Page 2 of Love Me in the Light

Nathan gawked at her for a moment before he chuckled. “Yo, you got that, Memoree. I got shit to do too. I’ll holla at you later.”

He waited for her to tell him not to go. This had to be one of those situations where she really didn’t want him to leave. That thought was quashed when she chucked deuces at him. He turned on his heels and left the apartment with his anger on his back.

After he left, she moved around her apartment aimlessly. She was pissed at the whole situation. She couldn’t understand why he was so upset. In the same breath, she could understand the invasion of privacy feeling of having his photo blasted without his consent. Her sister had done that to her plenty of times.

All it would have taken was one mention that the photo would be posted, then Nathan could have made it known that he didn’t want it posted. It was a conversation that Memoree Layne and Milan Renee had before. One more time might be the charm, or the breakup of her relationship with Nathan.

I'm Not Your Monetization Point . . .

It was one in the morning, and Milan Renee had just walked into the apartment that she shared with her sister. When she saw the light from the lamp on the corner table in the living room, she knew that her sister was still awake. For the year that they lived together, that lamp acted as a lighthouse to open eyes in the apartment. If Memoree Layne was awake at this time of morning, then something must have been wrong.

“You’re up either late or early,” Milan Renee said to her sister when she came into view. There was no need for her to go to her room, then come back out. She wanted to know what was wrong before she settled in for the morning. “What’s wrong?”

Memoree Layne was on her third cup of tea and fifth cup of nerves. It was too late and early all at the same time to beat around the bush. “Milan Renee, why did you post that photo of me and Nathan from Mom and Dad’s cookout the other weekend?”

Milan Renee’s head angled toward her shoulder. She was honestly confused. “Wait, what? I did a photo dump of that weekend. It wasn’t like I intentionally said I’m gonna post this photo of the secret couple.”

Memoree Layne shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the mention of her relationship being secret. “Grow up, Milan Renee. Just because a couple doesn’t want to have a camera in their faces every second of the day for clicks, views, and clout doesn’t mean that their relationship is a secret.” She set her teacup down on the small side table. “You know there are a subset of people who don’t strive to be popular. I’m a part of that subset, Milan Renee.”

She chuckled because she was about to hurt her big sis’s feelings. It wasn’t what she wanted to do, but it was clear that bitch-ass Nathan had cranked the battery in her back. She had a great day, and here came Memoree Layne to fuck up the ending because of a man who she didn’t want to admit was ashamed of her and cheating on her.

“See, Sis, I was trying not to go here because I know how much you love that fuck nigga. When I did the photo dump, less than twenty-four hours ago, I might add, I wasn’t thinking about you or him. It is clear, however, that someone was thinking about him because he was alerted to the post and ran to you to whine that you blasted his ass. He can’t cheat in peace if the bitches know you exist,” she said with a flat tone.

Her words hurt her sister, but Memoree Layne would never let that show. She waved her off. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. The fact is that he and I prefer to have a private relationship. I know that is hard for you to fathom.”

Milan Renee was not a woman, regardless of how young she was, to go back and forth with anyone. She spoke while she pulled up what she wanted her sister to see on her phone. “Well, while your man was over here talking or fussing at you about what the fuck I do, his bitch was on my line, asking about you and getting cussed the fuck out. Wait, did I say bitch or bitches? Since that nigga just wants to be private in y’all relationship, it doesn’t seem like he has a problem being on front street with this bitch.”

Memoree Layne snatched the phone from her sister’s hand when it was extended to her. Her heart skipped a beat, then broke at the sight of her man with another woman. This photo was not a candid photo. It was a group photo of what looked like five couples on a trip of some sort. The photo was intentional as fuck. “Who is this?”

“Oh, that’s Veronica. She’s just one of the three bitches I talked to today. See, I didn’t want to tell you like this. Since you want to act like I would do something to hurt you, then I’m going to give it to you with no fuckin’ filter. Ask that bitch if he wants a private relationship,” Milan Renee said harshly. She stood from her seat. “The other two bitches are under that DM. You can bring my phone to my room when you’re done.”

She was pissed at her big sister. More than pissed, she was hurt. How could Memoree Layne think that she would ever do anything to hurt her? Yes, Milan Renee would get a little carried away at the beginning of her rise to influencer fame. She learned her lesson to not include those who didn’t want to be included.

The photos that she posted weren’t even in a content format. She literally just uploaded them all on her Instagram and didn’t think about it again until she got the first direct message. Now that the truth had been put in her sister’s face, she hoped she did what she had to do to get that fuck boy out of her life.

Where You Had Me Fucked Up At . . .

The knock on her door woke her up. Memoree Layne had been in the same place that she’d been in since she learned about the three women that Nathan concurrently dated with her. It all baffled her because out of all the females, she was the only one who didn’t seem to show him off on their social media. He didn’t care about the privacy of their relationship.

It was a semi-truck of hurt to know that the two things she feared most in their relationship were true. Not only had he cheated, but it was clear that he was ashamed of her. That hurt more than the cheating.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Memoree Layne climbed out of bed. She had no idea who it could be. Milan Renee was in California for some event, and she had barely spoken to Nathan. Shit, it could be Nathan.

She smoothed her hair down a little in the mirror. When another hard knock came on the door, she sucked her teeth. “I’m coming, damn.”

Her annoyance melted away at the sight of her best friend, Sasha. What was she doing here? They talked a few hours ago, and her ass was in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she lived. With softened eyes, she greeted her. “I know you didn’t think that I wasn’t going to hop on a flight when you called me.”

Memoree Layne moved to the side to let her bestest in with her rolling carryon suitcase. She didn’t respond to Sasha until she closed and locked the door. “Sasha, you said that you had appointments all week. How are you here?”

Dr. Sasha Alice Morgan was a pediatrician at a private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. The women had been friends since their time at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Memoree was a freshman at the time, while Sasha was further along in her academic career. They met at a sorority interest event and had been stuck at the hip ever sense. Neither of them joined the sorority, as they realized it wasn’t for them.

Sasha placed her suitcase in a corner, then turned around with her hand on her small hip. “I’m here because planes fly. As far as my appointment, fuck them kids, respectfully. My best friend needed me, and there are other doctors in the practice that can assist during my family emergency. Now, come sit down with me and tell me how you really feel.”

She took her jacket and shoes off, then plopped down on the couch. Memoree Layne gazed at this woman who was her chosen sister—the woman who knew all her secrets, hopes, joys, and disappointments.

Memoree Layne slowly walked to the couch and plopped down next to her best friend. Sasha’s arms opened, ready to receive her. To Sasha, this was the woman who spent the late nights and early mornings when she needed to study for her medical degree. She was the woman who stood next to her as she healed from the heartache of a toxic mother.

Like clockwork, the best friend fell into her arms, and her tears fell freely. “Sasha, I don’t get it. I was nothing but good to this nigga. I let this man keep me a fuckin’ secret while I knew better.”