CHAPTER 13
BITCH DON’T SEND ME PICTURES OF MY OWN FUCKING LIFE
Zaviyah called Samaria.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Again.
Straight to voicemail.
“She blocked me.”
Kavon looked up.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Call from my phone.”
Zaviyah stared at him.
“You think seeing your number is gonna make shit better?”
“Probably not.”
“Exactly.”
Patrice sat quietly with Kyren.
Even she knew this wasn’t the time to jump in.
Zaviyah called Jalisa.
She answered immediately.
“What?”
“Where’s Samaria?”
“With Keisha.”
“I know. Where does Keisha live?”
Jalisa paused.
“Why?”
“Because somebody sent Mari that picture from the park.”
“Oh.”
“You saw it?”
“Yes.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I’ve been trying to stop her from throwing her phone off the balcony.”
Zaviyah grabbed her purse.
“Send me the address.”
“Viyah.”
“What?”
“She doesn’t want to see you.”
“I don’t give a fuck.”
“You probably should.”
“She’s my sister.”
“And she’s hurt.”
“So I’m supposed to leave her somewhere crying over some shit that didn’t happen?”
Jalisa sighed.
“I’ll send it.”
“Thank you.”
Kavon stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Zaviyah.”
“No.”
“This involves me.”
“That’s exactly why you’re not coming.”
Patrice nodded.
“She right.”
Kavon looked at his mother.
“Whose side are you on?”
“The side with sense.”
Zaviyah almost smiled.
Patrice looked at her.
“Go talk to your sister.”
“What about Kyren?”
“I’ll stay.”
Zaviyah hesitated.
Patrice immediately understood.
“You don’t know me yet.”
“No offense.”
“None taken.”
Kavon nodded.
“I’ll stay too.”
Zaviyah looked at him.
“With your mama here?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Kyren.
He was driving his truck across Patrice’s foot.
“Baby, Mama gotta go talk to Auntie Mari.”
Kyren looked up.
“I come?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Grown up talk.”
Kyren frowned.
“Daddy stay?”
Zaviyah looked at Kavon.
“Yes.”
Kyren smiled.
“Okay.”
Damn.
That was easier than expected.
Zaviyah pointed at Kavon.
“Do not take him anywhere.”
“I won’t.”
“No bath.”
“Okay.”
“No candy.”
“Damn.”
“Kavon.”
“I’m joking.”
“His bedtime is eight thirty.”
“I know.”
“Call me if.”
“Zaviyah.”
“What?”
“I got him.”
Something about those three words stopped her.
I got him.
She nodded.
“Okay.”
Thirty minutes later, Zaviyah pulled up outside Keisha’s townhouse near Rock Island.
She barely knocked before Keisha opened the door.
Keisha looked enough like Kavon to piss Zaviyah off immediately.
Same eyes.
Same smile.
Same damn dimple.
Keisha folded her arms.
“So you Zaviyah.”
“Yes.”
“I heard a lot.”
“I’m sure.”
Keisha stepped outside and closed the door behind her.
“You probably shouldn’t go in.”
“That’s my sister.”
“She don’t want you here.”
“I don’t care.”
Keisha’s eyebrows lifted.
“Maybe that’s part of the problem.”
Zaviyah stared at her.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“I don’t know you.”
“And I don’t know you.”
“Then don’t speak on my relationship with my sister.”
“Samaria is my friend.”
“She’s my blood.”
“That don’t mean you can’t hurt her.”
Zaviyah stepped closer.
“I know I hurt her.”
“Then give her space.”
“I tried.”
“No, you went to the park with her ex boyfriend and their nephew looking like a fucking family.”
Zaviyah’s eyes narrowed.
“Be careful.”
“Why?”
“Because you weren’t there.”
“I saw the picture.”
“A picture ain’t a fucking story.”
Keisha stared at her.
Zaviyah continued.
“Kyren wanted to go to the park. I’m not comfortable letting Kavon take him alone yet. So I went.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“You and my brother ain’t messing around?”
“No.”
Keisha stared.
Zaviyah stared back.
“Ask him.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“He said no.”
“Then why the fuck are we standing here?”
“Because he also said he still thinks about Tampa.”
Zaviyah froze.
Keisha caught it.
“Yeah.”
“Why would he tell you that?”
“That’s my brother.”
Zaviyah looked away.
Keisha laughed.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“You feel it too.”
Zaviyah’s jaw tightened.
“You don’t know what I feel.”
“I know what that face means.”
“Everybody suddenly a fucking therapist.”
The door opened behind Keisha.
Samaria stood there.
Her eyes were swollen.
“Why are you here?”
Zaviyah’s anger disappeared.
“Mari.”
“I asked why.”
“I came to explain the picture.”
“I know what the picture is.”
“No, you know what it looks like.”
Samaria laughed.
“Okay. Explain.”
“Kyren asked to go to the park.”
“And?”
“Kavon wanted to take him.”
“And?”
“I’m not ready for him to have Kyren alone.”
“So you went.”
“Yes.”
“And held hands.”
“With my son.”
“And Kavon.”
“To swing Kyren.”
Samaria looked away.
Zaviyah stepped closer.
