“Anyway,” she continued, “I ain’t call to talk about your loverboy mess… although, I’d love to hear more about this Ajori girl soon. I just wanted to hear your voice and make sure my son is still breathing. And drink some water,” she fussed. “I can hear you sweating through the damn phone.”
I smiled, the first real one in hours.
“And listen,” she added, voice shifting, still soft, but serious now. “If you can’t stop thinking about that girl, stop playing with it. From how you talk about her, she’s not one of them you halfway deal with. So either leave her alone completely or go all the way in. Ain’t no in-between with something that got your mind like that.”
I exhaled slowly. “Love you, Ma.”
“Love you more, Damari.”
She hung up.
I sat there a second longer, sweat drying on my skin, phone still in my hand.
My mama’s words sat heavier than they should’ve. Because the truth was, I already knew what I wanted… I just wasn’t supposed to.
