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Still talked here and there.

Nothing serious.

And Levin?

Levin was still Levin.

Still here.

Still irritating.

Still somebody I loved.

Maybe one day I’d want more.

Maybe one day I’d wake up and realize I was ready to call him my man.

But nobody was rushing me anymore.

Not even him.

That might’ve been one of the reasons he was still around.

“You good?”

I looked over.

Levin had stopped cleaning.

“Yeah.”

He nodded toward the shelf behind me.

I followed his eyes.

Xay’s picture.

Same one I’d brought from the townhouse.

Him and our four babies.

“You know what’s crazy?” Levin said.

“What?”

“Coming up on a year.”

I nodded.

“I know.”

He stared at the picture for another second.

“Still can’t believe that nigga let gambling get that bad.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Whole time,” he continued, shaking his head. “All that shit going on, and them niggas was probably the biggest problem he had.”