“Interesting name,” I told her friend. I had to say something.

“For an interesting person,” Brazil responded.

Whatever that meant, I wasn’t trying to go there. I really just wanted to say a few private words to Andrea. We had a lot to catch up on.

I asked her, “Do you mind if I talk to you for just a second?”

I realized we were pressed for time, but so what? I felt it was urgent that I get a few answers out of her.

“What would you want to talk to me about? I’m not interested in a walk down Memory Lane, I merely wanted to say hi,” she informed me.

It was the same old Andrea with her bullshit. She knew damn well she couldn’t just say hi to me. I was still standing there in front of her friend and my escort, and I didn’t want to cause a scene. That had never been my style. So I nodded my head and said, “Okay, I’ll just see you around then,” and walked away from her.

I decided I would play things her way. But inside I was dying. I wanted to find a way to ask her about that abortion situation my sister had brought up. In a way, I kind of felt like Andrea already knew that. I don’t know why, but I just felt she knew. And now she was using my curiosity against me.

Damn I hated that girl!

I finally made it over to my table, and TaShay had a spot right next to me. I didn’t feel comfortable with that, because I was no longer in the best of moods. There were too many relationships in the room.

Kim looked right into my eyes from the other side of the table. She shook her head and smirked. I guess she understood what kind of night I was about to have.

The host got to introducing the many sponsors and important money people in the room, but all I could think about were my own problems. People were introduced to speak about the importance of lung cancer organizations and the work they continued to do, but it all went in one ear and out the other. I just couldn’t fucking concentrate.

That damn girl is the devil! I sat there and thought to myself about Andrea. I clapped hands, smiled, and laughed at the table, but it was all an act.

TaShay finally leaned into me from my left and asked me, “Where is your mind at right now?”

I guess she could read through the bullshit I was doing up in there. But she really didn’t want to know where my mind was, nor was I willing to tell her. Then she rubbed her hand down my left thigh and squeezed my knee, with the coolness of a serial killer.

She nodded and said, “I understand.”

This young girl was really asking for trouble. It was the wrong time of the night and the wrong mood for me to play her uncle. She didn’t want to catch the wrath of my raw emotions up in a hotel bedroom somewhere. That was about the only thing that would calm me down. When all else fails, you find yourself a good piece of pussy and call it a day.