I looked over at Wanda. She had curled into the fetal position and had drifted off to sleep. I guess she woke up when I got out of bed and walked to the window.

“You all right?” Wanda asked and sat up in the bed.

“I’m good,” I said without looking back at her.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Wanda got out of the bed, wrapped the sheet around her body, and joined me at the window. She put her arms around my waist and I put my arm around her.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining, really I’m not. But you weren’t there a while ago.”

“I’m sorry.” And I was. “I’ll do better next time.” And I will.

“It’s not that it wasn’t good. Lord knows it was. It just would have been better if you were in it with me.”

“I thought I was all up in it.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I know.”

“You gotta let it go, baby.”

“I know.”

“You want me to call around, find somebody for you to talk to about it?”

“What do you mean, like a shrink?”

“Yes.”

“No. I ain’t crazy. And I don’t need no fuckin’ shrink,” I said louder than I needed to and felt bad after I said it.

Wanda let me go and walked away. She went in the bathroom and slammed the door. Even though I didn’t really want to, I went in after her. She had turned on the water and was about to take a shower.

“Look, Wanda, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I know you’re just trying to help.”

Wanda turned around quickly. “Then let me help you, Nick, please. Talk to me. Don’t shut me out like this. Let me in. Tell me what you’re feeling. I know you’re mad, I know you’re hurting. It might make you feel better if you let it out instead of keeping all that rage bottled up inside you.”

“I just need something to do; something to occupy my time and my mind.”