Free Cheesecake and Teardrops by Faye Thompson

sick and tired of being at the bottom of your list of priorities. You told me you were coming by for our anniversary. I planned a nice evening for us, and you show up at 2:00 A.M. Sunday morning like I’m just an afterthought or something. Find someone else to be your doormat. I’m through.” Without so much as a backward glance, Tangie walked away.
    When she arrived home that evening, Blade was standing on her front porch with a dozen red roses. How trite. The man doesn’t have an original bone in his body.
    â€œWhat are you doing here, Blade?” she said, the tiredness evident in her voice.
    â€œI wanna take you out to dinner.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI know you’re tired, and I just wanted to do something to make your life a little easier.”
    â€œYou should’ve thought of that two years ago.”
    â€œTangie, please. I’m really trying. And it’s cold as hell out here.”
    She looked into his eyes and decided to hear him out.
    â€œSo where are you taking me?”
    â€œName the place.”
    â€œI’m not changing my clothes,” she told him.
    â€œHow about the diner?”
    â€œFine.”
    She put her house keys back into her purse and got into the car. “So whose car did you steal?”
    â€œIt’s a rental,” he admitted as he started the ignition.
    They drove the short distance to the diner in silence. It was only after the waitress took their orders that they spoke.
    â€œI’ve been doing a lot of thinking about us lately,” Blade began. “And I really want this relationship to work.”
    â€œWhy do you suddenly want this relationship to work?”
    â€œBecause you’re important to me.” He sat in silence for a moment as the waitress returned with their meals. “I don’t want to lose you, baby.” He reached out for her hand and brought it up to his lips. “I need you, baby.” He stared at her intensely and a tear formed in the corner of his eye.
    â€œPlease, baby, I promise to be a better man.”
    â€œDo you promise?” she asked.
    He nodded slowly, unable to speak.
    She returned his glance and a tear welled up in her eye as well. “Let’s go home,” she said simply.
    Â 
    â€œLife never turns out the way you plan it,” Tangie said to Charisma as they sat in Tangie’s living room, listening to Mary J. Blige. “I mean, I thought that by thirty-four I’d have a few years of marriage under my belt and at least one crumb snatcher on my hip. But here I am miserably single. Go figure.”
    â€œTangie, you have plenty of time for that. Trust me. You still have your whole life ahead of you. We both do.”
    â€œI’m not cut out for this, Charisma. I’m meant to be part of a couple.”
    â€œAnd you will be when the time is right.”
    â€œSee, that’s why I can’t understand why you’re not giving Nate more play. You know he wants you. All you and Dex have are weekly drive-bys with no strings attached.”
    â€œAnd that’s enough for me,” Charisma said.
    â€œYou think like a man. Don’t you want to plan a wedding and be princess for a day?”
    â€œAre you kidding me?” Charisma laughed. “I was born a princess. You’re starting to sound like a desperate woman.”
    â€œI need a drink,” Tangie said, getting up to make a batch of chocolate martinis.
    â€œI think we both do,” Charisma said.
    Just then the phone rang. “Will you get that?” Tangie yelled from the kitchen.
    â€œOkay,” Charisma shot back.
    It was Heather, apologizing for not being able to make it over that night. She had to work late but wouldn’t miss their breakfast date on Saturday.
    â€œThat was Heather,” Charisma told Tangie as she returned from the kitchen bearing a tray with a pitcher of wicked martinis and two glasses. Tangie poured them both a glass and laid back on the