Jamal took a deep breath as he walked into his apartment, kicking off his shoes by the door. Another night with, another day in the life a man seeing two women at once. He flopped onto the couch, running his fingers through his beard.
It had all started innocently enough a few months back. He'd met Keisha at a poetry slam downtown and they'd really hit it off. She was feisty, hot tempered, with a smile that could light up a room. A few weeks later, he crossed paths with Tamara at a house party. She was the polar opposite - laidback, chill, with a calm, centering presence.
At first, Jamal tried to keep things separate. A date with Keisha one night, then Tamara the next. But inevitably, as time went on they'd would eventually find out about each other. The shouting matches and heated words exchanged. Accusations of him being a cheating dog.
But Jamal was honest from the jump. He made it clear to both women he was seeing other people. To his surprise, instead of storming out, they'd stuck around, almost as if being with him meant accepting he was a package deal.
"You betta not be playing games," Keisha had warned, pointing a red lacquered nail in his face.
"No games, baby. Just me being me," he'd replied with a shrug.
And so it had become a strange polyamorous dance, with Jamal constantly having to navigate the shifting moods, demands and desires of two very different partners. Some nights it was all lingerie and champagne. Other nights it was World War III, random objects being thrown at his head.
But Jamal had realized some time ago that this was just how his life went. Heavy was the head that wore the crown of having not one, but two extremely fine women fighting for his affections. He chuckled wryly to himself, grabbing the TV remote.
"Jamal! Why you ain't answer my texts?"
Keisha stood in the doorway, hands on hips, rocking a pair of ripped jean shorts that showed off her toned legs. She walked over and snatched the remote from his hand.
"Hold on now, you going to far na I just walked through the damn door..." he started.
The doorbell rang. Jamal closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself.
"Were you expecting someone else?" Tamara asked coolly as she let herself in with the spare key he'd given her. Unlike Keisha's casual attire, she was dressed in an all black spandex bodysuit that was fitting her curvy body.
And so it began again, Jamal mused. Two forces of nature entering his atmosphere, swirling around him in a dizzying pattern of chaos and passion he had learned to stop questioning long ago.
He was just along for the ride now, going with the flow of having not one amazing woman in his life, but two. Settling back into the couch, he decided to buckle up and simply enjoy the madness. what’s next for Jamal?