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“I’m just saying it’s in the past. You home, let dead dogs die.” He started laughing.

“What the fuck is a dead dog? You mean let sleeping dogs lie.”

“It meant what the fuck I said.” He didn’t say anything else, so I thought he would finally leave me alone. Until I felt his hand moving the cover off me and him moving my nightgown up.

“I know what you need.” I wanted to scream out, Tasha please, I just lost the love of my life. I felt exactly how Ghost did on Power. Like, damn, let us grieve.

“I’m on my period. That’s why I’m snappy. I wish I could get some dick, but I can’t.” Peanut had every right to think we could pick up where we left off, but I couldn’t stand the thought of him kissing me, let alone touching me. Before Anton, the sex worked for me. His dick was average, but it didn’t take much to please me. Now, there was no way I could be satisfied with that.

“Hold on.” I thought he was about to ask why I wasn’t wearing panties if I was bleeding.

“Peanut, for real. You really aren’t getting it. I’m cramping, and I don’t feel good. I’m just not in the mood to talk right now.”

“What the fuck is that? Are those hickeys?” My asshole dropped to my knees.

“How would I have hickeys on me?” He moved in closer and started examining my entire body.

“Bubbles, what the fuck is it then?”

“Bed bug bites.” The lie flew out of my mouth fast. Peanut jumped back as if I was contagious. I looked over at him and tried my best not to laugh. “Juanita had them, and they tore my ass up.”

“Why the fuck did you come here?”

“They’re bites. They not on me.”

“How you know that? Man, I’m washing these sheets. You need to get up. They could have traveled with you.”

“Do you want to sit here and argue about some bugs that ain’t here, or can I go back to sleep?”

“We gotta call some people to come do this whole house. Your mama needs to do the same. If we don’t, they are going to nest.” Snatching the cover all the way off me, I stood up off the bed. “Where you going?”

“You just said I might have the bugs on me. So, I need to leave. If they are about to clean, I can’t be here or it defeats the purpose.”

“You gone leave me here to clean this shit up?” I rolled my eyes, now obviously annoyed.

“Do you want me to help you or leave so it don’t get worse?”

“You right. I’ll see you later, baby.” He walked into the bathroom going off about how he don’t fuck with bugs. I was going to hell, and Juanita was going to kill me putting that shit on her name. It took everything in me not to laugh as I grabbed my stuff and left. Jumping in my car, I drove to Taffy’s. By the time I pulled up, I had thought myself sad again. I sat there in front of her house and cried. That real ugly cry too. Snot running, eyes puffy, chest caving in type of cry. I wanted to call Anton and hear his voice, but I couldn’t. What was I supposed to say to him? Hey Anton. I know I chose to go home to my boyfriend, but can you please make me feel better about leaving you? That nigga would curse me out, and he would be well within his rights. I wiped my face and got out. If anybody was going to let me be miserable without making it worse, it was my best friend.

“Why you look like somebody dragged you through hell and they jumped you when you got in the back?”

“Because that’s how I feel.” I pushed past her and walked in the house. I dropped on her couch and pulled her throw over me. The tears began falling again.

“I heard Peanut home,” she said before sitting down at the other end of the couch.

“Yeah.”

“Bubbles. What happened?”

“He just all over me. I wanted to cry in peace, but the nigga wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“Damn, friend. He just got out of jail. What did you expect him to do?”

“I don’t know. I just need a minute,” I said honestly. “The nigga tried to fuck, I told him I was on my period, had bed bugs, and left.” She gave me the side eye.

“Hold on, you were lying about the bugs, though, right?”

“Bitch, I was lying about all of it.” She fell out laughing, but I didn’t find shit funny. “Taffy, stop.”