ch 7 pg 46-48

"YEAH?"
"Is that the way you answer your phone?"
Leinani. My heart skipped a beat and began to pound in my chest. I made a note to change my private number.
"Leinani? How are you?" I said in my sterile office voice. I had only to look at Samantha to see why.
"I saw you at the hotel today and thought I'd give you a call."
"It's a surprise to hear from you." That was an understatement. Why was she calling me? She just thought she'd check in after four years?
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a long time."
Samantha came into the room and handed me another beer. She watched me for a second and went back into the kitchen.
Leinani knew how I was doing. I didn't really want to know how she was. I was afraid of the truth.
"Oh, it's been okay," I replied.
"Well, I saw you today and I just thought-" she paused.
"Is everything all right?" I asked. Her tone worried me. She did not sound like herself.
"Yes, I'm okay. It's just that-"
The indecision in her voice was obvious. She wanted to say something but she was unsure of how to say it.
I took a deep breath. "You've called me at an awkward time." I felt just as uncomfortable as she did. "Maybe we could talk another time? I could-"
"I'm sorry. I just thought that-"
My chest tightened up. I refused to admit that she still held some strings to my heart. "I want to talk to you, it's just that now is not the time. Maybe I could-"
"Sure," she said, cutting me off, "You know where I am," she said before hanging up.
I sighed.

"Another broken heart?"
I looked up at Samantha as I put the phone down on it's base. The look on my face made her drop her eyes and stare at the floor.
"I didn't mean that. I just assumed-" she stopped. "Why don't I serve up some dinner."
Leinani's call put me in a mood. There was unfinished business between us, business that might no ever get settled. It seemed like we both had a lot to say to each other and yet we had trouble figuring out what it was. I like to live my life in black and white. It seemed that there would always be a grey area between us.
Samantha walked back to the kitchen without looking at me. I began to feel guilty for treating her like that. She had no way of knowing.
She returned with two plates that contained my favorite, lasagna. She set one down in front of me and took a seat across the table.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just trying to make a joke." Her eyes avoided mine as she picked at her plate.
I stared at my food before answering. "Samantha, it is a joke."
"Your girlfriend?"
I poked at my food with my fork. "Former."
Dinner was not a success. The sound of Leinani's voice and the reason of her call preoccupied me.
We ate in silence.