It was around four-thirty when Jiselle called me and Stone on three-way.
“Hey there, beautiful,” I answered immediately.
“What’s up?” Stone answered with the sounds of the mechanic shop in the background.
“How busy are you guys?”
“Let me just get out of the noise,” Stone said.
“And I can talk.” I locked my computer screen and sat back.
“Okay…” Jiselle sighed. “You guys will be honest with me, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you ashamed of me?”
“No,” I answered immediately.
“Fuck no,” Stone added. “Why are you asking that stupid shit?”
“Is it because of what Rene said?” I quizzed. “Rene doesn’t speak for us, and as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters to us, Jiselle.”
“So you don’t think I should retire?”
“Don’t retire until you want to retire,” Stone said. “Don’t let no mothafucka peer pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do.”
“Yeah, because it doesn’t bother us. At all.”
“Okay, and hypothetically, if I do retire, do you guys think I’ll find something else I want to do long-term?”
“Stay-at-home girlfriend pays well,” I offered.
Stone and Jiselle both scoffed.
“Cute,” she said dryly.
“And not a lie,” I added. “Whether you want to move in with me or keep your place, I can cover the bills.”
“And how long is that justifiable?”
“Well forever really,” I said simply. “And unless my parents told you something they haven’t told me, I’m scheduled to continue making very good money into our future.”
I unlocked my computer and immediately went through the information I’d pulled about Jiselle.
“I don’t know about a full-time girlfriend but maybe we can get together and talk about an actual cohabitation schedule so we aren’t just bouncing from house to house.”
“That sounds good to me,” Stone said.
“Yeah. I’d actually really like that.”
“Good.” Jiselle exhaled and I knew without having to see her that she had a little smile on her face. “Thanks for being here and pausing everything to listen to me even though you were both busy and thanks for accepting me even when I’m a hot fucking mess,” she said.
“You’re perfect,” Stone said.
“Hardly.”
“You’re perfect for us,” I corrected.