“I’m choosing peace,” I said.
There was a long pause.
“This got something to do with Princess?” he asked through a big smile.
“Partly.” I smirked admittedly. “But mostly me.”
He closed the laptop slowly. “You ain’t the same,” he replied.
“No,” I answered. “I’m not.”
“I’m proud of you, baby boy. I had your back this long. I’m in this with you. Just let me know what you want to do.”
I smiled. “I wrote a love letter to Detroit the other day in the studio before Malik came. Push that for me. Send a call out to all artists looking to work.” I stood and walked to the door. He turned his chair to follow me with his eyes. Before I stepped out of the door, I paused and turned to him. “Let that work. I have some grown man business to handle in the meantime.”
I flew to Atlanta two days later.
My driver was waiting for me as soon as I hopped out of the jet. He loaded my bag into the trunk, and we pulled off almostimmediately. The air was more humid than it had been in L.A. It was warmer even in the evening.
We pulled onto the highway and merged into traffic, headed toward Stone Mountain. The streetlights flickered on as the sun began to set. The sky was streaked with orange and pink lines. I leaned back in the seat, pulled my phone out, and scrolled back through Princess’s texts from earlier that day.
Princess: Yana is out with Diego for a lil while.
Princess: We’ll have some time to talk.
Princess: Let me know when you land.
I didn’t tell her that I’d landed. I wanted to surprise her. The car turned off the main road and into the quieter suburban streets. Houses lined the blocks evenly, and porch lights shone softly.
I watched families outside through the windows as we drove past. I noticed a man who grilled in his driveway as kids rode bikes up and down the sidewalk. An older couple sat on a porch swing and laughed about something together. For a moment, I felt something in my stomach flutter.
Damn, I loved that girl.
I loved Princess in a way that made me wish for quiet nights like that. I wanted to build structured mornings and shared calendars.
The car came to a stop in front of her house. The porch light was on, and the curtains were slightly drawn. I stepped out and grabbed my bag from the trunk before my driver could. I needed something to steady the nerves that made my hands shake.
I walked the short pathway to her door and paused for a second before I knocked. I had been to this house a few times over the past year, but this time, I was nervous. It was as if, this time, I understood what I walked toward.
Before I could gather up the nerve, the door swung open.
Princess stood in the doorway in sweatpants and a pink top, her hair tied back in a low bun. The light from inside framed her shape. “Why you ain’t tell me when you landed?”
I smirked. “I wanted to surprise you.”
She squinted at me. “Zay!”
“What?” I stepped past her inside.
“I was watching my phone, waiting for you.”
“You was watching your phone, waiting for me, boo?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes and closed the door behind us. “Don’t start.”
I smiled, walked into the living room, and set my luggage down near the couch.
Everything looked the same as the last time I’d been there. The same throw blanket was folded neatly over the armrest. The coffee table had her open laptop sitting on top with a stack of her books next to it. A half-burned candle sat in the center.
