To Caress My Day

Twigs jerked awake when a ringing punctured through her dream. With heavy eyes, she squinted at her surroundings, trying to make sense of it because it wasn’t her small bedroom in her apartment in London. No, even through the pitch black she could see it was way too colossal and smelled of...Seth? In a snap, memories of the last few days came flooding back, reminding her where she was. She was in Beverly Hills in a monumental mansion that her boyfriend was planning to expand on. A groan next to her brought that very man back to her limelight. Cursing, she recognized that ringing to be her phone that was rashly discarded on HIS nightstand, not hers. Damnit, she’d have to crawl over him to get to it. “Shit.”

Seth let out a lamenting groan when he felt her shift from his side only to roll onto him.

“I’m sorry, my phone is on your side.” Twigs apologized earnestly, trying to reach for the aggravating device.

“I’ll get it.” Seth groaned in irritation, sliding her off of him so he could roll over to obtain the electronic. Lethargic as hell, he rolled back over to hand it to her. “Here.”

“Thank you, baby.” Twigs whispered, taking the phone and checking the caller ID. It was Simone. Frowning, she checked the bedside clock and saw that it was past midnight. Interested as to why she would be calling her this late, she got out of bed and donned Seth’s robe while she answered her phone. “Hello?”

Barely able to lift his head off of his pillow, Seth let out a boisterous groan in dissatisfaction to her departure.

Rolling her eyes at his dramatics, Twigs whispered. “I’ll be back.” Exiting the bedroom, she sighed down the phone as she shut the door behind her. “Sorry about that, Simone. Seth is needy when he’s tired.”

“Jesus, was that him I heard in the background?” Simone giggled.

Twigs laughed softly in agreement, her bare feet taking her down the hall aimlessly. “Yes, that was him.”

The picture that popped in Simone’s head of Seth whining in bed was too priceless to resist bursting out in laughter. “Oh my god, that’s fucking brilliant!”

“Anyway, how are you doing? Is everything okay over there with you?” Twigs interrogated, wanting to get down to the purpose of this late night phone call. Surely, there had to be an emergency. “Are you having trouble sleeping in your new place? Did you need me to come over?”

“No, girl, the place is fine! I’m good.” Simone soothed her, hearing the concern climbing in her voice. She can imagine her former roommate's mind running berserk with dire scenarios developing in her new home. “I just...missed you, you know?”

Twigs ceased in her tracks and took notice that she had made it all the way downstairs to Seth’s piano. Silently, she took a seat on the bench and closed her eyes. This call was about to get emotional. “I’m gonna miss the fuck out of you, Simone. And I know it’s only gonna get worse when I get back to the UK.”

Simone sighed, closing her eyes too, feeling the guilt finally bleed in. With her back leaning against her cushioned headboard, she apologized for all the changes taking place in her life due to her choices. “I’m sorry for that. For leaving you alone.” Opening her eyes, her brows furrowed together. “But I have to follow my dreams, Tahliah. This shit’s not gonna fall out of the sky onto my lap, you know.”

“I know. Just one good time, I’d wish life would make an exception in your case.” Twigs conceded, smiling softly to herself. Her free hand ghosted across the sleek dark body of her boyfriend’s piano.

“Right! I mean, come the fuck on Life!” Simone quipped, making Twigs laugh over the phone. She savored the clear adorable melodic laughter of her friend. It warmed her heart, especially now that they were gonna be apart. This separation was beginning to feel like the death of a loved one. “You know what, Tahliah?

“What?” Twigs inquired, grinning on the other side.

“I’m glad I met you.” Simone confessed with her heart in her throat. “I’m glad we became roommates for all these years together and I don’t regret a minute of it.”

“Same here.” Twigs concurred, her throat feeling constricted with powerful emotion. She had to swallow hard past the lump in her throat. “I couldn't have asked for a better roommate.”

“And I also wanted to thank you for sharing your friends…Amira, Shereen, Asami and Jess with me.” Simone thanked her. “As you already know, I didn’t have any steady friends when we met. It was pretty much just me in that apartment with my parents running the entire building from the first floor. Getting the chance to experience having devoted friends like yours was something I didn’t know I was missing out on until then.”

“You need to thank yourself for sharing yourself with us too, you know? You weren’t the only one touched for all these years. We were too.” Twigs ordered her in a lightly stern voice, a smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

“You’re right. Right now, all I can think about is how selfish I feel for making this move. For hunting for this dream so zealously.” Simone confided, a frown on her face. “I feel awful right now. Like I’m just abandoning everyone behind to eat my dust, you know?”

Was that really how Simone felt?

Before, Twigs would have selfishly been appeased to hear this, because that might have meant she would change her mind and stay in London. But now, she was content that Simone made the move and was putting herself first no matter how much it would hurt when she returned to the UK alone.

“Simone, that’s not what you’re doing. You know that, right?” Twigs corrected her.

“I do, but...it still feels that way.” Simone lamented faintly, feeling hot tears forming in her eyes before they drooped down the curve of her cheeks. “This is the first time I flew from the coop and I did it by hopping the whole damn pond to another country where I literally know no one.”

“You don’t know nobody, girl. You know Seth. He’s here and he’ll look out for you.” Twigs reminded her with ease because her man was going to look out for Simone while she was away. He wouldn't let anything happen to her and would pick up whenever she called day or night.

“True, but I doubt he’ll have time for me, honey. That dude is busier than Satan himself.” Simone joked.

“Yeah, you got a point there.” Twigs loathed to agree. If Seth was too busy to pick up the phone when she called then she could only imagine how hard it might be for Simone.

That didn’t sit well with her, but what was she supposed to do? Make him drop everything for Simone?

A light bulb went off in Twig’s head, giving her the answer. “What about GRL? They’re probably down here too right? You’re not the only one they expected to make a major move like this to LA.”

“They made the move too.” Simone confirmed then sniffled to herself. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I called. I guess I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens, wherever life takes us, I will always treasure our friendship, that I won’t forget you, won’t replace you in my heart or think low of you even if your career makes you a trillionaire in the next six months and not me.”

“I’ll do the same too.” Twigs vowed, hearing her sniffling. “Hey, don’t cry. We’ll always be family no matter what, just like we said. Nothing will change that.”

“Nothing.” Simone cited, then smiled to herself. “Dude, I already miss London and our little apartment.”

“Well, they miss you too. Nothing is gonna be the same without you there.” Twigs predicted.

“I’m forcing Neon Jungle and my parents to drop in and check on you for me just so you know.” Simone forewarned her. “Anyway, I gotta get some sleep. I have a big day tomorrow.”

Twigs nodded silently, getting herself together because of her tears. “Goodnight, Simone. I love you.”

Simone grinned over the phone. “I love you too, Tahliah.”