1. Colony Miles #2
“Is it bad? If so, just tell me now, or I’ll be worried all day.”
The silence lingering between us ate at me.
My stomach twisted as I immediately thought the worst. If there was something going on with either one of my parents, I wouldn’t be any good.
I loved them more than anything. Living thirty minutes away from them was hard enough.
I’d feel terrible for putting the distance between us if something was wrong.
Finally, Serenity spoke. “No, it’s not bad, so don’t be over there hyperventilating. It’s just something I’d rather they tell you than me.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s your fault I was about to hyperventilate. You had me over here thinking the worst when you got quiet.”
“My bad. I didn’t mean to. I was concentrating, so let me get off this phone before I mess something up. I love you. Don’t forget to send me the location.”
“I love you too.”
Ending the call, I tossed my phone onto my desk and huffed. Regardless of Serenity saying the news wasn’t bad, it didn’t stop me from feeling some type of way. I had to busy myself with work to make the time go by.
It was naptime at the center when it was time for my lunch, so I checked on my teachers before quietly exiting. The restaurant I’d chosen to eat at was only ten minutes away with light traffic. Thankfully, it wasn’t packed when I arrived, so I got Serenity and me a table and waited for her.
Discreetly, I looked around the restaurant, observing my surroundings.
If Martin Miles taught me one thing, it was to always be cautious of who and what I was around.
The world was far too crazy not to be aware.
It was too crazy to not stay prayed up. Every day, multiple times a day, I asked God for His protection.
Not only over me, but everyone close to me as well.
“Hi, Sissy!” Serenity greeted me with the biggest grin stretching her lips, showing off the dimples I wished to inherit. I guessed our father only had enough to pass to her since she was the oldest.
I rose to my feet and embraced her. Despite us having lunch every month, I still missed her like crazy. Moving away from her was one of the hardest things I’d ever done in life, but somehow, it seemed to bring us closer than we already were.
“I missed you,” I whispered as I pulled away and looked her over. “Don’t you look cute. I’m surprised Jacob let you come out looking so good.”
Serenity did a little twirl and winked at me.
The all-white attire looked divine against her rich melanated skin that matched mine.
Her bob was straightened to perfection, and the light beat of makeup brought out her honey-colored irises.
My sister was a ten across the board, and I reminded Jacob on every occasion how lucky he was to have her.
She was blessed with the looks and personality.
That was something that couldn’t be beat.
“No, that’s all you, Colony. Martin and Satin know they made some fine-ass girls.”
We slapped hands and sat down. Before Serenity got there, I ordered us a bottle of wine and some spinach dip to get us started. The waitress came over to see if we needed anything else, but I asked her to give us a minute.
Wasting no time, I pulled my phone out, and Serenity snickered.
“Dang. You don’t want to catch up with your sister first?” She dramatically placed her hand over her heart with her mouth slightly agape.
I waved her off. “Girl, please. We have plenty of time to talk. I need to know what’s going on with the Mr. and Mrs.”
Without waiting for Serenity to say anything else, I tapped on my mother’s contact and put it on speakerphone, turning it down to the lowest volume. The phone rang three times before Mommy’s voice filled the air between us.
“Hello, pooh bear. What are you doing?”
“Oh, nothing. Sitting here with your daughter. She said I needed to call you.”
Mommy kissed her teeth, and I giggled as I pictured her rolling her downturned, cocoa-tinted eyes. “Serenity. Didn’t I tell you I’d talk to your sister later?”
“Yes, and it’s later. I talked to you early this morning,” Serenity shot back, and we shared a laugh.
“I guess you have a point,” Mommy stated. “Hold on. Let me go get your father.”
There was some rustling in the background before I heard Mommy calling Dad’s name.
If I knew my father like I thought I did, I could bet he was in the garage, working on one of his old school cars.
He had retired four years ago and couldn’t stay still.
Martin was constantly into something, and he claimed that was what kept him and my mother young.
“Martin, come here,” Mommy demanded.
“Oh, you want me to do what you told me earlier?” he questioned, and there was a loud smack that echoed through the phone. Serenity and I stared at one another with our faces crumpled. Dad was always being nasty, but it was cute because his love for Mommy never wavered.
