“Long time no hear from,” I told him. I actually enjoyed my peace of mind away from Corey. He had become the bearer of bad news, particularly with information about Andrea. Turned out, Andrea wasn’t in dire straits after all. Things had definitely changed for her though, and she was getting used to living in her new skin.

Corey said, “You know my number, man. Why I always have to call you first?”

I immediately thought back to Victoria asking me if Corey was gay. I smiled it off again, still doubting it. I told him, “Don’t get all sensitive, man.” I was planning on using specific language to see how he responded to it.

“I’m not getting sensitive, I’m just stating the facts. I mean, you came out here to Chicago and didn’t even share a drink or two, man. I thought we were friends.”

“I told you how busy my schedule was going to be.”

“And what part of your schedule included hooking up with the white girl I caught you with? I didn’t think you would even go that way, man.”

“Go what way? You mean with a white girl? Are we still into restrictions in the twenty-first century? I mean, admit it, man, you saw her. My white girl is fine.”

“Oh, she’s your white girl now.”

“Yeah,” I told him. “I’m claiming her.”

I was singing her praises on purpose, just to see where Corey wanted to go with it.

He said, “So, what about your love for the brothers and sisters? Is that out the window now?”

Brothers and sisters? I thought to myself. Was he trying to combine the two terms to send me a signal? He even had a nerve to sound militant with it.

I said, “I haven’t lost love for anybody. I think I’m expanding the love if anything.”

He said, “Well, expand some my way and stop acting like a stranger in town.”

Stop acting like a stranger, huh? I pondered. That was generally a woman’s term, but guys could use it, too, I guess. Maybe I was over-analyzing while trying to find something.

I told him, “Well, I have to get ready to go into a meeting in a few minutes, man.” I was getting closer to the airport and it was none of his business that I was flying back to Chicago for the night.

“Well, anyway, I just wanted to let you know I’ll be back in Atlanta next week,” he hurried to tell me. “So I’ll be calling you, man. Look out for me.”

“I’ll do that.”

I GOT INTO CHICAGO at 9:39 that evening. Victoria was supposed to meet me at the baggage claim and ground transportation so we could ride a shuttle bus over to the airport hotel. That was the plan, and I was eager to see what she would wear for me.

So I got off the plane with my one carry-on bag and headed toward the baggage claim area. Right before I reached the escalators for baggage claim, someone called out my name.