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“Yeah,” Maverick tosses back, his own tone sharpening, “it is. Because he realized his mistake and fixed it, and they were happy together until the very end. I’m not saying everything is going to be perfect for us, but I’ve already had my stint of being a selfish asshole, and I almost lost you. It was hell. I’m done with that shit now.”
I swipe my thumb at the corner of my eye to stop a tear from sneaking down my cheek. I’m trying to believe these promises he’s gifting me—I want to, so badly—but I can’t yet. Something is holding me back. “Listen,” I tell him. “I just—”
My phone begins to vibrate on the coffee table, and I cut myself off. Maverick is closer, so he leans over to pick it up. “Are you expecting a call from someone?”
“No.”
“It says ‘unknown.’”
I shrug. The vibrations stop and immediately start up again. We ignore the second call too. Maverick is flicking his wrist, about to toss the phone back onto the table, when a third call comes through.
“What the fuck,” he mutters, and slides to answer. “Hello?” He listens for about five seconds before his eyes pop open wide.
“Who is it?” I whisper, but he’s already jumping up like there’s a fire under him and moving to the other side of the living room.
Standing in the corner next to our floor lamp, he holds the phone tight to his ear with one hand and grabs the back of his neck with the other. He’s staring straight at me. “You have a lot of nerve,” he says, “calling after the way you treated her.”
I blink a few times in confusion. Then realization dawns, and I push to my feet. “Mav?”
“This is her boyfriend,” he barks into the phone. “What do you want?”
“Maverick,” I warn.
He clenches his jaw but gives me a nod of acknowledgement. My heartbeat thrums in my ears as he slowly lowers the phone to his side. “Marie wants to talk to you,” he tells me stiffly.
I draw in a deep breath. “Okay.”
Maverick moves back toward me and holds out the phone for me to take. I keep my eyes anchored to his as I lift it to my ear.
“I’m here,” he says, reaching for my free hand and threading our fingers together.
I let out the breath I’ve been holding as I return his grip, hard. Marie hears my exhale and says, “Azalea?” Her voice is crisp and businesslike, different than the last time I heard it. “Hello?”
“Yes, it's me.” My voice comes out strong and steady. Maverick ducks his head, but not in time to hide his proud smile. Emboldened, I stand up a little straighter.
“I know I asked that you not contact me,” says Marie. I’m prepared for an onslaught of emotion as we continue talking, but none comes. “I’ll make it quick.”
“I’m guessing we won’t be speaking again? That’s why you blocked your number?”
There’s a beat of silence. Then: “That was my intention.” She clears her throat, and I feel a pang of satisfaction at her clear discomfort. “I found something that I’d like to send you. If you’d like.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a letter. I wrote it for you right before I left, and then I…panicked. I took it with me. I have it here, still sealed in the envelope.” Marie pauses, but I don’t say anything. “I don’t know if that’s something you’d like to have at this point.”
I press my tongue to the back of my teeth. I wonder what she’d say if I blurted out what’s happening to me right now—if she’d be horrified or apathetic or even smug about me winding up in the exact same situation that she did.
Then I feel Maverick’s thumb rubbing soothing circles over my knuckles, and I remember who this is really between: me and him. Nobody else.
Marie has no right to cast judgment on me, but I have every right to take what she’s offering in hopes that it will give me a morsel of peace.
“Okay,” I decide. “Yes. Send it.”
Threedayslater,theletter arrives.
The first thing I notice is that the ink forming my name—justAzalea Jane—is faded black, while my address is written in the same handwriting but with fresh blue ink. When I look closer, I see that the envelope is yellowing in places and the edges are soft with age.
Twenty years ago, Marie sealed this letter, wrote the name she gave me on the envelope, and left me behind. Now I’m holding her goodbye in my hands and hoping with everything I have that it’s enough for me to leave all of this behind.
