CHAPTER 15 #2
“Because I’m starting to think you been waiting for me to let him go.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“So was seeing you almost kiss him.”
“I KNOW.”
“I trusted you.”
“And I fucked up.”
“You keep saying fucked up like you accidentally spilled something.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I want you to say you wanted to kiss him.”
Silence.
“Say it.”
Zaviyah closed her eyes.
“I wanted to kiss him.”
Loretta looked over.
Zaviyah turned away.
Samaria went quiet.
Then asked.
“Do you want to fuck him?”
Zaviyah’s stomach dropped.
“Mari.”
“Answer.”
“I’m not answering that.”
“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t matter what I want if I don’t do it.”
Samaria laughed bitterly.
“So yes.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Zaviyah wiped her face.
“Mari, please.”
“I gotta go.”
“Wait.”
“What?”
“I miss you.”
Silence.
Zaviyah’s voice cracked.
“I miss my sister.”
Samaria didn’t speak for a long time.
Then she whispered.
“I miss you too.”
Zaviyah started crying.
“So can we please.”
“No.”
Her heart dropped.
“I’m not ready.”
“Okay.”
“But I don’t hate you.”
“Okay.”
“And Viyah?”
“What?”
“If you sleep with him before me and you fix this.”
She stopped.
Zaviyah waited.
Samaria’s voice turned cold.
“There won’t be anything left to fix.”
The call ended.
Zaviyah stared at the phone.
Message received.
Loud and fucking clear.
Two days later, Kavon picked Kyren up for the first time without her.
Patrice was with him.
Zaviyah stood on the porch checking the diaper bag for the fourth time.
“Extra clothes.”
Kavon nodded.
“Got it.”
“Snacks.”
“Got it.”
“His cup.”
“Got it.”
“Wipes.”
“Zaviyah.”
“What?”
Patrice laughed.
“We got the baby.”
“He’s not a baby.”
Kyren looked up.
“I baby.”
“Traitor.”
Kavon smiled.
“We’ll be back by six.”
“Five thirty.”
“You said six.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Five thirty.”
“And call me.”
“How much?”
“Every hour.”
Kavon stared.
“Every hour?”
“Yes.”
Patrice shook her head.
“Girl.”
“What?”
“Let that man be a daddy.”
Zaviyah looked at her.
“I’m trying.”
“I know.”
Patrice hugged her.
Zaviyah froze.
Then hugged her back.
“Go relax.”
“I don’t know how.”
“Learn.”
Kavon buckled Kyren into the car seat.
Kyren waved.
“Bye Mama!”
Zaviyah’s chest hurt.
“Bye baby.”
“Daddy go!”
“I see.”
The truck pulled away.
Zaviyah stood on the porch.
Alone.
For the first time in forever.
No Kyren.
No Kavon.
No Samaria.
No chaos.
She should have enjoyed it.
Instead, she cried for fifteen fucking minutes.
Then took a shower.
Then cleaned the house.
Then sat down.
Then stood back up.
Then checked her phone.
No missed calls.
She laughed at herself.
“Girl, relax.”
At 2:14, someone knocked.
Zaviyah frowned.
Kavon?
Too early.
She opened the door.
Samaria.
Zaviyah froze.
“Mari?”
Samaria looked uncomfortable.
“Can I come in?”
Zaviyah stepped aside immediately.
“Yeah.”
Samaria walked in.
Looked around.
“Where’s Kyren?”
“With Kavon.”
Her face changed.
“And Patrice.”
Samaria relaxed slightly.
“Oh.”
Zaviyah closed the door.
“What are you doing here?”
Samaria sat on the couch.
“I don’t know.”
Zaviyah sat across from her.
Neither spoke.
Then Samaria started crying.
Zaviyah moved immediately.
She sat beside her.
Samaria didn’t pull away.
That was enough.
Zaviyah wrapped her arms around her sister.
Samaria cried into her shoulder.
“I hate this shit.”
“I know.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“You’re such a bitch.”
“I know.”
Samaria laughed through her tears.
Zaviyah cried too.
They sat there holding each other like they had when they were kids.
When boys didn’t matter.
When betrayal meant wearing the other one’s shirt without asking.
When life was simple.
Eventually Samaria pulled back.
“You promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“If you feel like you’re gonna cross that line with Kavon, tell me first.”
Zaviyah stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because I’d rather hear it from you than walk in on it.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“I don’t want to cross it.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Zaviyah looked down.
Samaria touched her hand.
“Promise me.”
Zaviyah nodded.
“I promise.”
Samaria squeezed her hand.
And for the first time in days, Zaviyah felt like maybe they could survive this.
Then her phone rang.
Kavon.
Samaria looked at the screen.
Zaviyah answered.
“What happened?”
Kavon sounded panicked.
“Don’t freak out.”
Zaviyah stood.
“What happened?”
“Kyren fell.”
Her heart stopped.
“WHAT?”
“He’s okay.”
“Where are you?”
“Urgent care off Federal.”
Zaviyah grabbed her keys.
“What happened?”
“He fell off the playground steps.”
“Oh my God.”
“He’s fine, Zaviyah.”
“I’m coming.”
She hung up.
Samaria stood.
“I’ll drive.”
“No, I got it.”
“Viyah, you shaking.”
Zaviyah looked down.
She was.
Samaria grabbed the keys.
“I’m driving.”
Twenty minutes later, they rushed into urgent care.
Kavon stood in the hallway.
His white shirt had blood on it.
Zaviyah’s heart stopped.
“Oh my God.”
“It’s from his lip.”
“Where is he?”
“Room three.”
Zaviyah pushed past him.
Kyren sat on the exam table with Patrice.
His lip was busted.
Little scrape on his forehead.
Otherwise fine.
“Mama!”
Zaviyah grabbed him.
“My baby.”
“I fall.”
“I see.”