“It got changed.”
“That’s still a terrible name,” she said.
“Well, it is better than Sat—”
“Yes!” She cut me off. “But only marginally.”
We both looked at each other for a while. She had a kind, round moon-shaped face. It was so open. Welcoming.
“Do you really believe in that stuff you were talking about? The universe and plans?” I asked.
“Yes, I do.”
“Can I tell you something weird then?” I asked.
She smiled at me, open and welcoming, and she didn’t need to say a word, because I could see I could talk to her.
“I think I might have almost died a few days ago.” The words flew out of my mouth. They had sort of been on the tip of my tongue the entire time. Not that I’d been consciously thinking about it, but on some level, it hadn’t really left me.
“That’s awful, what happened?”
“I was in an elevator with two other women and suddenly the thing plummeted. I thought I was going to die, but then it just stopped.”
“Was anyone injured?” she asked.
“Yes, actually! One of the women was hit on the head, she passed out. They took her away on a stretcher.”
“Is she okay?” she asked, looking genuinely concerned for this stranger.
I shrugged. “I have no idea.” And then a thought hit me. “Oh God, she could be dead, couldn’t she?”
Samirah looked very solemn for a moment. “I hope not,” she said softly.
“Me too.” I thought about the way her eyes had glazed over just before she’d fallen and a shiver ran up my spine.
I shook my head, trying to get rid of that thought. “Anyway, it’s weird, because after the elevator, everything changed. And I meaneverything. And in a matter of seconds.”
She observed me for a while before speaking again. “And now you are here.” It was a statement, not a question.
“I guess so.”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I was taken aback by the question. “What do you mean?”
“Well, having an accident like that can leave you very shaken up. It can change your perspective on a lot of things, it can . . .” Her voice got soft and suddenly she looked like she was remembering something herself. “A near-death experience, well, it can change everything about you. Your whole life.”
“What happens if I didn’t want my life to change?” I asked. “What happens if I liked my life and it was perfect?”
“Was it?” She raised a brow at me.
“Was it what?”
“Perfect?” She leaned closer to me and I didn’t answer right away. In fact, I didn’t answer at all. I couldn’t.
“Sometimes we can’t stop the change,” Samirah said, breaking the silence that we’d fallen into. “The change happens to us whether we’re ready for it, or not.”
I looked down at Cujo, who looked like he was getting restless. And then I looked back at Samirah. “I wasn’t ready for it,” I said softly, and then walked out.
