Page 92 of Love Overdose: St. Louis

“Oh, my God.” Her voice broke against his shoulder. “Oh, my God, baby.”

Malik smiled against her cheek. Amelia placed one hand on his head and the other on Frankie’s back. Tears traveled openly down her face. I remained near the door, unable to move. I didn’t know if these were Malik’s first words, but he had given them to me. My vision blurred and I blinked it clear. Frankie lifted her head. Her face was wet, her expression stunned, joyful, and almost disbelieving.

Our eyes met across the room. Emotions passed between us then I looked at Malik. He watched me over his mother’s shoulder, still smiling.

“Bye, Malik,” I said softly.

12

frankie

10:18 A.M.

Saturday

Six Weeks Later

My mother stood in the middle of my kitchen with her purse over one shoulder, repeating the same word to Malik for the fifth time.

“Bye.”

Malik watched her from his wheelchair, his expression pleasant and completely unhelpful.

Amelia pointed toward the front door. “Grandma is leaving now. Bye.”

He smiled.

“Bye-bye,” she repeated.

His smile widened, but not one sound left his mouth. I folded his extra sweatshirt and placed it inside the blue bag hanging from the back of his chair. “Mama, you’ve been doing this for six weeks.”

“And one day he’s going to answer me.”

“He might.”

“He spoke to Elijah on the first day he met him.”

“I remember. I was there.”

Malik’s shoulders shook with laughter.

I looked at him. “You think this is funny?”

He lifted one hand toward his grandmother.

Amelia’s face brightened. “Are you going to say it?”

Malik waved. I laughed before I could stop myself.

“See?” Mama pressed her hand to her chest. “He enjoys hurting my feelings.”

The doorbell rang. Malik turned toward the sound so quickly his head shifted against the support behind him. Mama noticed.

“So that’s how it is.”

“Mama.”

She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I still love you, even though you’ve replaced me with a neurosurgeon.”