Page 19 of A Minute Past Midnight

“I don't know, Pops. I guess we’ll have to wait to find out.” I stood. “I just came over to let y'all know I may be gone for a minute. Got this project I need to help finish, but it shouldn't be too long. I love y’all.”

“We love you more, baby boy.”

I kissed my mom’s cheek, dapped up my pops, then headed back through the house. Quamir sat on the barstool in the kitchen, talking on his phone.

“A’ight, bruh. I’ll see you when I get back. Make sure you send me those finance reports next week.”

“You got it. Peace, brodie.”

I dapped him and headed out the door, hoping I'd be done with this shit sooner rather than later.

Two Months Later

“What do you think about this one?” my boss, Valerie, asked me, walking over to my desk as I took a bite of salad. I was on lunch and just wanted to eat in peace, but here she was in my face, annoying me about an ugly-ass cerulean piece of fabric I cared nothing about.

And I loved the color blue.

Why is she in the damn break room, fucking with me about work? I just want to eat in peace.

I didn't know what was going on with me these days, but I'd been really irritated about the smallest things.

Since the day I’d run into Mya, she did exactly what she said she'd do and connected me with her friend, Desmond, who owned a restaurant in Birmingham. He brought me on as a part-time waitress, paying me seventeen dollars an hour plus tips. Even though it wasn't what I wanted to do, I was grateful because it helped me pay my bills and keep food in my fridge.

Mr. Harris may have been salty with me, but since I was the only one to speak up about the conditions of our living space, and also threatened his ass, he began making quite a few changes to the building.

Very minor changes.

I hadn't spoken to Samir in two months. When I lost his number, I figured it was God's way of letting me know we weren't meant to be.

I wouldn't say I’d forgotten about him. He crossed my mind on many occasions. So much so, I found myself masturbating to thoughts of him. From the way he touched me, looked at me, and kissed me had my head gone.

If only I had enough courage to go back to District 313 to see if he’d be there.

I needed to stop thinking about that man. It was just one night that I'd never regret.

“Juliana,” Valerie called out to me, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“I'm sorry. Where are you thinking of putting the color?”

“Bathroom. They want something like a tropical oasis. What do you think?”

“I think you should probably go with a lighter blue. Maybe something that reflects the clear waters of a tropical place.”

“Hmm. I guess you're right,” she said, leaning over the table. The smell of her perfume hit my nostrils, and I immediately became nauseated.

I was confused.

Valerie always smelled good to me. Today it made me want to hurl chunks.

I jumped up from my seat and hurried across the room to the bathroom. Once inside, I barely made it to the toilet before regurgitating every bit of the salad I'd just eaten.

“Oh God,” I whispered as the chunks of eggs I'd eaten for breakfast came out next. It took a good minute before I went to the sink and rinsed my mouth and face. Traces of my mascara ran down my cheeks as I took a paper towel and wiped the remnants of it.

“What is wrong with me?” I questioned aloud. This wasn't the first time I'd felt nauseated. For the past two weeks, I'd been getting bouts of the nauseating feeling, but this was the first time I'd actually thrown up.

“Juliana? Is everything okay?” I heard Valerie on the other side of the door.

“Yeah. I'll be right out,” I replied. Going into my jacket pocket, I pulled out my phone and called Mya.