3.

3.

 

  “Baby!” Levi said joyfully through the phone.

     Parrish was still in bed. She yawned, smiled and said, “Hi, baby.”

     “Still sleeping, I see, hmm?”

     As if Levi could see her, Parrish nodded and replied, “Mhmm.”

     “Well, get up. Brush your teeth. I know your morning breath is kickin’.”

     Parrish laughed a little. “Shut up! Rude.”

     Levi pulled her bus over at a truck stop. She went outside and lit a cigarette.

     “I miss you.”

     “I miss you more. Come lay with me.”

     “Uh, not until you do something about that funky a*s breath. I can smell it through the phone.”

     They both laughed.

     “Where are you?”

     “Almost home.”

     “You wanna just call me when you get there, then?”

     “No, I wanna talk to you now.” Levi told her. “Why are you always trying to rush me off the phone?”

     Parrish sighed, quietly, and answered, “I’m not, babe.”

     “Yes, you are. You never wanna talk to me.”

     “Of course I do! Come on, don’t do that.”

     “Forget it. I’ll call you when I get home.”

     Before Parrish could say goodbye, Levi was gone. Just like that. She took a deep breath and pulled the covers over her head in frustration. She could never seem to understand why a perfectly good conversation could turn into an argument so quickly between the two of them. She also couldn’t understand that if that was the case, and it was, why she adored Levity so much.