“Alright, girl. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Ok, I’ll be around.” Angel yawned her response, which let me know that my hour-long rant about the future of me and AJ’s situation had drained her.
“Ok. Night.”
I set the phone on my nightstand and went back to the book I’d been trying to lose myself in before Angel called. It wasn’t working, though. All I’d thought about since watching AJ walk through the entrance at the airport was where would we end up when the wind died down and the dust settled?
I turned the page I’d just read without comprehending a single word, and was startled by a knock at the door. My eyes shifted back to my phone to check the time. At nearly midnight, there shouldn’t have been any uninvited visitors. The first thought that came to mind was a neighbor, or even Jason, maybe. However, when I looked through the peephole and saw the face of the last person I expected to be standing there, the biggest smile you could ever imagine crossed my face. Not even the uncertainty that we faced was enough to steal my joy. Whatever the reason, AJ was standing outside my door and I was both relieved and excited to see him.
I flung the door open and was attached to his neck less than a second later. His arms swallowed me up, lifting my feet a good six inches off the ground while we embraced. He looked completely exhausted, but happier than I’d seen him in a long time. I backed away a few inches and didn’t even give him a chance to say anything before giving him the long, deep kiss I’d been waiting for. Our lips stayed locked for quite some time, out there in the hallway for any passersby to stop and stare. Finally I released him and a smile the size of Texas spread across my face.
“I thought I wouldn’t see you until sometime tomorrow.”
AJ shrugged and smiled down at me. “I was gonna come by in the morning so I wouldn’t wake you, but…I couldn’t wait that long.”
“It’s fine; I was already up,” I smiled, unable to stop fidgeting with my hair, struggling to untangle my ponytail holder as I became painfully aware of my appearance. I looked like a hot mess because I wasn’t expecting him – old sweats from my alma mater rolled up to my knees; plain, white wife-beater with the straps of my black bra showing. I glanced down – at least my toes were fleshly polished.
“We need to talk,” AJ said, continuing to stare with that smile on his face. “I have something to ask you.”
Confused, I nodded, wondering what it was that he needed to say. There was urgency in his tone and I could even feel it in his touch. It finally dawned on me that I hadn’t yet invited him in. Taking AJ by the hand, I led him inside my apartment before closing the door behind us. The moment our eyes locked, my heart skipped a beat. He was definitely happy. So much so that he had me smiling and I didn’t even know what was going on.
“What’s up with you?” I asked.
He smiled back and landed one last kiss on my lips before speaking again. “I’m in love with you,” he confessed like it was the first time I’d ever heard him speak the words.
Still smiling, I made a face. “I love you too, but...we’ve already established that.”
Another kiss. My heart fluttered and AJ stared deep into my eyes. With both of my hands now in his I stood there not knowing what to think. That look that he continued to wear was almost enough to have me floating on air, though.
“Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?” He beamed.
Was that what he wanted to ask me? Again, feeling confused, I gave him a look. “I’ve missed you too.”