Once Duke was no longer in view, I made my way into my room to grab my phone. I needed to know if I was wrong, and I knew my girls would give it to me straight.
I called Jessa first. The phone rang for a few moments before she answered, sounding like she was lying down with a cover over her face.
"It's Jessa. If you're getting this message, I am unavailable, so leave a message at the beep. Beep," she said, even making the noise herself.
I rolled my eyes.
"Jessa, it's important. I'm about to add Aubree. Hold for a moment."
She groaned as I clicked over to call Aubree. Unlike Jessa, Aubree sounded slightly out of breath but she answered.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"No. Give me a second. Jessa is on the other line. Let me merge the calls."
Aubree whispered away from the phone, so I knew she had to be talking to someone. If it was who I thought it was, her being out of breath made sense. But I also felt bad for interrupting their night. If Duke hadn't gotten upset with me, we would have been on the same kind of time.
I merged the call.
"Jessa?"
"Yes, girl. Now what is going on? I was in the middle of a dream and Michael B. Jordan was there willing to risk it all for me. So this better be top-of-the-line tea."
I hated that I wanted to laugh when things felt so messed up over here. But she was out of her mind.
"Normally I would be opposed to Jessa's nonsense, but I was a little busy myself?—"
"Little? No, we was hella busy, baby." Juelz said.
"Oop, not you got that man over there doing God knows what," Jessa added, then laughed.
My eyes widened as my suspicions were confirmed.
"Would you hush?" Aubree whispered harshly at Juelz, then returned her attention to us. "Solana, what's wrong, girl?"
I released a breath. "I think Duke and I are done. Oh, and my manager showed up at my shop this morning to let me know the jet is gassed up to take me back home tomorrow."
The line went silent. Aubree cleared her throat.
"We're on the way. I'll bring the wine," she responded.
"Damn. I guess this was worth missing out on Michael B. I'll bring leftovers. Grandma threw down tonight and there was a lot left over. I know she won't mind me bringing it to y'all. Give me twenty minutes."
"Same," Aubree added.
"Thanks, y'all, and I'm sorry for interrupting your nights?—"
"Uh-uh, we don't do that. I don't need an apology for doing what friends are supposed to do. We will be there soon," Jessa said.
I nodded as we said our goodbyes, then decided to clean my place while waiting on them. I needed something to get out of my head for a moment. I went back into my room and put the clothes I had been pulling out of the closet away, then made sure my place was in order for company.
Twenty minutes went by fast. When the doorbell rang, I jogged down the steps and opened the back door. Jessa and Aubree stood on the other side holding bags filled with everything they'd mentioned.
They followed me up the steps and into the apartment. I held the door as they filed in, then locked it behind them. Jessa stopped in front of the space where my table used to be.
She turned to look over her shoulder at me, then back at the potted plant that had taken its place.
"Uh, bitch. What happened to your table?" she asked.
