more daring with trying different things from now on.”

“Do you, baby girl. I’m sticking to what works for me.” Courtney wiped her mouth with her napkin. “So when do I need a dress for the wedding? Hopefully a bridesmaid dress. Hint. Hint.”

I sighed. “I suggested that we wait on the marriage. Just for a little while. But he convinced me to move in with him. That’s easy since I’m subletting anyway. I’m going to pay Tiana for an additional month regardless.”

“But are you going to be married by the time the bundle of joy arrives?”

“If Tevin has anything to say about it, yes. I’m not even sure why I’m putting it off. I should at least wear the engagement ring.”

“Damn right! You should’ve worn it today so I could see it. I’m sure it is sick.”

“Sick? Yeah, it’s stunning!”

“Well, you should’ve worn it today so I could be stunned!”

We laughed and kept eating.

Once we ordered desserts, Courtney asked the question that I hoped she’d forgotten all about.

“You haven’t told me the bad news yet. What is it?”

I wiped my mouth, sighed, and put my cloth napkin back across my lap. “While I didn’t flat-out confess to it, Tevin asked if you and Floyd knew about my pregnancy. He had no idea that you and I were even talking on the regular. When I mentioned that I was having lunch with you, he nearly lost it.”

Courtney seemed irritated.

“Aren’t you going to respond?” I asked.

She shook her head. “See, this is why I wanted you to tell him from jump. Trust and believe, there will be drama.”

“Let’s hope not.”

“Oh, it’s about to go down. Floyd and Tevin are a lot alike but they’re also very distinctive when it comes to their emotions.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“They’re both type A personalities.”

“Which means what?”

Courtney put her napkin on the table after finishing a massive slice of strawberry cheesecake. “I’m stuffed and I’m tapping out.”

“As much as I pride myself on knowing it all, what makes our men type A personalities?”

“They’re both ambitious overachievers, organized, proactive, impatient, good at managing their time, and they prefer people to get straight to the point.”

I laughed. “I can see that in both of them.”

“Indeed, but that’s where they part ways.”

“Uh-oh, not the parting of the ways,” I joked.

“Tevin is an idealist and Floyd is a protector. Well, in essence, they are both those things but there is always a dominant personality.”

“You’re too smart to be a stay-at-home mother. I keep telling you that.”

Courtney had a degree in psychology from American University but had chosen to raise the kids while Floyd worked. Still, I was often amazed at how she would go from talking about swimming lessons and day camp to really deep shit.