“Shit, pretty much.”
“What about your parents, or hell, even your friends? They can’t get any love?”
“They get love but it isn’t the same type you were singing about.”
“Okay, you can get that, but that also means it doesn’t apply to you loving yourself. The song was about loving so deep, emotionally, that physical touch from that person is heaven sent. You touch yourself, Sao?”
“Why not? I’m a sexy ass muthafucker. Isn’t that what you told me? I know how good I look.”
“You’re never getting another compliment from me, ever again.”
“Don’t make yourself a liar, Mari.”
“So was the business you had to handle watching my videos in private?” He could sense from the tone of her voice that she was missing him but that was cool because he missed her too.
He smirked and closed his eyes. “Nah, a friend asked me to pull up.”
“Did that friend serve a purpose?”
She was asking whether not he’d bailed on her to fuck off with someone else.
“Yeah, they did.”
“A physical one?”
“Nah, it wasn’t physical. What you been doing?”
She sighed. “I wrote some music.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. Water is my happy place. I felt inspired when I was at your beach house.”
“You gonna let me hear it?”
“Next time I see you, maybe.”
“Maybe? So you’re being selfish now?”
“You’re being selfish with my inspiration.” Her tone was light which had him standing from the lounge chair.
“I don’t really got shit to say about that. No matter how I defend my position, you’re gonna make me the bad guy.”
“Pretty much.”
“Aight, but look. I need to make a run, so I’ll hit you in about an hour. You gonna be up?”
It was already after midnight. His nights and days blended together when inspiration hit, and if Samari had truly been inspired, hers would too.
“Nope, going to bed.”
“Aight, then I’ll get at you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Instead of ending the call, she waited, allowing the silence to tell Asao what her words refused to. She wanted his time.
“Goodnight, Mari.”
“Goodnight,” she said quietly seconds before he ended the call on a mission to keep his promise.
