“I’m good,” I said. “Enjoying Infinity Island.”
“Mhhm. And the company?”
“Delicious. Damn, I missed that nigga.”
We both squealed. She had always been on whatever I was on, but I knew she loved Ducane specifically for me. I had lost my parents early, and she had never had an accurate representation of love, but she said it was always in his eyes and his patience. She had never told one lie about that.
“Okay, serious.” She cleared her throat. “Are you coming the fuck back home?”
“Fee, stop playing. Yes, I’ll be back home. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Have you met Ducane Simmons? He is not back in your life by chance, and he is not going to allow you to walk away. You know that, right?”
“I do know that. But Ducane can’t expect me to just upend my life. That’s crazy.”
“I’m just saying I called it. Years ago, I said y’all were going to end up back here. Everybody looked at me like I was crazy.”
“You were a little crazy.”
“I was right.” She let that sit. “What are you not telling me?”
My line beeped before I could answer. Airalynn. I cracked an egg and brought her on.
“Ophelia’s nosey ass is already on the line,” I said.
“Good morning, y’all,” Airalynn sang. “How’s paradise with my gorgeous brother-in-law?”
Fee lost it. A full, quiet cackle I felt through the phone.
“You need to be stopped. He is not your brother-in-law,” I said.
“Mhmm,” Airalynn said. “How you gon tell me what he is to me?”
“I hate both of you. Y’all always meat riding Ducane.”
“No, you don’t,” Fee said, still laughing. “You love us. And you love him.”
“Carter told me to mind my business, by the way. He must’ve forgot who he married.”
“Carter is the smartest person in your household,” I said.
“Oh, please, you look like you’re living it up. You’re welcome.”
She wasn’t lying; the villa he had booked for us was top of the line. We had a beautiful view and access to our own little slice of beach. The breeze made you curl into each other. This place was beautiful. I would never get over it.
Fee got serious again. “It was always supposed to be you two. I think we’ve all been silently cheering you both on as individuals to get better so you could be better together.”
“I know.” I dropped my voice, glancing toward the front door. Ducane could walk back in any second. “Y’all remember what I did?”
“You mean when you shot marbles at his daddy’s law firm?” Fee said. “If that ain’t love, I don’t know what is.”
“Or that other thing?” Airalynn mentioned.
“Scandalous,” I said, flipping her the bird. The dead silence almost killed me until Airalynn laughed.
“Tough crowd.”
“Very,” Fee commented before continuing. “Those marbles did work, honey.” We laughed like two Hyenas for a minute.
