Page 88 of The Right Sign

Athena laughs.

Yaya leaks the same quietly pleased smile she did in the car when I signed to ask if she was hungry.

Unfortunately, I can’t say all I need to with the limited sign language I know. Taking out my phone, I shake it back and forth.

She rolls her eyes but takes out her phone and waves it back.

“I guess we should let you two talk then,” Athena says.

Athena and Patel leave while I type my message to Yaya.

Do you have time tomorrow? Mosely scheduled a magazine photoshoot.

Sounds fun.

Glad you think so. Good job on the interview by the way.

I watch Yaya closely but all she does is nod and type,Where’s Talia?

School.

Is she okay? I got the vibe that she didn’t like me.

I start to type and then erase it, not sure what to say.

It’s not you. She’s upset with me.

Talia didn’t speak to me last night and sniffled all through breakfast. I would have caved to her like I usually do, but I called Miss Abbot, her teacher, to get more information about her infraction at school. Turns out, my niece violated their zero-bullying policy.

I haven’t decided how I’m going to punish her yet and I think the wait affects her as much as if I’d grounded her for a week.

Talia got in trouble yesterday. Someone accidentally spilled juice on her sneakers, so she pushed them down and called them a ‘waste of oxygen’.

Yaya flinches.

I type,I requested a meeting at her school to discuss.

Do you want me to come with you?

The offer stuns me and it must show on my face because she adds,

You needed a fake girlfriend to convince your sister to leave Talia with you, right? That means I’m half responsible for your niece now.

It’s a refreshingly mature and selfless take. She might as well have put those lips on my heart this time.

“Thank you,” I sign.

She smiles.

I smile back.

Mosely appears, huffing and puffing. Jenny is beside him. “José brought the car around. Jenny will take Yaya home. Sir, we need to get moving before we’re late.”

Yaya’s eyebrows twitch.

I frown in displeasure too.

“Sir,” Mosely motions to me, “traffic’s already clogged. We need to go.”

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