Malorie

I looked back when I heard the door close. Mitchel tossed his empty water bottle in the air before catching it.

“Mitch, is that you?!”

Miyra yelled from the kitchen. I looked back at him again and we locked eyes.

“Yeah!”

He answered her abiding to the request I asked through my eyes. He gripped the bottle then jogged upstairs. I peeped around the corner then leaned against the door frame while watching Miyra cut up watermelon. She sat the knife down and added more watermelon to a bowl before placing the lid on top. She picked up the bowl and walked to the refrigerator door. I waited until the door opened wide enough before easing in the kitchen. She stood up and pushed the refrigerator door closed only to come to a halt when her eyes landed on me.

She looked off to the side as if she had to register what just happened. A laugh seeped out of her as she held her arms out. I slid into her arms, wrapping my arms around her waist. I pulled back, placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Look at you. Oh, what is this?” I joked while running my hand over her stomach. I pulled up her shirt and she snatched it back down.

“Don't play like that.”

I laughed as I walked over to the watermelon that was left behind. I looked back and laughed harder when I saw her smoothing out her shirt and looking down at her stomach.

“So what's up?”

“You tell me. You're the one whose been m.i.a.”

“I've just been tryna stay up in this world. You know how it is.”

“We missed you last Saturday.”

“Yeah, I uh...” I tried to find the words to explain my absence. “I got caught up in some stuff and it completely slipped my mind what Saturday it was.”

“Must be hard keeping up with every other Saturday.”

I stared out at the backyard through the window over the sink not responding to her last comment. So I missed a Saturday. I'm here now. It's not like we go out and do anything special. We just meet up here every other Saturday to sit around and stare in each others' faces all day. I guess it's her way of pulling us all together for a day of family time since we're all pulled into different directions living different lives.

“I've been calling you.”

“I lost my phone.”

I bit into a piece of watermelon and nodded in approval of the sweet flavor.

“So who are you avoiding now?”

“I'm not avoiding anyone. I lost my phone.”

I turned to see her leaning against the island with worry all over her face.

“This is what you do, Mal. You put it up so that someone can't get a hold of you.”

“Miyra, please.”

I spoke up with agitation in my tone while walking over to the table and taking a seat.

“So you put the phone up. What else have you been doing to avoid this person? You're running from house to house? You need to be more careful about where you lay your head, Mal.”

“I didn't say I was sleeping anywhere. I didn't even say I was hiding from someone. Really, Miyra? I come over for this?”

She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back on the island.

“I'm sorry. I just worry. I wish I didn't have to.”

“You don't.”

“You can always come back, you know.”

I shook my head quickly and she switched up her route.

“If you need anything, you know you can ask. I've always been here for you. That's why I work so hard like I do. I want to be able to do for my family when they're in need.”

“I'm good, Miles!”

I shouted out of pure aggravation while tossing my hands out in front of me. She jumped at my tone and went silent. My heart sunk when she looked off and walked across the kitchen to put the remainder of the watermelon in another bowl.

“I just...” I started but paused not knowing how to right my wrong. “You always do this.”

“I apologize, Malorie. I'll stay off your ass, okay.”

She mumbled while placing a lid on the bowl then heading for the refrigerator. She tossed the bowl in then pushed the refrigerator door closed. Constance walked into the kitchen as Miyra pulled her hair up and twisted it into a bun that wouldn't hold. Constance looked Miyra up and down when she walked towards the exit.

“Where is everyone?”

“I don't know.” Miyra waved her hand as if she could careless. “Off doing their own things as usual.”

Constance followed Miyra with her eyes and looked over at me. I rested my elbow on the table and leaned into my hand.

“What happened?”

She questioned and I shrugged.

“Nothing.”

“Damnit, Malorie. We just got here.”

I held my hands out and frowned at where she was taking this.

“What?”

“Can't you for once act like you don't mind visiting?”

“You just walked in. What the fuck are you on about?”

“Yeah, well the look on her face said so much. You're that girl's world. Will it kill you to at least pretend the feeling is mutual.”

“Don't fucking talk to me like I don't love my sister!”

I knocked back the chair from standing so quickly.

“All she ever does is look out for you. All she ever does is cover your ass. And it's been that way since you were fucking 11. The girl is more attached to you than any of us and you act as if she means nothing to you.”

“She's everything to me and you won't sit here and talk stupid to me.”

“Oh, I'm talking stupid?”

“Yeah, you're talking a bunch of stupid shit right now.”

“All she ever asks for is every other Saturday. Honestly. Make me understand. What's so hard about that? Not even every Saturday, Malorie. Every other damn Saturday. And the entire time you sit around and act as if you are being tortured by being under the same roof for that one damn day. Hell you didn't even show up last time and you know how much this means to her. You know how she needs to see you to know that you're okay. You don't come by. It's a fucking world war just to get a phone call out of you.”

“Don't come at me with this. I'm not for it today.”

“Would you have even shown up? If I hadn't drove by there and caught you outside, would you have even came over?”

“I show up, don't I? Stop acting like I completely pay y'all dust. You're talking like I never see y'all.”

“All I'm saying is it would be nice if you acted like you are a part of this family. Don't only call when you need someone to cover your ass. Don't need something whenever you finally choose to show up. Just come around more. Out of love, Malorie. Come around.”

I slammed the chair up to the table and brushed pass her as I walked out of the kitchen.

“Are we really that big of an issue?”

That was the last thing I heard out of her mouth before I turned into the bedroom that once belonged to me. I listened to her footsteps pass the door and head down the opposite end of the hall. I glanced around the room to see it fully furnished so that it was always prepared for me. I looked over my shoulder before walking over to the closet and yanking the door open.

I paused when I saw the new clothes hanging up like they had been waiting for me to discover them. Pushing them to the side, I eased into the closet and pushed a couple of shoe boxes and a box full of old memories to the other shelf. I knocked at the bottom of the now empty shelf. I peeped out of the closet before tugging on the shelf and fighting to get it out without causing the other shelf to fall.

Pulling the shelf out, I placed it on the floor and leaned closer to the wall to peep into the narrow opening. I stuck my fingers in the opening and felt around until my hand made contact with what I was looking for.

“Bingo.”