"Jenaea Dancy…I have to admit, of the all people I expected at my doorstep, I didn't figure you for a late night visitor…"
Steve opened the door wider to let in his guest, immediately noticing the solemn nod beyond the façade of her usual lightheartedness.
Not bothering to ask how she found out where he lived, he gestured toward the kitchen where she sat down her bag of goodies on the small island, carefully digging out each individual to-go box of Chinese takeout.
"In the brink of the moment, we don't realize that the people we met in times of crisis are true friends for life…", she muttered cryptically, then began to search his cupboards for another glass.
Biting his lip at the awkward situation, Steve closed the door before approaching the African American model.
"It's been over a year…so ehm…I guess, I…"
"I was in the neighborhood…", she said too fast and filled her glass with water before turning around to face him, smiling as she took a sip.
"It's a…a nice neighborhood, isn't it?", he replied sheepishly and stepped closer, still trying to get over the surprise of seeing the gorgeous daughter of Yale Courtland Dancy again after all this time.
"It seems to be. It dead ends like the dreamer's dreams, like a daughter's hope drowned out in the abyss of factuality."
Steve wanted to remind her that his brain wasn't quite awake enough to handle her poetic outbursts but hesitated when he saw her eyes grow shiny with tears, that well-crafted façade suddenly on the verge of cracking.
"Are you ok?", he asked worriedly and reached for her free hand, seeing her grasp his like a lifeline, her cold fingers shaking slightly.
"Not tonight…", she admitted and shook her head before setting down the glass to pull him into a tight embrace.
Holding onto her, Steve heard her whimper in pain, the quiet sobs against his shoulder tearing on his heartstrings. There was no telling what had happened to that wise-beyond-her-years, warm soul he'd met just over a year ago, who, just like her father, had managed to elude his senses and send him on a frustrating wild goose chase across town.
"Shhhh.", he tried, hoping to help her calm down and yet, she stayed in that same position for the longest time, relishing his company as though she'd been living in forced solitude since the last time they'd met.
Letting his eyes drift over to the kitchen island that was now filled with an unplanned dinner, then up to the clock on the wall that read 11pm, Steve sighed quietly, wondering what other surprises might be in store for him that evening.
