“Anybody home?”

​

“I’m up here, Mar,” she called out.

​

She heard him make his way upstairs and before she knew it, the door was opening with his large frame in the doorway. The only thing covered on Jamila was her hair, wrapped in a towel.

​

“Hi Mar,” she’d squeaked.

​

Amari’s eyes were the size of saucers. “I’m so sorry, Mm—Mm—Meela.”

​

Amari turned, and in his flustered state, he smacked himself in the face with the door as he tried to exit and close it at the same time.

​

“Ow! Fuck,” he’d screamed.

​

Clearly embarrassed, he ambled away still trying to find his balance.

​

Jamila quickly threw on a fitted t-shirt and boy shorts to see if Amari was okay. She found him seated in the hallway, leaning against the wall, holding his nose.

​

“Mar, are you okay?”

​

“Uh, not really.”

​

“Oh, let me get you a towel.”

​

Jamila rushed to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, moistening it with cold water. She lowered his hand and placed the towel under his nose.

​

“I’m sorry, Mar.”

​

“Why are you apologizing? I’m the one who walked in on you.”

​

“Yeah, but I didn’t tell you I was naked.”

​

“Why were you naked?”

​

“I had just gotten out the shower.”

 

“Oh.” He flipped the towel over before placing it back under his nose. “I thought Ken, T, or momma would be home by now.”

​

“Ken is working overtime, your mom volunteered to help with the church bake sale after today’s service, and Tennille’s at a friend’s place.”

​

“So, it’s just you and me?” he asked.

​

“Yep. Just the two of us,” she smiled.

​

“That was never my favorite Bill Withers song,” Amari joked.

​

Jamila giggled.

​

“Sorry, that was a bad joke. Just trying to alleviate my embarrassment.” He looked down.

​

Jamila took his chin and raised his head so they were eye-to-eye.

​

“You have nothing to be embarrassed by. And my favorite song of his is ‘Lovely Day.’”

​

“Mine’s ‘Ain’t No Sunshine.’” Amari smiled.

​

“That’s a good one.”

​

Amari chuckled and then cleared his throat. “You don’t seem embarrassed at all.”

​

“Should I be?” Jamila sat next to him.

​

“I mean, some people might get embarrassed if someone they barely knew saw them naked.”

​

“Some people don’t look as good naked as I do,” she retorted. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

​

“Umm,” he blushed.

​

“What? You got a good enough look,” she teased.

​

“Can we change the subject?”

​

“Fine, but I will say this. I showed you mine so one of these days, you’ll have to show me yours. It’s only fair.”

​

“I’ll think about it.”

​

“You do that.”​