“Oh, hush! The girls are on the phone, and I’m sure they can hear you.”
“We can!” Serenity and I said simultaneously.
Dad released a hearty laugh and spoke. “Hey, my princesses.”
“Hey, Dad.”
Mommy cleared her throat. “Serenity’s big mouth went and blabbered to Colony, saying we needed to talk to her.”
“Well, she’s not wrong. Colony?”
“Yes, sir?” I said, feeling my heart slowly starting to race.
Dad expelled a sigh and explained. “I hate to do this, but your mother and I needed to ask you if we could borrow some money until my check comes in.”
“Of course. How much?”
“Two thousand.”
Without hesitation, I agreed. “I’ll send it now. Y’all know I’ll do anything for y’all. Why is Mama and Serenity making it seem like a big deal?”
Serenity took a sip of her wine and said, “You didn’t ask what it was for.”
“Why do I need to know?” I angled my head to the side, reading the worry lines forming in Serenity’s forehead as she remained silent. “You said it wasn’t bad, Serenity.”
“It’s not,” Dad chimed in. “I’m having a small procedure done next week, and we need to pay before they move forward. I thought my check would’ve been here by now, but you know the government moves on their own timing when it comes to others.”
The only thing I caught from Dad’s explanation was he needed surgery, soon, and I was just now finding out. “So, when was I going to find out about the procedure? And what kind of procedure is it?”
Since Serenity was in my presence, she was the one who caught my dirty look.
To know my family was keeping secrets from me didn’t sit well with me.
Dad never thought anything was a big deal, so him being nonchalant didn’t bother me.
It was the fact Mommy and Serenity didn’t say anything to me prior.
As I expected, Dad was the one to speak up. “It’s nothing serious, Colony. I’m getting another colonoscopy and a biopsy done because they found a few polyps on my colon. I don’t think it’s anything, but they want to double check to be sure.”
Immediately, my mind became fatigued as my thoughts produced the worst outcomes. Dad could mask it all he wanted, but colon cancer was known to travel through our family, specifically his side. I silently prayed to myself that it wasn’t anything serious and everything would come back benign.
“What day and time?” I asked, finally finding my voice.
“Oh, don’t you come this way and make a big deal out of it,” Dad fussed. “I’m fine.”
“And I didn’t ask that. Mommy?”
Mommy snickered before rambling the date and time.
I locked it into my calendar and promised them I would see them next week.
Once we ended the call, Serenity and I continued with our lunch date.
My heart was heavy, but Serenity eased some of the weight.
Being around her meant I didn’t need to think too much or worry about anything, but behind her eyes, I could see we shared the same feelings about the situation. We were both daddy’s girls to the core.
An hour and a half later, we were going our separate ways. I sent Olive a text, checking on Parker as I headed back inside the center. I’d made it just in time to catch Kehlani leaving. When she saw me, she tore away from her aunt and ran to hug my legs.
“Bye, Ms. Miles. Auntie is here to pick me up.” She lifted her head, and her round, doe-shaped brown eyes captured my soul. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Yes, you will. I’ll come up here just to see you, sweet pea.” I tapped her nose with my index finger before squatting to become eye level with her. Holding my pinky out, I said, “But you can’t tell anyone. It has to be our secret. Okay?”
Giddily, Kehlani latched her pinky onto mine and burst into a fit of giggles. “Okay, but is it okay if I tell my daddy? I can’t keep secrets from him.”
The sentiment warmed my heart. Being a certified daddy’s girl, I understood where she was coming from. “Of course. Never keep secrets from him. Always tell him everything, okay?”
“I do!”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
I watched as Kehlani skipped over to her aunt and held her hand.
Waving bye to them, my mind wandered to her father.
I’d never seen him before, but Kehlani always talked about him, never mentioning her mother.
The closer I got to her, the more I wondered what her story was.
She was such a sweet girl. If her father was the only one raising her, he needed a pat on the back because he was doing a damn good job.
Maybe one day, I’d be able to meet the man Kehlani loved so much.