“Yeah. I just felt like I needed to know if the lady was okay. Two days later, it was all over that she didn’t make it. That night, Adora called and left another message. Bruh, she was so sad and that shit did something to me. It fucked with me. She kept calling and I kept listening. I real shit couldn’t stop. Two times, she mentioned her name. You know, talking about herself. I got used to hearing her voice. I know it was wrong but I can’t explain. I had to hear her voice and know if she was doing better, sounding less sad.”
“How long did you listen?”
“Until the day I met her. On G-O-D, I didn’t know who she was. I had never seen her.”
“No pictures in the phone?” he asks skeptically.
“It’s one of them old looking flip phones,” I explain. Just then, the bartender walks over to our end of the bar and places our food and condiments in front of us. When Rick cuts into his steak to confirm the doneness for the bartender, I say a quick prayer and add mustard to my burger. As soon as the bartender walks off, he nods for me to continue. “All I knew was her name and the sound of her voice. Her working at the dentist office was, shit…fate.”
“This shit is wild,” he says.
“I know and you know what happened next. The voice belonged to a beautiful ass, dope ass woman I’m crazy about. I love everything about her, everything. She has my heart, bruh. I’m real shit gone over her and her little girls but I fucked it up. She found the phone.”
“You didn’t tell her about it? Bruh, what the fuck!”
“I tried a few times but it just was never the right fucking time,” I say, then take a sip from my drink. As I swallow, thehard truth hits me. “I can’t lie. I fell for her hard and I was scared to tell her. I didn’t want to lose her.”
“But you did,” he utters.
“Yeah. I did but I gotta get her back. Shit ain’t right without my baby. I’m fucking up at work. I’m barely sleeping. This shit got me sick, and real talk, I can’t even eat, bruh. Ion even want this,” I admit, then push my damn plate away.
“You need to talk to her.”
“She blocked my ass. I’m ’bout to pull up on her.”
“What if she don’t answer?”
“I’ll stay outside till she do. I miss my baby,” I say and finish my glass.I gotta see her and fix this.When I stand, Rick looks up at me then shakes his head.
“You ’bout to go now?”
“Got to,” I state as I pull three bills from my wallet. “Thanks for listening, bruh. For real. ’Preciate it. Your steak’s on me.”
“Let me know if she leaves you outside,” he says with a chuckle then stands too. We dap and he pulls me in for a brotherly hug. “Good luck.”
“I got this,” I assure him and my damn self as I walk through the restaurant.
The day of my grand opening, when Adora stormed into my office, caught me completely off guard. Seeing her so angry, distraught, and hurt broke my ass down. I could barely get my words together and the ones I managed to say weren’t enough, weren’t right. I’m not leaving her crib this evening until she truly knows how sorry I am and how much I can’t fucking breathe without her.
I pull into her driveway right before eight. She’s still up; I can see light peeking through the blinds in the living room. Before exiting my ride, I grab her mom’s cell from the glove box. I had it repaired and I shouldn’t have it; I never should have. It’s hers and I know she really wants her mom’s phone back.
Adora has a video doorbell with motion. She was alerted when I approached, so I know she’s aware that I’m out here. It’s confirmed when I hear the television go mute and the light fades to black.
“Mommie,” I hear but I can’t distinguish the voice through the door, so I knock.
“Adora, love, can I talk to you?”
“It’s Xai!” I hear clearer; it’s Averi.
I knock again. “Adora, please,” I beg.
“Go away, Xai,” she yells.
“I can’t. Not without talking to you. Please, pretty girl.”
She mumbles something, and when I lean closer to the door to hear, she yells. “I have nothing else to say to you.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I’ll do all the talking. Give me ten minutes, love,” I plead. “Just hear me out. I miss you.”
