‘What.’
‘Why don’t you come stay with me for a while? I don’t have my exams until December. I’m just here, studying, whatever. We can hang out for a few weeks. Or you can stay longer, it doesn’t matter. Why don’t you come and stay with me? My room’s all right, it’s big enough … ’
‘I’m just calling to say hi, Ezrah.’
‘I want us to hang out again.’
‘Why?’
‘Come on, don’t do this … ’
‘No, tell me why.’
‘I don’t know, because I want you to be happy … ’
‘I am happy.’ I am a woman of faith.
‘Come on, that’s not true. Your voice sounds all weird.’
The cud in my mouth now was lining the walls.
‘Mira, I thought you were dead. Do you actually understand that?’
I was about to hang up.
‘Wait, Mira, just wait where you are. I’m going to come get you. Just stay where you are and I’m going to come right over there and get you.’
I held the phone far away from my face.
‘Don’t go yet, Mira!’
‘Why?’
‘Because I miss you. I mean, I really, really miss you.’
The phone cord was wrapped three times around my wrist.
‘Mira?’
‘Look, Ezrah, I’ll see you soon, I just think I should be alone right now … ’
‘No, you shouldn’t! Why haven’t you called me all this time?’
‘Come on, you know why.’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Because I didn’t want to talk to you.’
‘Don’t say that. I don’t want to hear you saying that.’
Now I was the one starting to get mad.
‘Fuck it, Ezrah! How can you forget?’
‘Forget what?’
‘You were disgusted.’