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“Hello, Coco, you still here?”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m here.”

“Well, what you got to say about me coming down there?”

“Of course you can come.” I couldn’t tell her no. She needed me.

“It feels so weird being inside my place alone. Sometimes I wake up and forget that Craig is gone.” Her voice trailed off.

I didn’t know what to say. I was sure losing her boyfriend was taking a severe mental and emotional toll on Morgan. She was really tough on the outside, but she was fragile on the inside. I would never call her a tragic mulatto, but she did have a few identity issues.

“When are you coming?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t too soon.

“Tomorrow. I can be at your place when you get off work. We can hang out, drink, eat, and drink some more. I could really use a drink or two or three.” She giggled.

“Okay, that sounds good.” Navigating this reunion was going to be very tricky. I hadn’t been back to my apartment since that incident happened. I was afraid to even see what it looked like. Zand told me it was back the way it was before the fight with Lonzo. But I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. There had to be blood everywhere.Did he clean it all up?I hoped so.

“You sound weird. Are you okay?” She asked, knowing me better than any other person.

“Yeah, I’m good. Probably just tired. You know work is a lot.”

“Is your man wearing you out in the bedroom?”

“No, no, I just have a lot of things on my mind.”

“That raggedy ass Lonzo? Have you heard from him?”

“Yeah, no. No, I haven’t heard from him.” There was no way I could elaborate. This felt weird. It felt like I was speaking in code. I’d never been this way with my best friend. She knew me better than anybody. She was the only family I had left after my mother died. Lying to her seemed so wrong.

“Have they contacted you?”

“Who?” I asked because at this point, they could be any damn body.

“The state’s attorney, or whoever, was handling that bastard’s murder case.”

“No.” That much was true. I hadn’t heard anything from the Minnesota district attorney’s office or from the detectives that were investigating the case.

“No news is good news. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Call me when you’re on the way. You know, before you get here. I want to make sure I’m there already. You know, at the apartment.”

“I can wait in your parking lot if I get there before you.”

She was right, and I didn’t want to argue or tell her any more information. Morgan knew I got robbed outside my apartment. Which was a lie. They didn’t take anything from me. I didn’twant to tell her I got my Black ass beat in the parking lot by Lonzo’s kinfolks. I just didn’t want Morgan to worry about me.

“Just call me when you get close to Chicago. Please, just do that.”

“Yes ma’am. I should bring Donna with me.” She joked.

“You better not bring your groupie with you.”

“Girl, I’m just playing with you.”

“I know you are. I do not mess with her.” I chuckled. Talking to Morgan made me feel like I was home. She made me laugh even when I was the one that should be making her laugh.

“I think you’re jealous you don’t have your own hype-man.”

“Yeah, that’s what it is.” I agreed. “You can have Donna all to yourself. She irks the shit out of me.”