Page 194 of 4 Corinthians

Thirty minutes after Uri and the Lidell brothers left, I sat on the couch with Psalms. Judah had showered, ate, and was in his room playing the game until it was time for bed.

Psalms' head was in my lap, and I raked my nails through my hair. It was longer than it had been in a long time, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it.

“You're happy,” Psalms said. Her attention was on the TV, but she turned and looked up at me. “It wasn’t a question.”

“I know,” I replied with a nod. “But even if it’s not, the answer is yes.”

She nodded then turned back to look at the TV. “I keep waiting for you to tell me you changed your mind.”

“Would that make you happy?”

“No,” she snorted. “I love seeing you happy. I’ve told Four for years that I would kill him if he hurt you. I think he finally got the message.”

“I’m the older sister, Psalms,” I smiled. “You don’t threaten people over me.”

“I didn’t threaten Four,” she said, waving me off. “I prepared him for the consequence of not stepping up.” She smiled sweetly. “I figured you two would end up together no matter what. He couldn’t stay away. Always lurking, no matter what. It was exhausting keeping his secret.”

“You could’ve told me,” I replied.

“I almost did a few times, but then I saw how you looked that day.”

“What day?”

“The impromptu girls trip.” She sat up and sat with her back against the arm of the couch, facing me. She pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. “At first, I thought you were just coming out of your shell, and the trip was a good thing. Then, that night I went to your room to check on you and Judah, and I saw y’all.” She smiled. “Y’all were asleep; his back was against the window and the wall, in that corner. He was holding you, and you were holding Judah.” She moved, grabbed her phone from the coffee table, took it out, and swiped. It took her a minute to find what she was looking for, but when she did, she handed me the phone. It was a picture of exactly what she described. “I didn’t wake y’all, just walked out of the room as quietly as I’d come and went to my room. I always knew he loved you, but I think that was the moment I realized you loved him just as much.”

“From a picture?” I said, still looking at the picture.

“No, from the peace he gave you,” she answered, and I looked up at her. “That was the first time in years you didn’t cry in your sleep or go to sleep in the closet. You laid there, in his arms with your baby and slept. Both of y’all did.”

“Do you have that peace?” I asked her, thinking of how Script looked at her earlier. If there were a chance he gave her the same feelings Uri gave me, then I would make sure they ended up together. I liked Wednesday, but her happiness meant more to me than his did.

“I do, but…”

“It scares you?”

Psalms nodded and nervously licked her lips. “I have enough issues. I’m broken-“

“You aren’t broken,” I quickly corrected her. I cupped her chin to make her look at me. “Do you hear me? You aren’t broken.”

“You’re my sister; you’re supposed to say that.”

I picked up my phone from the couch and dialed Krude’s number. If anyone was going to tell her the truth without a second thought, it was going to be him.

“Hello?”

“Is Psalms broken?” I asked him, watching her.

“You a crack head?” he countered, then kissed his teeth. “Man, I can't say that shit since Cross' parents were crackheads, huh?” He sighed. “Fuck, what’s another drug? You a meth head? Wait, do niggas do meth?”

“Genesis,” I sighed.

“Don’t get impatient with me; you called me,” he fussed. “Now answer the question.”

“Which one? You asked five. I don’t even understand why you asked.”

“Pop quiz,” he replied. “Now answer the damn questions.”

“No, I’m not a crack head. Yes, you can still say that, but I would double-check with Cross first. Meth will do, and I’m sure at least one did.”