The Morning After Read Online Free Page B

ain’t gonna happen.”
    â€œIf you stop seeing them as quacks , then you won’t see it as a bad thing,” T.K. insisted. “There’s nothing wrong with seeing a professional. And if you can find one who is also a minister of God, why wouldn’t you?”
    â€œForget it, Coach,” Mason said, pausing to take a long sip from his glass of water. “I’m a man, and I’m not about to spill my guts to no stranger. I can handle my own problems.”
    â€œOh, really?” Colin eyed Mason like he was daring him to lie for a second time.
    T.K. tried again. “Going to a professional doesn’t compromise your manhood, Mason. Plenty of real men see psychologists.”
    â€œIt’s been over a year,” Colin added. “Do you know how long a year is? That’s three hundred sixty-five days, man. And for you, you have to add another month or so to that. Man, it’s been over four hundred days for you and Elaine. That’s crazy.” Colin slapped himself on the forehead for theatrical effect. “Actually, that’s insane! I mean, I couldn’t imagine going nearly that long without making love to my wife. Not by choice, anyway.”
    â€œYeah? Well, I’ll betcha you can’t imagine your wife sexing it up with some other dude by choice either.”
    â€œShhh! Keep your voice down,” T.K. warned, taking a quick look around the room. “You don’t want to tell your private business to one psychiatric specialist, but you don’t mind telling it to a room full of spectators.”
    Before Mason could reply, Colin spoke again. “Look, Mason, you’re right. I can’t imagine Angel stepping out on me like that, and I’m not trying to downplay what Elaine did. She was wrong, man, and nobody’s denying that. Even she knows that she was wrong. But how long are you gonna keep kicking her in the butt for her misbehavior? How long do you plan to make her suffer?”
    Mason shrugged as he took another bite of his meal. “Man, Elaine ain’t suffering. She’s doing just fine. I need just a little while longer, that’s all. She’s waited this long with no problem, and she’ll be all right ’til I can work through this.”
    Colin and T.K.’s demeanors clearly indicated that they didn’t agree, but neither pressed the issue any further, and Mason had been thankful for that. But now, as he recalled the expression on his wife’s face as she watched him remove his shirt, he wondered if they were right. Was Elaine suffering? Behind that strong exterior, was she yearning for him?
    The questions in Mason’s mind were temporarily rinsed away under the pressure of the pulsating water spewing from the shower head, pouring over his tired body. Ten minutes later, when he finally emerged from the relaxing hot shower and stepped into the coolness of his bedroom, his thoughts returned.
    Mason sat on the edge of the mattress and continued to use the towel to absorb the moisture from his skin. The strong smell of the smothered steak dinner that awaited him edged its way under the crack of his bedroom door and massaged his nostrils. Elaine had been trying very hard to please him since their reconciliation began all those months ago. She had been keeping a cleaner house, cooking on an almost daily basis, and giving him all the space he needed. Not once had she pressured him for intimacy. She’d kept her end of the bargain.
    â€œMan, what’s wrong with you?” Mason whispered to himself as he slipped on a fresh shirt and then stepped into a pair of blue jeans that were fitting snugger than usual around his expanding waist. He’d picked up fifteen pounds since Essie’s death; a stark contrast from Elaine, who seemed to be shedding weight every week.
    Mason’s eyes fell to the ice blue night gown that lay draped across the bed. It must have been new because he’d never seen his