“What’s up, Kemi?”
“Hey,” she said. “I’m sorry. I had a long weekend, so I didn’t see your message about the closing paperwork. It’s on my desk.”
“You good,” I said. “You alright?”
“I won’t be in tomorrow,” she continued. “I gotta clean up my house.”
“What happened?”
“A pipe burst.” She sighed. “Flooded parts of the house.”
“Damn. You good?”
“Yeah,” she said quickly. “Nothing major damaged. Just gotta clean and straighten everything up.”
“Where have you been staying?”
“My cousin’s house.”
I frowned immediately. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
She laughed softly. “I’m fine, Kairo. I don’t want to bother anybody.”
I shook my head because Kemi did everything on her own and never wanted to ask for help. I knew she didn’t want to spend extra trying to get a hotel. She didn’t play about her savings account being stacked for a rainy day.
“You not bothering nobody,” I said. “I’m booking you a hotel. Take tomorrow off and just relax, and I’ll have someone come and make sure your house is straight.”
She laughed again. “You must hear my cousins’ loud-ass kids in my background.”
I could faintly hear yelling and cartoons in the background.
“Exactly,” I said. “You need peace.”
“…Okay.”
“Just send me what side of town you want.”
“Alright,” she said. “Send me the details once you book and I’ll meet you there.”
“Bet.”
The hotel lights shined as I pulled into the circular drive. Valets moved smoothly between luxury cars, glass doors opening automatically as soft jazz floated out into the night air. I laughed to myself climbing out the truck. Of course she picked somewhere with a spa. Free massages probably came with the damn towels.
I walked toward the entrance and spotted her. She stood near the doors with her bag beside her, smiling like the world hadn’t inconvenienced her at all.
I shook my head. “Couldn’t pick somewhere regular, huh?”
She laughed. “If I’m being displaced, I’m doing it comfortably.”
Fair enough. We stepped inside and I checked in at the front desk while she scrolled through her phone behind me.
The clerk handed me two room keys. I turned and passed them to her.
She looked at me for a second and her smile faded. “You look like you been crying.”
I shook my head. “It’s been a long weekend.”
“I’m all ears if you feel like talking.”
