“Don’t overthink it either,” he added. “Just look at them when you get a chance.”
“I will.”
“And Cy?”
“Yes?”
“I’m proud of you,” he said, needing to let her know that.
Her chest tightened, and she swallowed, blinking past the sudden burn in her eyes. She needed to hear those words. “Thank you.”
“Ain’t no need to thank me. That’s what I’m here for.”
She smiled, softly. “I know.”
“I’ma let you get in the house. Call me later if you need anything.”
“Okay. I will.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
The call ended, and Cyren sat there for a second. Moving to another state hadn’t been on her mind at all, but she wasn’t completely against it. She wasn’t tied to anything or anyone, so she had free rein to go as she pleased.
“I have some things to think about,” she mumbled, before turning off her car and getting out. Luckily, her mind wasn’t as clouded as it had been before. It was a bit clearer, giving her room to map out her options in peace.
9
Cyren didn’t remember falling asleep.
One minute, she was stepping out of the tub, wrapping herself in a towel, with every intention of putting on clothes and maybe watching something to pass the time. Now, she was opening and adjusting her eyes to the dim room. The soft glow from her mounted TV lit the walls just enough to remind her where she was.
Her body felt heavy in that way naps make you feel; rested, but not enough to feel fully awake. She shifted slightly, blinking a few times as she reached for her phone on the nightstand.
There were a few missed calls and text messages. Her Uncle Tony had sent her a long message, again expressing how proud he was of her. Her cousin Whitnee also texted her. Gabi and Bre both reached out, asking what she had planned for the night. And the person she vividly recalled dreaming about had called twice. Heavy must have known he was in her dreams.
Cyren stared at the screen for a second, stretching and popping her muscles. She truly hadn’t meant to sleep that long, but clearly, she needed it. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed her eyes before replying to everyone in order. She didn’t know why Bre, and especially Gabi, were asking whether she had plans.
Her weekends had been spent in the house for as long as she could remember. They knew that, but considering the way she’d been outside the last few weekends, they thought things might have changed. She sent them both a quick text, telling them she’d been knocked out and that they knew she didn’t have any plans.
Going to her call log, her thumb hovered over Heavy’s name before she tapped it. The phone rang once, then twice, and by the third ring, Cyren pressed her lips together, ready to hang up. It rang long enough for her to feel like she was doing too much and that Heavy just wasn’t answering her call. Just as she was about to press the end button, he picked up.
“What’s up, sweetheart?”
Cyren absolutely hated how her body felt like it was melting at the sound of his voice. Wherever he was, his voice had only drowned out the loud noise for a split second.
“Hey. I was just calling you back,” she informed.
“How was your nap?”
She didn’t have to tell him she’d been sleeping. Heavy heard it all in her voice and knew once she hadn’t answered his call the second time that she was knocked out. Cyren loved an observant man. At least where it mattered.
Smiling, she cleared her throat. “It was?—”
“Un. Yeah, nigga! Run me my paper,” Heavy asserted, catching Cyren off guard.
Her words halted at his outburst. She distinctly heard the laughter and shit-talking in the background, and the sound of money being counted.
