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"It's ten at night here."
"I know. I'm that far ahead of you. It's not your birthday anymore in Japan."
"It's almost over here, too," I said, feeling shocked that he remembered. We had mentioned our birthdays to each other once before, but it was in passing, and I thought there was no way he would remember. I didn't know his. I could tell you the month but not the exact day. "How in the world did you remember that?"
"I didn't. I’m sorry. That's why it's so late. My cousin's wife called me."
"Hope? Oh, gosh." I experienced an adrenaline rush at the embarrassing thought that Hope told him everything I said. I didn't think I even told her Beau was the one in my thoughts.
"Hope didn't want me to mention her, but I didn't want to lie to you. I would not be calling right now if it wasn't for her."
"What's that mean?" I asked assuming the worst—that she told him I was crying, and he felt bad enough to call.
"She asked if I found a note from you in my luggage. But I hadn't. I never got it. That bag and those jeans stayed in Chicago."
"I didn't even tell Hope who the note was about."
"You told her enough that she put the pieces together."
"So, you haven't read it?" I asked. My voice came out slower than I wanted it to. I felt like I had to choke out the words.
"No, I did read it."
"How?"
"I called my sister to go to my apartment. She got it out of the suitcase and took a picture of it."
"Oh, my gosh."
"She didn't read it. But it would be fine if she did. It was a nice note."
"But she didn't read it?"
"No. She took a picture, sent it to me, and that's all."
"Did Hope tell you it was my birthday today?"
"Yes, she did. I wish I remembered. If I had, I would have called you last night. I'm glad Hope called. And, Holland, I definitely would have contacted you by now if I had read the note. I was intentionally leaving you alone—trying to put you out of my mind. I thought you needed a certain thing from me that didn't involve staying in touch after I left Arkansas."
"No, I didn't need that," I said in a soft, vulnerable tone.
"I know. I read your note."
"And?"
"Do you still feel like that, or did you give up on me by now?"
"I didn't give up on you," I said.
"You still feel like you felt when you wrote the note?"
I laughed quietly. "Yes," I said. It was a true, happy laugh, and it felt so good.
"I'm sorry I didn't get your note, Holland. And I'm sorry I almost missed your birthday."
"You didn't though," I said. "It's still my birthday here."
"Well, happy birthday. I'm going to buy you a present to give you the next time I see you."
