I didn’t call. I almost did but I felt I needed to think about it first. So…I committed the passcode to memory and called my sister.
“Helllllllooooooo?” she said in the sing songy way she always answers when I call and she’s in a good mood.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?” I could sense her sitting up.
“JJ just threw his cell phone against the wall and stormed out.”
“JJ?”
“Girl yes. I couldn’t be more shocked if I tried. Punkin…he just snapped.”
“Ooooookay. He didn’t put hands on you did he?”
“Hell no. He ain’t crazy.”
“Well what happened to lead up to him throwing his cell against the wall?”
“Okay…so remember I told you how he’s been keeping his phone in his truck?”
“Yeah.”
“Well he’s still doing it even though it’s been a minute now since we’ve been back together.”
“So did you ask him about it?”
“Yes.”
“Mia…did you REALLY ask him or did you do that lil annoying thing you do where you just talk AROUND it?”
“Well I asked today after the phone kept vibrating.”
“So where was the phone while it was vibrating?”
“In his jacket pocket.”
“So you went in his pocket?”
“Yes…his phone was ringing and I wanted to take it to him.”
“Unh huh. What happened next?”
“We got into it and I told him he must think I’m stupid. Then it got worse and we were both yelling and I told him to stop yelling in my damn house and….well…you know the rest already.”
“So…who was calling?”
“I don’t know, it didn’t say a name just a number.”
“Oh.”
“But I memorized the number.”
“You called it yet?”
“No.”
“What’s the number?”
“555.313.2860.”
“Hold on, lemme call it right quick.”
“Use *67.”
“Duh.” She clicked over and when she clicked back, the phone was ringing.
It rang three times before it was answered. “Hello?”
“May I speak with Cathy?” my sister asked.
“I’m sorry you have the wrong number.”
“Oh I’m so sorry, please forgive me.”
“No problem.”
Click.
“Well, at least we know it’s a she and that she doesn’t sound hoodratish.”
“Yeah…but it’s a she. Sigh”
“Girl what did you think? You and JJ were apart for dang near three months. Did you REALLY think there were no she’s? And hell…you better be glad it wasn’t a he these days.”
“What?”
“I’m just saying…these are the signs of the times.”
“Silly butt. Um…Punkin?”
“Unh huh?”
“I have the code to his voicemail.”
“WHAT? GIRL…THEN WHY WE PLAYING PHONE TAG WITH SIMPLE HOES IF YOU HAVE THE DAMN CODE???????”
“I didn’t want to use it. That just seemed like…well…just wrong.”
“I understand…you’re a good person…warm and fuzzy. Give me the damn number. I”LL call it then. That way…your conscience can remain clear dummy.”
“When is the last time I told you that I love you?”
“Whatever hooka…what’s the number?”
And that’s how we got where we are now. Sitting on the phone listening to JJ’s voicemail messages.
