Page 43 of When a Soul Cries

“Nothing. I’m processing.”

“Processing what? All I gave you was a name.”

“Exactly.” I heard movement on her end, like she’d shifted positions just to get comfortable for whatever she thought I was about to tell her. “So give me the rest.”

“There is no rest.”

“Sol.” The warning in her voice made me press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“What?”

“What happened?”

I hesitated, and that hesitation was enough for her.

“Ooooh, bitch.”

I closed my eyes and immediately shook my head. “Zari, shut up.”

“You hesitated!” she accused, laughing now.

“I did not.”

“Yes, you did. I asked what happened and your ass got quiet.”

I could feel myself smiling. The second I realized it, I forced my face straight, thankful she couldn’t see me. “He came through my line earlier. We talked a little. That’s it.”

“Mhm.”

I rolled my eyes at the sound. “And he asked me to go get something to eat after work.”

Another pause followed, this one much shorter. “You going?”

“No.”

The answer came immediately. Too immediately, and Zari noticed.

“Damn.” She let out a little laugh. “You ain’t even think about it.”

“Ain’t nothing to think about.” I reached into my purse for my keys, keeping my eyes down as I walked. “I don’t know that man.”

“That’s usually the point of going somewhere and talking to somebody.”

“I’m not trying to date.”

“Who said anything about dating?”

“He asked me out.”

“He asked you to eat, Sol. He ain’t ask you to move in.”

I sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes toward the sky. “Either way, I’m going home.”

“To Halo?”

“Yes, to my child.” My brows pulled together even though she couldn’t see me. “Remember her? The sick one we’ve been talking about this whole time?”

Zari got quiet for a second, and when she spoke again, the teasing had faded completely. “Sol, your baby is okay.”