THIS: A Simple, Complex Love Story by Naomi Rivers

Author:Naomi Rivers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+ Fiction, African American Fiction, Lesbian Fiction
Publisher: TLK Graphic Solutions
Published: 2023-03-07T00:00:00+00:00

{TWENTY-SEVEN}

T

I wanted to call Jasmine throughout the weekend but decided against it. She really didn’t need me in the mix while she was going through her troubles. I also didn’t respond to her “twenty-question” e-mail although I thought some of the questions were cute and some were thought-provoking.

I convinced myself that I was going to cancel dinner tonight as well, not that Jasmine needed anyone else irritating her. But I certainly didn’t want to be the rebound girl while she was waiting for someone better to come along. That ain’t my style. When I called to leave a message, to my surprise, she answered the phone.

“Uhhh, hey,” I said, fumbling around for appropriate words, “what’s up?”

“Nothin’, what’s up with you?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to answer, thought you would still be at work, so I was just planning to leave a message,” I said.

“I am still at work. Would you like me to hang up?” I could hear Jasmine smiling, which made me smile.

“No, I was just expecting to hear your voice mail, that’s all,” I said, forgetting the real reason I called. “What are you smiling about?” I asked her.

“What makes you think I’m smiling?” she asked, once again avoiding my question.

“I can hear it.”

“What do you mean, you can hear it?” she laughed.

“I mean I can hear it in the inflection in your voice. You still didn’t answer my question though.”

“What’s that?”

“Why are you smiling?”

“I don’t know,” she said, the pitch of her voice raising several octaves like a schoolgirl.

I decided to let her off the hook. I knew she was smiling because it was me on the phone. She wouldn’t admit to that, but that was okay. Hearing that she was happy to hear from me changed my intention of the phone call.

“Hey, about dinner,” I started.

“Are we still on to meet at John Stevens tonight?” she asked anxiously.

“Actually, I’m not feeling going down to Fells Point.”

“Oh, that’s why you wanted to leave a message, to cancel huh?” she sounded disappointed, her smile obviously gone.

“No, Jasmine that’s not it,” I lied, honesty out the window.

“What is it then?”

“Why don’t you come over for dinner?” I asked before I developed the idea fully.

“I don’t know T,” Jasmine expressed her reluctance.

“Why not?” I wanted to know.

“That sounds kinda... kinda...”

“Kinda what? You were going to meet me for dinner, right?”

“Yes,” she said hesitantly. “But coming over to your place implies intimacy.”

“It doesn’t have to, besides, we’re just friends right?” I said teasing her.

“Stop it.”

“I’m sorry, I was just messing with you. You were going out... you’re still going out, it’s just here,” I said trying to convince her while coming up with a quick menu in my head.

“I just don’t know if I’m ready to be in someone else’s space just yet.”

“I get that,” I said. “Well, if you change your mind, you know how to find me.”

“T?”

“Yes?”

“I was looking forward to dinner. I wanted to see you tonight,” Jasmine admitted.

“Then come see me,” I said emphatically. As far as I was concerned, it was just that simple.

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