When she went home that evening, a red light was flashing on her answering machine. She put her purse down on the floor and went into her kitchen, where the answering machine sat on the countertop, waiting to tell her something. She pushed the play button and went to her fridge.
“Playback. One new message,” a robotic voice echoed through her industrial loft. “Wednesday, March twenty-third. First message. Six-thirty-four PM.”
“Hi, um, this is Dakota from the cafe today,” his voice filled her kitchen and intermingled with the steam of her hot tea as she took it out of her microwave. “I, uh, don't really know what to leave in this message. I guess, um, just call me back. My number is 214-###-####.”
She took the tea bag out of her mug and dropped it in the garbage can then stirred two teaspoons of sugar into her tea. She stared at the phone, taking a sip, hoping it would ring. She took another sip and glanced at the phone again. Nothing. One more sip. Nothing again. She put down the mug and reached for the phone.
It rang.
She paused for a moment, then picked up the phone on the second ring.
“Hello?” she said.
“Jasey, baby, it's mama!” her mother's bubbly voice came over the lines.
“Hey, mama,” Jasey said. “How are you?”
“I'm just fine, dear. How are you?” her mother asked.
“I'm good,” Jasey said. “What's up?”
“I was just calling to check on my little girl,” her mother said. “Listen, I know that I messed up an insie bit setting you up with Chet, but my pediatrist has this nephew...”
“Mama, please don't set me up again,” Jasey begged. “Look, I'm doing good. I'll see you at lunch on Saturday. Can I call you back some other time?”
“Alright, dear,” her mother said. “I'll talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Buh bye.”
She hung up and sighed, then played Dakota's message again. She picked up her cell phone and punched in the numbers as he said them. It rang.
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