Somee Cole #3
Marlee was my best friend and had been since we were kids.
She learned to sign and used ASL as fluently as me, which was a benefit when we were out in the world.
But I was fully capable of communicating regardless.
I lived a fairly normal life because I refused to allow being Deaf to be considered a handicap.
Although my mother elected to bury herself in a Deaf world, she fully supported my decision and raised me to know I was fine just as I was and could do anything I wanted in life.
“Did you miss the part where I mentioned he was sexy?” she signed once I had the first round of burgers in the pan and she had my attention again.
“Nope but why do I care if he’s sexy? If he’s hearing, he’s not for me.”
“You don’t have to marry the guy, Somee. Wild sex as a thank you for taking care of his sister.”
I grinned. “Why are you stuck on him being sexy? And a simple thank you would suffice.”
“You said they’re being secretive about him. Maybe he’s famous or something.”
My hands moved fast.
“Then I don’t like him, no matter how sexy he might be. If he’s famous, he can afford to give Rylee a good life yet he’s missing and she’s stuck with a parent who would rather disappear than take care of her.”
Her hands moved slowly when she responded. “Point made.”
“Thank you.”
I finished frying the burgers and asked Marlee to grab the lettuce, cheese, and condiments.
She also put the fries in the air fryer so we had dinner ready fifteen minutes later.
I made Rylee’s burger with two patties, two slices of cheese, lettuce, mayo, and mustard because she didn’t like ketchup, added honey mustard on her plate for her fries, and delivered it to her in the living room while Marlee and I made our plates and ate at the counter.
I opened a bottle of wine and caught up with my girl who filled me in on her week, which included the new client she was crushing on.
She also showed me pictures she’d snuck of him while doing a walkthrough of his house to give an estimate of what it would cost to do the landscaping for his backyard pool area when spring hit.
Marlee was so heavily booked that people wanted to lock down her services as early as possible.
That meant booking in January for a spring appointment.
Marlee owned a landscaping company but she only handled yard enhancements like tropical gardens, stone walkways, koi ponds, and serenity gardens.
She bypassed lawn maintenance, cutting shrubs and other stuff, but oddly enough, she was always booked.
Most people hired her to build their gardens but also maintain them.
“You know it’s creepy to steal pictures of the man?”
“Maybe but he’ll never know. You see how fine he is though, right?”
“I do.”
“Then he’s used to women creeping on his fine ass.”
I grinned and sipped my wine before signing, “I thought you don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“I don’t.” She paused. “Usually, but he might be with it.”
“Oh friend, you have it bad.”
“Very bad. I want that man something terrible.”
“Quit now before you get fired, because if you get the dick, no work will be completed, friend.”
She laughed and signed, “You know I don’t play about my coins. I’ll finish the job before I get the dick.”
“Or just put it on him so good that you get the coins even if you don’t finish the job.”
“That might work too.”
We chilled for a few more hours, then Marlee left while I got Rylee in the bath and ready for bed. It was almost eleven when I tucked her in and kissed her goodnight. Just before I left her room, she caught my arm and sat up in bed, signing, “I like being here.”
“I like having you here,” I returned.
She hesitated, then signed, “I don’t want her to come back.”
My heart clenched.
I don’t either, kid.
I didn’t say that to her and instead signed, “It’s okay to be angry she left you.”
I’m sure there’s a good reason. She loves you.
Rylee shook her head and signed, “If she comes back, I can’t stay with you and I want to stay with you.”
She pouted and I walked over and kissed her forehead before I signed, “Get some sleep.”
She nodded, lay under the cover, and snuggled up.
I left her room, my spare room transformed into a sea of purple because I wanted her to feel at home.
It was the least I could do considering the circumstances.
She was a kid dealing with some pretty heavy things like abandonment and finding a place where she fit in and felt loved.
Before I left the room, I turned off the lights but left the door open.
After her first night here, she told me she didn’t want to be alone.
Her mother left her at their apartment and she had to sit by herself for three days.
That fear of being left alone still lingered.
Leaving the door cracked so she had access to me was our compromise instead of allowing Rylee to sleep in my bed.
I grabbed the bottle of wine Marlee and I didn’t finish, poured the rest into my glass, and curled up on the sofa with my laptop, navigating to the site for fostering children. If this was what needed to be done, I’d do it. I refused to be another adult in Rylee’s life who let her down.