Steve felt a lot of conflicting emotions come over him at work. He was angry but he also paradoxically felt relieved.

He was happy when he was with Penny, but he was kind of missing the single life. In a few days he had gone from single and unattached to head over heels in love.

The speed with which Steve’s feelings grew for Penny scared him and he was relieved that she was not going to be the one.

He knew he could love, and that scared him. He was ready to jump feet first back into the single life.

Steve picked up the phone and thought he would call Esther, an African American woman he had dated once or twice. Immediately the thought of Penny came in his mind and he thought, “no more black girls.” He picked up his cell phone and punched the numbers and saw Lois. She was an athletic blonde who he met at the gym. “Lois it is.” He said to himself.

“Hello?”

“Lois, this is Steve Bray, you know we work out at the same gym.” Steve said with a tinge of nervousness that surprised him.

“Oh yes, I was wondering when you were going to call me.”

Steve smiled. “You know you pulled out late on our date a few weeks ago so let’s do it now, how about Wednesday at 8 Over at the Kitchen.”

“Sure, I will meet you there.”

Steve hung up and smiled. He was back in his groove again.

“Got a minute?” Michael said to Steve from the door.

“Come on in bossman.” Steve said in his joking mood.

“Man it is great to see you back in good spirits. Hopefully Janet will be able to spring out of it.”

“Good mood…naw great mood, Just got a hot date with this woman I met at the gym. Ole Stevieboy is back Mike.”

Michael laughed. “It is cool to see you back, but I know you was enjoying being tied down…come on man…be real with me.”

“Scared the shit out of me.” Steve said. “I didn’t even recognize myself.”

“That’s the problem, you gotta find someone to give yourself to where you can be yourself.”

“Naw…the problem was giving yourself over to someone. Don’t expect me to make that mistake again.”

Michael laughed, “Has Penny called you?”

“Why, have you talked to her?” Steve said while hoping that she might have.

“Calm down, naw we ain’t heard anything, you act like you still want her.”

“No way, I just want to have one final conversation with her. You know, ask her what I could have done kind of stuff…”

“The only way you could have kept her is if you were a millionaire. Just move on…I have a friend name Meridith if you looking.”

Steve smiled, “From here on out, I am gonna be just like you…no more black girls.”

“Now you know that ain’t the case…Laura just happens to be…”

“Whatever, you can keep Meridith and whoever else you think you gonna hook me up with. At any rate, I have moved on, I will have Lois tell you how well I have moved on.”

“That won’t be necessary…let me get back to work.” Michael walked out.

*******************

Janet couldn’t do anything at work. She just kept thinking about how she was so close to being married to the love of her life and now some church girl done stole him and left her high and dry.

Everything at her desk reminded her of Terry. Her screen saver on her computer was a picture of her and him at an amusement park vacation last year. Her mouse pad was one from the university that he attended. There were two pictures of him framed on her desk.

Even her avatar on FacePage was a picture of her and him together. She popped up FacePage and thought about changing her relationship status from “engaged” to “single.” But she didn’t want to hear all of the people in her life calling her about what happened…at least not now.

The worse picture of all was one of Janet’s mother and Terry together which Terry signed “Momma.”

Janet really felt a wave of sadness overtake her as she thought that she had to tell her mother that it was all off. And her mother really loved Terry.

Janet felt like she had to leave her chair so she got up and walked over to Ashly’s office while holding back tears.

“You got a minute Ash?” Janet said.

Ashly jumped up and said, come in.

“I know he was wrong, and I know he was acting like a dog, but he keeps calling me. Terry keeps telling me he loves me and wants another chance. And I…And I…”

Ashley put her hand on Janet’s shoulder and said, “shhh…just calm down.” Ashley said.

“Well I am the last person who should give advice on men. I know I don’t have anybody and don’t have any prospects, but once a man shows you he will cheat, he probably is simply a cheater.”

“I know…I know…” Janet said in resignation.

“You are gonna have to cry it out, I know it was a while before I was able to get Michael out of my system. I probably haven’t even finished that process you.”

“I know…it is gonna take some time…I know all the cliche’s but it hurts like hell right now.”

“You know what, we need to go out, just us girls. It has been a while since just us two girls painted the town red.” Ashley said.

Janet looked up.

“You need to get over that no good dog and God knows I need to get out of the house. How about Wednesday night at 8.”

“Sounds great” Janet said while lightly sniffling.

“What do you want to eat? Got any ideas?”

“How about some Chinese.”

“I always get Chinese, let’s go try that new place on forth, you know, the kitchen.” Janet said.

“Sounds good to me. It’s a date.”