“Yeah, I’ll come to you… you gonna tell me when I come?”
I realized how silly I sounded. “Not necessary, Goo. Can I call you later?”
“If you don’t call me, Boobie… we gonna have a problem.”
I giggled. “I will call you.”
I slowly walked downstairs, bypassing the kitchen where Stevie was unpacking the groceries with Duke. “Hey Zoy. Tonight, we’re having homemade pizzas. Mavie even agreed to have plain cheese pizza with no sauce.”
She slowly put the dough down when she saw how sad I looked. “Sounds good, Stevie.”
“Are you alright?” Stevie came closer and pulled me into a hug.
It was something we all had to get used to because she loved to hug. Just like Menace, she slowly rubbed my back as I smelled her warmed pistachio scent.
Honestly, I understood why she brought my brother so much comfort. As chaotic as she was at times, she also had this soothing and soft spirit about her.
“I don’t know, Stevie… I really don’t know if I’m alright.”
She pulled me back toward her and gave me a tight squeeze. “Mavie says you’re going to visit your grandmother. I know that’s not easy but breathe and I promise it will be fine.”
Stevie didn’t know.
Whatever they had been hiding from me, she had no clue what was going on. I hugged her back, which was unlike me, but I needed something.
“I can send the jet… you said my jet fucking stink? You know they got bedbugs on commercial flights, right? Ight.” I heard the tail end of Menace’s conversation.
Stevie gave me one more squeeze before she finally released me. She went back to the kitchen, as Menace stared at me. He wanted me to go anywhere, but there.
“Wonder, he’s asleep in our bedroom.” He slipped the baby monitor onto the counter beside her, and she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You okay, Mavie?”
“Yeah.”
“Lie to me again.” She used his words against him, rubbing his face, as he looked into her eyes.
While he struggled to give us eye contact, Stevie, he had no problem with. “Love you.”
“I love you too. Drive safe, and I’ll either have pizza or Dr. Hill when you return… which one, Mavie?” she whispered, wanting to know what was going on.
“Pizza.”
“Talk tonight?”
He kissed her lips. “Yeah.”
We exited the front door where a Bentley continental GT speed had the doors opened and waiting for us. Menace took the keys from one of the workers, as Duke stood by and closed the door behind me.
The truck was waiting behind the car to follow close behind us. It had been a while since I had been anywhere with my brother. I often forgot how freeing it felt to just get up and go places. Not having to go through full security clearance to go from place to place. I understood why all of this had to happen, but at the same time, I could see where it was exhausting too.
He put the car in drive, and quickly sped toward the gates, and waited for them to open. The chalet I remembered as a kiddidn’t have gates that opened. He had put a lot of money and work into making it more secure than I remembered as a child.
Menace was silent as he sped down the two-way narrow roads. One hand on the clutch, and the other on the wheel while he pretended I wasn’t in the car. I usually welcome his silence because that meant I didn’t have to hear his mouth.
The further we drove away from the city, the more nature you saw on the drive. I saw the sign that told us we were leaving Aspen, and I looked behind me as more and more greenery appeared.
“Are you going to remain quiet the entire ride?”
