Moments of Clarity Read Online Free PDF Page B

tapping her foot impatiently as she listened.
    His next words sounded threatening, and Sasha raised her eyebrows at the arrogance of his tone.
    â€œSasha, I’m not going to call you again. You call me when you grow up!” There was silence before, “Then maybe we can straighten this thing out!”
    The next thing she heard was the harsh sound of the phone on the other end being slammed down. She calmly reached over and once again pushed the delete button.
    * * *
    Sasha rolled over in bed to look at the digital clock on her nightstand. She groaned when she realized that it was four o’clock in the afternoon and she had slept away most of the day. The banging on the door that had awakened her sounded impatient, but she continued to lie still, willing the intruder to go away.
    Then the banging ceased and she heard the sound of the doorbell. She resignedly got up and went to the door. Looking through the peephole, she saw that it was Tiara causing all the ruckus. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.
    â€œWhat on earth is wrong with you?” Sasha demanded. “You’re making enough noise to wake the dead.”
    â€œApparently not!” Tiara retorted. “I’ve been pounding on that door for at least five minutes. Why haven’t you been answering your telephone? I’ve tried to reach you for days, and then I began to worry. I haven’t heard from you since you left my house the night you caught Abdul doing the nasty with Miss Thang. Are you okay?” Concern was etched on Tiara’s features as she searched Sasha’s face.
    Sasha brushed Tiara’s concern aside as she beckoned her into the loft. “Of course I’m fine. I’ve been working third shift and I’ve been cutting the ringer off when I get home because I don’t feel like answering all of the nuisance calls from telemarketers that you get during the daytime.”
    â€œOh,” Tiara responded in relief. “Is that all? I thought that Abdul might be giving you a hard time and you were in here playing possum.”
    â€œNo. He hasn’t called for a week or so. He called for a while and left some not-so-nice messages.”
    â€œI know he didn’t. Where in the world does he get off?”
    â€œI think he was trying to brazen it out, girl.” Sasha half-laughed. “You know how when people are wrong about stuff they try to play it off and go on the offensive.”
    Tiara snickered and then asked, “Aren’t you going to hear him out? It might be amusing, if nothing else.”
    Sasha drawled, “Naw, I don’t think so. I don’t have the patience or the time. He’s gotten too much of that already.”
    â€œYou’re different from me. Before I got married, whenever I broke up with a guy, even if I knew that I wasn’t going to take him back I let him take a stab at it. It’s always a good conversation piece for your girlfriends.”
    â€œIf I thought that we could work it out, I would listen to him, but we can’t, so why bother?”
    â€œI must say that you’re being very mature about this. It’s obvious that you never really loved Abdul or you couldn’t let it go so easily.”
    â€œI know you’re right.” Then Sasha walked a circle around Tiara and gave a long whistle. She leaned towards her and sniffed. “Obsession?”
    â€œOf course. You know that’s my signature perfume. It’s like a fine wine, and never has a shelf life.”
    â€œYou sure look mighty fine for a Saturday afternoon. What are you doing all gussied up? You and Peter have a hot date?” Tiara was wearing a silk shirt with small pearl buttons. Her short hair was parted on the side, and diamond studs accented her carefully made up face.
    Tiara gave a frustrated snort. “I wish. We were supposed to be going to the Knicks game tonight with the tickets Calvin got me, but Peter called and said he’s stuck