Free Let Me Just Say This by B. Swangin Webster Page B

sorry.”
    She knew that the apology was a lie, in her heart and in spirit but she had to get him calm before his business trip the next day. He couldn’t function when he was stressed. She knew he needed to be at his best. “You have an early flight, why don’t you get to bed.”
    She pulled the covers of the duvet back and he stood quickly, causing her to react. He unbuckled his pants and started undressing. She left the room and headed downstairs to make sure that he had packed everything and that his coffee was set. He liked two things for his trip: his favorite coffee mug and the strongest coffee possible. She pulled out the mug and went to the pantry and pulled the container of bold roasted coffee beans from the shelf. She readied the pot and set the timer for 5:00 AM. While she did this she continued crying, not for what happened but because of what she was doing. She was still making sure that he had everything he needed and yet he never did the same for her. She continued crying and then he called from upstairs.
    â€œCheryl, look, I’m sorry. You know I don’t mean to hit you but you know you shouldn’t piss me off, right?”
    She got up and started towards the stairs, she saw him in the darkness standing at the top, “I know, I am sorry, it won’t happen again.”
    â€œYou know I have to get up early and can’t sleep without something beside me. So come on upstairs and get in bed.”
    â€œI will in a minute.”
    â€œSorry, didn’t hear you.” He took one step down.
    â€œSorry, I was in the middle of fixing your coffee for tomorrow. I’ll be up in one minute,” she said meekly.

Chapter 15
    Cheryl hadn’t heard from Shaun since the day in the park and that was almost two weeks ago. He hadn’t been to school and when she asked Paul about him, he acted as if he was being questioned by the police and needed a lawyer. She wanted to call him so many times but her stubbornness wouldn’t let her. Now she was beginning to get worried about him. It wasn’t like him to miss this much school unless something was wrong.
    Cheryl made up her mind on the way home, she was calling him.
    â€œHello, is Shaun home?”
    â€œDidn’t I tell you to stop calling here? If he wants to talk to you, he will call you.” It was his mother’s voice but she had never acted this way towards her before. She decided to call right back.
    As soon as someone picked up the phone, she started talking. “Hello, Ms. Mason is Shaun home?”
    â€œHello sweetie. No, he isn’t home. I will tell him to call you.”
    â€œThank you. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
    â€œChile, you ain’t bothering me.”
    â€œI just called and…”
    â€œOh sweetie, I thought you were…well anyway, I will definitely tell him to call you as soon as he walks in the door.”
    â€œThanks.” That was the end of that call but Cherylwondered who Ms. Mason was talking about and why was she so angry?
    Shaun called her an hour later.
    â€œHey.”
    â€œHey yourself. Where you been?” she immediately asked.
    â€œWhy?” he answered with a little too much attitude for her taste.
    â€œCause you haven’t called.”
    â€œYou ain’t called me either,” he answered back.
    â€œWell the last time we saw each other, you had attitude,” she replied.
    â€œI wonder why,” Shaun said.
    â€œI ain’t done nuttin to you.”
    â€œYeah, you go with that,” he said.
    â€œNo, really Shaun, you act like this is my fault. You were the one tripping!”
    â€œWhat you need to do, is stop calling her names.”
    â€œAnd again, you are defending her.” Cheryl’s voice came out as a high pitched squeal.
    â€œLook, we haven’t seen each other in a minute, is this how you want to spend it? You always gotta be pushing my buttons. Damn. Look why don’t I come and get you