“That picture caught one second.”
“One second looked real comfortable.”
“It wasn’t romantic.”
“Was it comfortable?”
Zaviyah went quiet.
Wrong move.
Samaria laughed.
“Exactly.”
“Mari.”
“Did you enjoy being there with him?”
“I enjoyed watching Kyren happy.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“Why do you keep asking questions you don’t want the answers to?”
Samaria’s face changed.
“Because I’m trying to figure out if my sister is about to fuck the man I love.”
Keisha quietly stepped back inside.
Smart woman.
Zaviyah stared at Samaria.
“I haven’t touched Kavon.”
“I know.”
“I haven’t kissed him.”
“I know.”
“I haven’t slept with him.”
“I know.”
“Then what the fuck do you want from me?”
“The truth!”
“I DON’T KNOW THE FUCKING TRUTH YET!”
Silence.
Samaria stared at her.
Zaviyah’s chest rose and fell.
There.
She said it.
Finally.
Samaria’s voice went quiet.
“You like him.”
Zaviyah wiped her face.
“I have history with him.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“I know.”
“Do you like him?”
Zaviyah stared at her sister.
Then finally said it.
“Yes.”
Samaria’s face broke.
“But.”
“No.”
“Mari.”
“No fucking but.”
“I am not choosing him over you.”
“You shouldn’t have to choose.”
“I know.”
“He should be off limits.”
“I KNOW.”
“Then why are we having this conversation?”
“Because feelings don’t fucking ask permission!”
Samaria started crying.
“So what happens when Kyren wants both of y’all?”
Zaviyah froze.
“What?”
“Birthdays. Holidays. Family shit.”
“He can have both of us without us being together.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“You sure Kavon knows that?”
Zaviyah didn’t answer.
Samaria nodded.
“That’s what scares me.”
Zaviyah wiped her eyes.
“I told him to fight for you.”
Samaria blinked.
“What?”
“I told him if he loves you, fight for you.”
Samaria stared at her.
“And what did he say?”
Zaviyah hesitated.
“He asked if I wanted him to.”
Samaria laughed bitterly.
“Of course he did.”
“I told him you’re my sister.”
“Again.”
“What?”
“You keep telling him what I am.”
Samaria looked directly at her.
“But have you ever told him you don’t want him?”
Silence.
Zaviyah’s stomach twisted.
Samaria nodded.
“Exactly.”
She stepped backward.
“I love you.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“I love you too.”
“But right now I don’t trust you.”
That hurt worse than anything else.
Samaria went inside.
The door closed.
Zaviyah stood outside alone.
Her phone vibrated.
A text.
Unknown number.
She opened it.
Saw the picture from the park again.
Then another message.
YALL LOOK CUTE TOGETHER THOUGH ??
Zaviyah’s anger exploded.
She typed back.
WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?
The response came immediately.
Somebody who knows the real story.
Zaviyah frowned.
No.
Absolutely the fuck not.
She blocked the number.
She wasn’t doing mystery bullshit.
Wasn’t chasing anonymous people.
Wasn’t turning her life into some detective story.
Whoever wanted attention could starve.
She got in her car and drove home.
When she opened the door, the house was quiet.
Patrice had left.
Kyren was asleep on the couch.
Kavon sat beside him.
Zaviyah stopped.
“He fell asleep?”
“About ten minutes ago.”
She walked over.
Kyren had one hand gripping Kavon’s shirt.
Her chest tightened.
Kavon whispered, “How’d it go?”
“Bad.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She knows I like you.”
Kavon went still.
Zaviyah stared directly at him.
“I told her.”
Silence.
“You told her you like me?”
“Yes.”
Kavon’s eyes changed.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your face did.”
He looked down at Kyren.
Zaviyah continued.
“And before you get excited, nothing is happening.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Because I mean it.”
Kavon looked at her.
“Then why are you trying so hard to convince me?”
Zaviyah’s stomach tightened.
“I’m trying to convince myself.”
The words slipped out.
Fuck.
Kavon stared at her.
Zaviyah looked away.
“Wake him up.”
“He’s tired.”
“I need to put him in bed.”
“I can carry him.”
“No.”
“Zaviyah.”
“No.”
Kavon carefully loosened Kyren’s fingers from his shirt.
He stood.
They were suddenly too close.
Way too fucking close.
Zaviyah stepped backward.
Kavon noticed.
Neither spoke.
Then he whispered.
“I’m trying.”
“To do what?”
“The right thing.”
“Try harder.”
“I am.”
He walked toward the door.
Zaviyah followed.
Kavon stopped outside.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
He took two steps.
Then turned.
“Zaviyah.”
“What?”
“I do still love Samaria.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
“But I’m not gonna lie to you either.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Kavon.”
“Seeing you with Kyren today.”
“Stop.”
“Seeing the three of us.”
“Stop.”
“It fucked with me.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“Go home.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
This time he left.
Zaviyah closed the door.
Then locked it.
She leaned against it.
And whispered to herself.
“You better not fuck your sister’s man.”
From the couch, half asleep, Kyren mumbled.
“Bad word.”
Zaviyah started laughing and crying at the same fucking time.