“Mother!” I said.
“Don’t callllllll me thattttt,” she stammered. Her eyes started to blink as she tried to open them.
“Zalayuh?” she asked.
“It’s me,” I said.
“You’re home,” she said.
“I’m here… what the hell is happening around here?”
Her eyes shot all the way open.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I crouched down and put Aspen on the floor. I cupped her little face. “Hey, sweetie, can you go to our room. Sissy will be there in a minute,” I said.
“Okay, Zay Zay,” she said. Then she pattered off to our room.
I stood and studied my mother, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed. “Paxton is in there high! You’re in here drunk! Aspen is alone.Thatis what I’m talking about!” I shouted.
“Paxton is fine,” she muttered.
“There are fucking needles on the fucking ground, mother!” I shouted.
“What do you care?” she shot out.
“Because there is a child that lives here, who deserves better,” I said.
“She’s fineeeeeee.”
“Yeah… of course that’s what you’d say. We’re all fine around here, aren’t we?”
“Yep,” she said.
“No, no, the fuck we aren’t. Paxton is on drugs, I was kidnapped, and Aspen has been left alone. What if she got into the bullshit that he’s doing?” I asked.
“She knows not to touch it,” she countered.
“She’s fucking six!” I yelled. My cheeks burst into flames.
“What the fuck is going on?” Paxton said from behind me.
“Oh, Zalayuh is home, and she’s being all self-righteous,” mother said.
“I can see she’s here… but why are you yelling, Zay?” Paxton asked.
“Because you’re so fucking high you're passing out while sitting up, she's so fucking drunk she's passed out during the day, and Aspen is alone.”
“I’m tired, worked a long shift last night,” he said.
“Yeah, a long shift of sticking needles in your fucking arm,” I shot out.
“Who the hell are you, talking to him like that?” the female said.
“I’m his sister, who the fuck are you?” I said.
“Asil,” she said.
