[ B A R E ]

"Nina, you know I love you baby." I told her as I kissed her on her forehead.
"Lord knows I love you too, Carnell."
We were alone at the Jonesmyer Park. It was late, and the moon shined perfectly on her brown skin. Everything that night was just perfect. She nibbled on my ear and I caressed her thighs slowly with my right hand as my other leaned back onto the damp grass.
We had spent most of our time here, in this very park, every night just staring into eachother's eyes and thinking of our future.
"I want to ask you something.."
I said taking the velvet box I had obsessed over ever since I bought the precious gift inside out of my coat pocket. Her eyes got wide and she swallowed hard, standing on her knees.
"O.. Okay?"
I pulled out the box, and opened it just as she squealed.
"Will you be Mrs. Breeding?"
Before I knew it she embraced me in the biggest hug I could possibly imagine. She was sucking all the love right from my very soul.
"Yes! Yes!"
I slipped the jewel onto her finger, and tears dripped down her cheeks. I wiped them for her with my sleeve, these were happy tears. The tears I had wanted to see her cry...

"Oh Carnell.. Carnell?"

I stared into her eyes longer.

"CARNELL?!"
"HUH?!"

I was woke dead from my sleep. What the hell? Another one of my dreams again. My boy Charleston laughed as I wiped the drool from my face.
"Man, you were knocked cold. Another dream?" he said dribbling his basketball in my house.
"Ay, don't dribble that in the crib. Yasmin doesn't like it."
I stood up and stretched, exhausted from the complete control Nina had taken over me.
"You seriously need to get some help, my dude."
Yeah, I'll admit I did need help. Ever since Nina kicked me from her life... I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. Hell, I couldn't even go out and have a good time with my friends anymore. This was insane.
"I know, man." I said leaving it at that and walking into the kitchen to grab some oj.
"You know what I think..." Charleston said making himself comfortable at the bar.
"You and Yasmin need a divorce."
Of course, that made me spit my juice all over the kitchen floor.
"Nigga are you out of your mind?"
He raised his eyebrows and shrugged.
"She is my wife. I made a commitment to her, and I'm going to abide by it."
I grabbed a towel and swiped it across the cold tile.
"Hey man, I'm just saying. Ever since fine ass Nina moved up here, you've been spending all your precious time with her. You think that's sticking to your commitment?"
That made me think. So yeah, I wasn't really doing my part but what was a man to do?
"Maybe you're right.. But I don't know.. I still love Yasmin, a lot."
"Well partner, you're shit out of luck then huh?"

It had been six long weeks and I hadn't seen Nina once. I pleaded with Yasmin to forgive me, and she finally gave in. Of course she was hesitant and I couldn't blame her. I scrubbed the crusted food off of our plates from dinner the night before, and Yasmin came up behind me and rubbed my chest.
"Hey handsome." she said and I took off my gloves and sat them on the counter.
"Sup ma?"
I walked into the living room and she followed. I could feel her on my heels.
"You want to go out tonight?"
I sighed heavily, not wanting to go out again and watch my wife party it up while I sat on the sideline.
"Not really, no."
She plopped down with me on the couch.
"Carnelllllllll . Please? You don't want to be with me?"
"Yasmin you know you always blow me off when we go out. Why bring me anyways?"
Her face showed sadness and she poked out her lip. Damn. She knew I hated that shit.
"No Yasmin. Go out and have fun without me."
I made my way upstairs and slammed the bathroom door. I could hear her jingle her carkeys and thats all it took for me to have the house to myself. That's when I took my ass to bed.

YASMIN

I drove around the block a couple of times , just trying to get some things off my mind before I went and picked up Patrice. When I made up my mind that everything was cool, I pulled into Patrice's driveway and honked the horn.
"Hey girl." She said getting her tight skirt wearing behind in my car.
"Hey. Where are we heading tonight?" I said trying to keep my eyes directly on the road and not on Patrice's cleavage.
"Pull your shirt up!"
"No, this is what gets me drinks!"
She shimmied her little breasts in my face and made me swerve.
"Stop playing! So, were going to the bar?"
"Not the bar." she said excentuating that last word. "It's like an adult club."
"Yeah, with no dancing whatsoever."
I rolled my eyes and pulled onto the side of the road. We made our way into this door on the side of a building near an alley. This was an every night thing for us. Hitting the bar and then heading home drunk. Me, never... but Patrice of course was always tipsy from her third cosmopolitan. A couple of hours into the night I could feel my eyes getting dreary. Patrice was far beyond blowed and I carried her to my car. On the way, I could see a girl staring at me. I didn't think anything of it but she must of been a hatin' ass hoe, and plus it was dark so I didn't pay it any mind. I sat Patrice in the backseat and headed to her crib.