They entered into a home furnishings store.
�Anything you like?� She looked over at him.
�This is pretty cool.� He held up something weird and wooden.
Suddenly a blonde woman walked over to them.
�That�s a fertility piece.�
No sooner did she say fertility did Derek put it down like it had some sexually transmitted disease. She smiled at the woman who didn�t seem to notice as she continued to talk,
�Its wonderful for a couple maybe like yourselves who would like to have children.�
�Oh, we�we aren�t a couple.� She corrected the lady as she laughed.
�You�re not?�
Maleeyah shook her head and smiled, �Oh no. We�re just friends.�
Another customer walked into the store and the saleslady excused herself before leaving.
�Now why you have to say it like that?�
Se looked at Derek, �Like what?�
�All nasty. Like you wouldn�t even think of being with me.� He went on to mimic her comments to the saleslady.
�Are you serious?� She smiled at him knowingly. �Do you want to be a couple?�
She slipped her arm around his and stood close to him; looking up as if she were in love with him.
�That�s not the point.� He tried to keep the pout on his face but he couldn�t and they both laughed.
**
They were sitting on a park bench. She was eating mint chocolate chip out of a cup and he was eating butter pecan from a cone.
�You don�t get lonely being here by yourself? In Florida?�
She shook her head, �No.� Why did she say that? That wasn�t true. �Well, actually��
He nodded, �I know I would. My parents and my sister are right there while I�m in New York. I don�t think I�ve gone more than two weeks without seeing them since I made it to bigs.�
�Must be nice. I wish I could see my brother that much.�
�What about your mom?�
She smiled, �Absence makes the heart grow fonder.�
He seemed to not take that well. �You and your mom don�t get along?�
She didn�t want him to pity her because she didn�t have a sitcom childhood like he apparently did,
�No, its not that. My mom and I are a lot alike. But she likes to make her opinion my opinion. We talk on a regular basis and its not that we hate each other or anything.� She shrugged, �More than anything I think we�re just too much alike.�
�What about your other family besides your mom and brother?�
�My mother was an only child. When she came here, she came alone. My grandparents stayed in Nigeria. I never met them before they died.�
�How about your dad�s side of the family?�
�I never was close to them. I don�t know where any of them are. So really its just my mom and my brother but I�m ok with that.�
She always told herself that. That she was ok with her family situation. She had to be ok with it, she didn�t have a choice.
He was a lot more subdued than five minutes ago and she knew it was because of her family life. She slapped him on the knee,
�Hey, what do you want to do next?�
�Some place I've never been before.�
�What? A library?�
�I will have you know I was a damn good student.�
�I don�t doubt that for a minute. Let�s just go bowling.�
�Ok, just so I can see you in a pair of rented bowling shoes.�
She rolled her eyes. �I�m not the biggest priss in the world you know.�
�I know.� He pulled her into a hug as they walked down the sidewalk, �You�re one of the guys.�
She smiled. She could handle being one of the guys.
**
Derek had left a couple of hours ago. She was sitting on the couch watching a news program and they were discussing raising kids. This one family seemed to have it all. It made her angry, jealous and sad.
The kids were on their way to college, the extended family was near; they all did things together. It changed her mood immediately. Luckily, Monica was in her room and she didn�t see the effect it had on Maleeyah.
Before she could make it to her room and lock the door her eyes were overwhelmed with tears. Why couldn�t she have that family life? Why didn�t she have family to call and talk to and visit with? She got like this every now and then. Her family life caused her to get into a bit of a funk. She sat on the floor in front of the full-length mirror and cried and cried. She watched her tears run down her face. She watched her nose and eyes turn red. She watched her bottom lip quiver.
Finally, she just lie on the floor and fell asleep.
036 | No Ordinary Girl