"You are so silly!" 

I smiled when she said that, because she said it all the time. Of course, she was right. I couldn't help being silly around her. She brought out the best in me. The happiest. She was my CeeCee. But it was her laugh, that wonderful, low hum of a laugh that always made my heart smile. So I told jokes on purpose, just to hear it. Every chance I could.

"Jackson, you there?" my CeeCee asked as I lay there taking in her voice as if it were a natural high.

"I'm here, babe," I responded. I got up from the bed and started pacing my hotel room. It killed me to be away from Ashley for any amount of time. Being here in Alabama for a campaign fund raiser was killing me. But it was par for the political course, I kept telling myself. Anything for family. She could probably feel me tense up over the phone.

"Why are you sighing? What are you thinking about over there?"

"About us," I said, matter-of-factly. "About how I can't get enough of you. About how we need to spend more days like we did today. About how if I didn't have to constantly go on these missions for my family, we'd be together right now and I'd be able to see you smile instead of just picturing it."

"That's the life of a political family, I guess," she almost whispered, clearly frustrated.

"Yeah," I agreed. "And it sucks. When you turned and walked away at the airport, I got this pain on my right side."

"What type of pain?" she asked, turning serious.

"I don't know," I said hurriedly. "It was weird. Like I was losing a part of me."

There was that laugh again. "You're soooo corny, Jackson!"

I couldn't help but smile, even though I was serious as hell. The pain was very real, shooting through my side like a lightning bolt. It was quick and didn't return, so I shrugged it off. But it had to mean something. I got lost in my thoughts as I looked out of the hotel room window down into the parking lot.

"Jaaaack-sonnnn!" Ashley sung into the receiver. It was like music to my ears. "Did I lose you?"

"Never," I replied, shaking my head at how lucky I was to have found her. She completed me. "I'm just thinking about children's names."

She broke into another laugh. "Children's names?" she repeated once she regained her composure.

"Yup. We need some Texas-sized names. Some names that can carry on the proud Mason name. Like Percy or Harvey Lee or some shit."

"Jackson Mason! You can't be serious!"

It was my turn to laugh. "Nah, I was just playin'. But seriously, do you see yourself having kids?" I paused. "With me?"

"I do."

Those two words sent another chill through my body. And even though this one didn't hurt, it was still overwhelming, causing my knees to buckle and fall to the bed. It was like music to my ears, even more than her laugh. I love my CeeCee.

"You make me happy," I finally got out.

"This you can bet," she responded quickly.

"Huh?"

"Maze and Frankie Beverly, silly! Those are lyrics from their song 'Before I Let Go.' You better know that song. It's like a black national anthem." That laugh again.

"Oh," I said, smiling through the phone. "I knew that." I also knew that me and CeeCee were meant to be. She was the future Mrs. Jackson Mason. I could feel it. Maybe that's what that pain was—the fact that being away from her hurt. Sure, it was corny, but it felt right. 

I laid on the bed and listened to her talk for a few more minutes, taking in her voice. Never getting enough. I sighed one last sigh as I thought about the future, me and her. My CeeCee. I told her I loved her one last time . . . before I let go. 

Never knowing that would be our last conversation.