“No, I don’t. You just caught me off guard, but I’m glad you called.”
“How you been?” he asked, leaning against the wall.
Her pause was short but needed.
“I should be asking you that, but I’ve been good. Better. Today is a good day. How are you?”
“As good as I can be up in here. You wanted me to call you?” Najee asked.
He wasn’t trying to beat around the bush and prolong the inevitable. On the other end of the phone, Orielle inhaled a quick breath.
“Um, yeah,” she said and cleared her throat. “A lot went on after that night, and I never got to truly apologize and thank you.”
Najee nodded, looking over his shoulder. “Yeah. Everything was moving fast.”
“Yes, it was, and I just want to thank you for what you did and to apologize for putting you in that position. I wish things had ended differently,” Orielle said.
“You don’t owe me that,” Najee said.
Orielle’s brows creased. “An apology?” she wondered.
“Yeah. That shit that went down wasn’t your fault, so you don’t have to keep blaming yourself. I’m not mad at you.”
Najee heard her exhale through the phone.
“Even after I didn’t write you back again?”
“Nah,” Najee said, chuckling. “I wasn’t mad. You had me fucked up, though. I just wanted to check on you.”
His words were spoken light-heartedly, making Orielle smirk. “I know, and your words were appreciated. I promise. Life was overwhelming, and I shut down. Isolated myself from everything and everyone.”
“I understand completely. That’s what you gotta do sometimes. The people who are meant to be in your life when you’re ready to pop back out will be there waiting.”
Orielle’s breathing was slow and deep as she took in his words. “You’re absolutely right.”
She wondered if that’s how he felt about the people in his life while doing time, but she refrained from asking. There was something about hearing his voice that calmed and unnerved her altogether.
“How’s your music going?” Najee asked.
Orielle drew her head back. “Um, it’s going really good, actually.”
“Why you pause like you didn’t want to tell me?”
“I wasn’t expecting you to ask me that.” Orielle chuckled nervously. “Like you’re interested in my life.”
Najee caught himself smirking. He was interested in anything outside of those jail walls. Specifically, the soft-spoken woman who ignored his letters and had the voice of an angel. If he didn’t give a fuck, she’d know.
“Had you read my other letter, you’d know I was.”
Orielle groaned. “I know you’re not going to hold that against me. I said I was?—”
“I know. I’m just fucking with you, Pretty Girl. When I get out, you gotta let me hear your new shit.”
There he went again with the unexpected; calling her a phrase of endearment she wouldn’t mind hearing fall from his lips beyond today. Orielle had read his letters more than she’d ever admit aloud. Najee didn’t need to know that, though.
“When is that?” she asked.
“Soon.”
