She laughed. “God, I had to use the cancer card to get you to agree.”
I shook my head. “Too soon, Dela.”
“Not for me.” She was still giggling.
I just stared at her, feeling like I wanted to hug her and I wasn’t even a hugger.Not until him.
“Stop looking at me like you’re sad, Liora. Don’t be. I’m fine. But what I will say is I want you to take a good look at my life and see where I am. I don’t have many regrets, but in the end, I didn’t choose me. I chose service and now look at me. It’s just me. Of course I know I have you, but that’s different. Learn from my mistakes. Do what you’re doing as long as you feel it, but in the end, choose yourself and not serving a country that’ll use you up until you’re no longer useful.”
I nodded, understanding what she was saying more than she’d ever know. We talked for a long time after, then I had to check on Lauryn because she had definitely sent me a threatening text the other night. I was sure it was partially because I’d left work and went straight to Iso’s shower instead of dropping by her dinner. Though I wasn’t in the field, I was still data assessing and dealing with people constantly. It was all exhausting because I wasn’t asking for permission. I had jumped headfirst into spearheading operations and running ops from an agency popup shop in a warehouse on the cusp of Westvale and Bluffwood. Long story short, when I left that place, I was in no headspace to talk to my sisters. However, even though I felt this way, I needed to communicate at least once or twice a week.
After I left the range, I went straight to the strip mall my father owned. I backed into a park right next to his Cadillac and just sat there for a moment. Adela had really laid some heavy shit on me and I didn’t know how to feel about it. That woman was the epitome of strength. So the idea of her being sick bothered me because people like her didn’t die.Yes they did. My mother died and she was the strongest woman I’d known.Then the things she’d eluded to about regrets and being alone, that got to me. Though I had siblings and my father, I was technically amirror of her. A lone wolf was what I had been my whole life, something I never saw a problem with until now.
My phone ringing throughout my car and vibrating in my lap snapped me from my thoughts. I blinked a few times then focused on the center console. It was Iso, lowkey the one person I wanted to talk to but didn’t want to seem all clingy. That reminded me. I also needed to run the analysis he had asked for.
“Hello.”
“If you tell me you’re on the way here with a gyro, fries, and the pussy between your legs, I swear I’d be ’bout ready to do a set of backflips.”
“Not a set of backflips.” I laughed at the randomness of his statement.
“Hell yeah. A whole set in the rain.”
Through laughter, I shook my head. “You’re acting deprived.”
“Nah, you got your ass up outta here at five something today. The fuck you think I should be. You good?”
“I’m fine. Are you? You’ve probably inhaled too many fumes from that raggedy ass car.”
It was his turn to laugh. “Diamond ain’t raggedy, baby, she just needs a tune up.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’m stopping to see my family, then I’ll head your way. I’ll have the analysis and gyro.”
“Bet, you’re missing something though.”
Confusion swept my features as if he could see me. “What?”
“Pussy, I need that.”
I laughed. “Get off my phone. I should be headed your way in a few.”
Once Iso and I hung up, I exited the car. He needed pussy and I was in a hurry to get it to him. My first stop was the pawn shop to check in with my father and run the analysis. It would be quick seeing as how I knew the back doors into the systems.Then I’d go to Lauryn and hear her mouth for however long she needed to go on.
When I entered, my father was helping someone at the counter while Benny, his longtime friend and employee, was talking to a lady at the other end. I spoke to them both and went straight to the back. My first stop was the mini fridge for a bottle of water, then I went to the computer.
By the time my father entered the back, I was already in the software, initiating the search. From the look on his face, I just knew he was gonna have something smart to say.
“Ain’t seen you in days and you blowing in here trespassing to the back room like you work here.” He peered over his glasses.
I chuckled. “Well, I haven’t seen a pink slip yet. I mean… unless you have something to say to me, old man.”
“Nah. I’m just glad you still here. What you running?”
“Financial report fo?—”
“Iso. Figured when he stopped calling me he had somebody. Too bad I put that in motion and didn’t realize.”
I laughed hard as fuck at his statement because it was true, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but yeah, the report is for him.”
