My Sister's Ex by Cydney Rax Read Free Book Online Page B

want to close my eyes, turn away, and leave unnoticed, but I can’t help staring. Immediately I become even angrier at myself. That’s exactly what Jeff and I used to do. He was so affectionate. He loved to play with my hair, gently grab my face in between his hands, and kiss my lips, my cheeks, my forehead. At times he made me feel so loved.
    “Hey, you two,” I yell, “can you stop your freaky porno show for a second and let a sista in the house?”
    Alita hops off Big Hen’s lap and races to open the door for me. Henry is right behind her, grinning.
    “Hey, girl, I don’t mean to interrupt.” I giggle. “What’s popping, Hen?”
    “You got it,” he says and winks. “Come on in, make yourself at home. So you’ll be wearing my girl’s clothes tonight, huh? I hope I don’t get you two mixed up.”
    “Ha,” I say and follow them inside the town house. “That shouldn’t be too hard. I don’t look like Hardly Berry. Plus, I will be sleeping downstairs. You two will have the entire upstairs to yourselves.”
    “No, girl, it’s cool. I can spend some time with you, andthen I gotta rush up there and take care of my baby. But it’ll be good to make him wait. Let him anticipate what’s to come.”
    “Eww wee, that’s a good thing. Make him wait, girlfriend,” I say and grin at Alita.
    “He’s patient and understanding,” Alita says with a satisfied look on her face. “And he pays the rent, hello!”
    Alita and I high-five. Big Hen playfully sneers at us and rolls his eyes. He goes and plops on the couch, picks up his black Guitar Hero peripheral, and hangs the strap around his neck.
    “You know something?” I gush to Alita. “I won’t say this often, but I envy you and your guy.”
    “Well, that’s cool, but successful relationships take hard work. You gotta learn to pick your fights,” she says and nods at Big Hen. “Like, he is sweet as pie, but I can’t count how many times he leaves his boxers and work clothes in piles all around the town house. I don’t say anything. I just pick up his clothes and toss them in the laundry room. I ain’t about to kick this good man out over some dirty underwear, you know what I’m saying?”
    “You better not be that petty, Alita,” Big Hen says. “You know how we do.”
    “I know, baby,” Alita says and giggles at her man, who’s now standing in the middle of the living room looking silly and belting out “You Really Got Me” while playing Guitar Hero.
    Alita turns her attention back to me. “Yes, girl. When Hen and I stick to our agreement, we never go to bed mad. If we get upset we agree to talk about how we feel within thirty minutes. Then we have to get busy with the makeup sex, and everything’s good after that.”
    “Do what works for you, girl.”
    “Yep, gotta do that,” Alita responds. “I’ve had too many messed-up situations, and I learned how to set standards.”
    “Okay, but how did you get him to pay the rent? I know at first he was paying just half.”
    “Well, as of last month, he actually offered to pay it all. And I thought about it and was like, why the hell not? He’s over here all the time using up water to take showers, eating up food, using toilet paper, and burning up electricity so he can play his video games. And my key ain’t free, so if he wants to come and go he’s gotta be willing to pay the price.”
    I can’t help but think about my own situation. If I had been in my right mind I could be getting what she’s getting. Cooling out with my guy, not experiencing any major drama, and still getting the best sex of my life. How stupid am I?
    You really gotta be major stupid to let a good man slip away from you—a man who ends up in the arms of your sister.
    Later that night, I can hear Alita’s moans and her bed creaking above me while I toss and turn on her living room couch. I fall asleep dreaming about how to get Jeff back into my life.

— 4 —
R ACHEL
    Be a Real Woman
    The next afternoon, Alita