“So, Meech, do you think Jay is going to be all right?”
“She’ll be just fine. She worries much too much about nothing.”
“You think this Chaig fellow is going to give her any problems?”
“Naw, like I said, Jay worries way too much.” I sipped out of my then watered down soda and decided to take advantage of the moment.
“Amira, you were there, what happened up there after I left that has her Florida –phobic?”
“You mean she has never told you?” Amira asked looking genuinely surprised.
“Nope, so give me the dirt. What happened with this Juarren fellow?” I leaned forward urging Amira to spill it. She got this faraway look in her eyes like it was even hurting her to talk about it.
“Meech, I don’t know. Jay asked me never to tell anybody what he did to her. All I can say is he makes Terrance seem like an angel. “
“Come on, Mira, you can tell me. Jay and I have been friends since the seventh grade.”
“Precisely. That just reinforces my vow to her because if she did not tell you herself then she really must want to forget about it.” I gave this ‘yeah right’ look.
“Seems to me I should have been the first person she told, but I guess you have edged me out of the best friend spot.” I said hoping she would notice the curtness in my tone.
“Meech, don’t even be like that. You know Jay has different friends for different reasons. She says it all the time. I think I know because I was the closest one to her. Geographically speaking. Plus, what would you have done? Send her a 9mm federal Express?” Amira was laughing and I wasn’t.
“I would have been there for my girl. Plain and simple. I mean whatever he did to her must have been absolutely awful. I would have been there for her.”
“Maybe, but compassion has never been your strong suit.”
“Not true, Amira.”
“Yes, true. Look, just leave it alone Meech. I think the best thing for Jay is to forget him, it, Tallahassee, Miami, everything. I am glad she has moved on past that.”
“That’s just the thing, Mira. Jay never moves past things; she moves the things. She never forgets. At the mere mention of Juarren’s name she tightens up. Sometimes her expression is angry, other times she just looks sad. I was there when she went through that crap with Terrance and she still has not forgotten him. It may not hurt as much anymore but I know she still thinks about it. Jay knows she could have come to me. Nobody knows her better than me.” I sat back kind of upset. From the tone in Amira’s voice whatever happened with Juarren was bad and it concerned me that my best friend could not come to me and still had not come to me after all this time.
“Well, I am not surprised she went to you when she needed comfort. She always said you were the one to give advice and be that ear she always needs.”