The truck came to a stop immediately. When I glanced out of the window, my eyes landed on the shop.
“Happy pawning. I’ll be in touch.”
When I made it back into the pawn shop, my sister’s eyes were on me and so were my father’s. Neither of them said anything, but I felt their questions in the air.
“No, I am not about to disappear into thin air. I’m still here,” I said to both of them, even though neither asked.
“You sure ’bout that. That looked real disappear into thin air to me.” My father peered at me over his glasses.
“Well, I am right here, aren’t I?”
Neither of them seemed convinced, but I wasn’t about to stand around and convince them.
I clutched the file in my hand tightly and looked from her to him.
“Yeah, but for how long?” Sissy asked.
“For as long as I want to be. Now please drop it.” I gave her a stern look
She threw her hands up in surrender. “Fine. I’ll hold you to that. What are you doing tonight? Let’s have dinner.”
I screwed my face up because having dinner with her meant I wouldn’t be having dinner with Iso. Even though I didn’t act like it, I had come to enjoy them. The idea of routine petrified me.
Laughter escaped my lips at the thought of how he’d cursed me out last night for saying I was going home instead of coming to his place.
“Is dinner with me funny or something, sis?” Sissy asked, confused.
“No, I was just thinking about something, but I already have dinner plans.”
“With who?” My father’s voice made me turn around.
“With a friend, and no, I’m not giving a name so dro… As a matter of fact, both of you keep trying to put me in the hot seat and I don’t like it. So I’ma go. I’ll see you both around.”
I turned to leave and held my index and middle fingers in the air as I turned to leave. I technically needed to go to my place and look this file over before I went to Iso’s. I hadn’t been home consistently in what felt like forever. After three spend a night moments, it became a thing. Now the mere mention of me sleeping in my own bed had him telling me I had him fucked up.
More laughter escaped my lips thinking about last night.
“Yo, where you at?” he asked as soon as I answered the phone through my car.
“On my way home. I just left the pawn shop and I’m exhausted. What’s up?” I asked, knowing damn well asking my location was to gauge how long it would take for me to be his way.
“What, to pack a bag?” he asked, confusion evident in his tone. “I thought you were on your way here?”
“Maybe another time. I spend so much time at your plac?—”
“Fuck everything you ’boutta say, including whatever stupid ass thought’s in your mind. Bring your ass here, Liora, before you wake up and I’m seated at the foot of your bed with matches. What floor you stay on again?”
I cheesed hard as hell, glad he couldn’t see me. That nut shit was a turn on, especially coming from a man as nonchalant as him. Aquarius shit.
“Stop fucking smiling. Pack you a bag and come on. These soggy, sour ass wings are gonna be cold by the time you get here.” Before I could even respond or question how he knew I was smiling, he hung up.
The sound of a blaring horn interrupted my flashback. Immediately I was present again, in my car about to go home. My eyes landed on the manila file on the passenger seat damn near staring at me. The idea of it had me thinking about my life and where I was currently versus what opening that file meant.
I’d always loved what I did, but I realized over the years it was what made it so easy for me to be so detached. Then I came home and was thrust back into this unit I’d grown up in. Their fears that I’d drop off the face of the earth were valid because I had done it several times before. If only they knew how hard that would be for me now. Even if I wanted to, family aside, disappearing wouldn’t happen right now.
I sped through traffic, headed in the direction of my place. As soon as I was about to turn into the parking garage, a siren went off behind me. I rolled my eyes because I wasn’t even speeding. Now had he caught me on the expressway, I’d definitely have a ticket, no dispute.
I pulled over inches from the garage entrance and put the car in park. I also took the liberty of grabbing not only my badge but my wallet from the glove compartment. I then sat back and watched in the rearview mirror as it took him what seemed likeforever to get out of the cruiser to my car. He walked in slow motion.
