“It’s a long story.” David wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard Ayesha huff a breath. She’d never been one for long stories. And he had quite a few to share, didn’t he? Plus he hadn’t even asked about her. “It doesn’t matter. How are you? How’s Janine and the kids? How’s Winnie?”
Winnie was Ayesha’s snow-white pit bull. He remembered her from when she was a puppy; he’d been the designated dog-sitter whenever Ayesha needed someone.
“Winnie is spoiled rotten,” Ayesha said. “One of the boys is definitely feeding her under the table. Actually, that might be Janine.”
David chuckled and relaxed onto his couch, clearing his throat. His allergies had been acting up the last couple days. Why was it that he’d gone his whole life without any issues, but as soon as he hit thirty-seven, he was suddenly allergic to air?
He blew his nose again.
“Didn’t little Micah have a birthday?”
“Next week. Six years already.”
David whistled. Was it really? “Wish him happy birthday for me.”
“I will.” Ayesha went quiet for a long moment, so long David looked at his phone to make sure they hadn’t disconnected.
“A? You there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” She sighed. “Are we good?”
“What? Why wouldn’t we be?”
“You literally never call me. I’m always the one that calls you. I text and text and you never text back. Or when you do, it’s one sentence. And today, you clearly thought I was someone else when you answered.”
David sniffled—not because he was upset but because his damn nose kept running.
Granted, hewasupset. Upset and ashamed.
Ayesha was one of his oldest friends. Yeah, she was still working at the job that had threatened to devour his soul, and yeah, she was five hundred miles away and had a whole family back there. But she was also the one who’d checked up on him at JPMorgan, made sure he knew the ropes and who was safe and who was a walking, talking Am-I-the-Asshole post. Who would listen to him and never gaslight him when he complained about microaggressions.
Fuck, he missed her. He’d been so focused on his test he hadn’t let himself realize how much. He grabbed another Kleenex, blew his nose, and cleared his throat.
“You’re right,” he said softly.
“What?”
“I said, you’re right. I’ve had my head up my ass. I’ve been putting everything I have into this test, but that’s no excuse for not holding up my end of our friendship. I’m sorry. Really.”
Ayesha didn’t respond.
“Ayesha?”
“I’m here,” she said. “Just making a note in my diary.October 22nd… David Curtis said I was right.”
“You’re a brat.”
“And you love me.”
“Yeah, I do,” David said with a sigh. He cleared his throat.
“Good. I forgive you. This time.”
“There won’t be a next, A.”
“Just answer my texts, okay?”
David nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “I will. Promise.”
