UnWanted Chapter 6

The next morning I woke up at my house still basking in the glow of the open mic night. Sharla drove me home and she ended up spending the night. I could hear her in my kitchen cooking brunch. The smell of bacon, eggs, and pancakes enveloped my home with love and peace.

I showered and then dressed in my usual Saturday brunch at home attire. As I entered the kitchen, Sharla turned around and smiled at me.

"Well, Topaz. It is nice to see that you're awake."

"I'd rather be awake than at the city morgue," I replied.

"Girl, you ate the stage on last night. I felt your soul."

"For real," I asked.

I sang from my heart the night before. I sang from a place of hurt, anger, and grief that was unimaginable.

"Yes," Sharla said as she placed a plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs in front of me.

She was the big sister, I never had. I was so grateful that she was right by my side.

"Thanks for cooking brunch, Sis," I said with gratitude.

"Topaz, talk to me," Sharla requested.

"What's up, Shar," I quizzed.

"How are you holding up? It has been a couple months since you and AJ broke up. You haven't talked much about it since the morning after. "

I looked at Sharla, replaying the scene at the grocery store. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I brushed back the tears.

I opened my mouth to speak.

"I don't know how to feel. Seeing him with Darshay angered me, Sharla. I had given AJ nine months of my heart and time that I cannot get back only for him to say that he couldn't date a transgender woman like me. Not only did he try to get with Denzel who is one of my best friends, but he turns right around and starts dating another transgender woman."

By the time the words came out of my mouth, I was seething. I grabbed a fork full of food and bit into it in an attempt to numb the pain.

"It is okay, Topaz. What he did is not a reflection on you. That is a reflection on him," Sharla responded with comfort.

"I hear you, but you know that Darshay is more passable than me. I just wish that AJ had been up front with me that he couldn't date me because I do not pass the way he thinks I should. I'm just sick and tired of love letting me down."

Sharla sat in the seat beside me and began to comfort me as I sobbed 2 months of pain and 2 months of anger out.

"It is okay, girl. You are a goddess. Don't let any man break your heart like that. AJ is trash. The same thing he did to you, will happen to him," Sharla said.

Just then my phone rang. I walked to the counter and checked it. It was an unfamiliar number. I composed myself and answered with a polite "hello."

The voice on the other end was AJ.

"Hey Topaz. How are you."

"AJ, what do you want," I asked with irritation.

Sharla was standing beside me and took the phone out of my hand putting it on speaker.

"AJ, please don't call Topaz anymore. You have Darshay. She passes good enough for you," Sharla screamed.

"AJ, please don't bother me. I don't have time for games right now," I said.

"Topaz, just listen. It isn't want you think."

"AJ, stop with the lies. I saw you and Darshay at the grocery store last night before the open mic nite. You all were arm in arm and quite cozy. I saw the way you looked at her and I even saw you kissing as I exited the aisle at the grocery store."

By this time tears were coming down my face as AJ went silent.

"Topaz. Sharla. I didn't mean to..."

"Just stop it please, man," Sharla firmly requested.

"Yeah, AJ just stop with the lies. You obviously don't know what you want and I am not sticking around while you figure it out. Just don't hurt Darshay the way you did me."

With that Sharla and I ended the call.