I ate, took a shower, and was in bed before the sun set. Missing him felt heavy, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. So, when I called him, the sound of his voice instantly soothed me.
“I hope this means you figured it out,” he answered.
“I miss you,” I admitted.
He paused, taking a breath before speaking. “I miss you, too.”
“I need to see you. I want to talk in person. I want… to be next to you.”
“I have a pre-workout cold-plunge appointment at six o’clock with a trainer, so I need to be here tonight. Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“I didn’t know if you’d want to see me,” I answered honestly. “Things have been different the last few days.”
“And why is that?” he replied in frustration.
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “You’re right,” I whispered.
He sighed. “I want to see you, too, but I can’t leave tonight. You’re more than welcome to come here. You have a key.”
That last sentence rocked me.
“Do—um, do you want it back?” I stammered, scared of what his answer might be.
“Do you want it?” he countered, sounding as uncertain as I did.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“It’s yours. Come by the house tomorrow. Use your key. I know you have your hair appointment, but I’ll be home after four.”
I had forgotten all about that.
“It slipped my mind,” I murmured, trying to open up my calendar.
“And I have a game on Sunday,” he reminded me.
His statement hung between us.
I swallowed hard. “Well, can I see you on Monday after your practice?”
“Yeah. We can do that.”
Since he had to be up so early, we said good night a few minutes later.
I started dozing off when I heard Aunt Addy’s voice.
Everything you’ve been through…
It was faint, but it was unmistakably hers.
I tried opening my eyes, but I felt myself drifting faster and deeper to sleep.
My aunt’s words rang in my ears as I woke up the next morning. Looking at the clock, I realized I’d slept in. I hadn’t had a full eight hours in days, and hearing Lamar’s voice had done the trick.
Everything you’ve been through…
Still thinking about what I’d heard in my dream, when I got out of the shower, I reread the letters from Aunt Addy. I was still pondering it when Nina and Aaliyah arrived.
They’d decided on Friday morning to come by to check on me because I’d been going through it.
