“I was only going to say…” He sighs dramatically. “I love you.” I hear him kiss her.
I make a gagging sound. Sutton does not hold back her laugh this time. She laughs so hard she almost slides off the counter, shaking her head at me.
“Wait, who is that?” Ezra asks.
“None of your business.”
“Is that the house sitter? Or did she leave since you decided to come home and do nothing for Christmas? Hi, Sutton. Greta told us… actually she did not tell us much except that you were a great fit for the job,” Iris says.
I press the FaceTime button and wait for it to connect. I set the phone on the counter so his nosey behind can see for himself. Ezra answers instantly.
A much older male version of me fills the screen. Ezra and I are five years apart. He is as much a father to me as he is a brother. Same dark skin. Same big brown eyes. No dimples, but the same face.
I do not know much about our parents. We went into foster care when I was two. Since we were a package deal, and I would not stop crying unless I was near Ezra, it kept us from being placed with a family for a long time. You would never guess we were raised in foster care now.
Ezra is extremely successful. And somehow, despite being broke as hell back then, he still managed to marry the daughter of one of the richest men in the world.
Iris is cool. I liked her the moment Ezra brought her home. Down to earth, surprisingly, considering her upbringing.
After six years together, I still believe Iris is way out of my brother’s league.
“Aww, there she is. Our little angel,” Ezra says in his annoying baby voice.
Embarrassment creeps up my neck. I glance at Sutton, who is adding more marshmallows to her cup, not paying attention.
I wonder if she is thinking about what would have happened if I did not answer this phone call. I plan to find out the moment I get them off this phone. I am not done with her. Not even close.
“Truly fuck off. Now behave and meet the girl you hired,” I say, laughing.
I turn the camera to Sutton, who waves at them. Her whole face lights up. “It is nice to meet y’all finally. Thank you for trusting me with your home. It is beautiful.”
“No, thank you, Sutton,” Iris says.
Sutton’s smile brightens, and for a second my mind goes right back to what we were doing moments earlier. I need to see her face with a different reaction. “I am going to cum” type of reaction.
When I look back at the phone, Iris and Sutton are in a full conversation while I stand here playing phone stand.
“You are extremely beautiful. I love your hair. I always wanted to dye mine. What color did you use? I need to tell my hairstylist to dye it just like that,” Iris says, snapping her fingers.
“You want to do what?” Ezra jerks toward her so fast I hear the movement.
“Well, I think you could definitely rock this color,” Sutton says kindly. “I can tell…”
“No girl. Text me. I do not trust these two with important information.”
I roll my eyes and hand Sutton my phone so they can chat more.
Keke never liked talking to my brother and Iris. She would call them boujee, spending too much of their money while she was doing the same thing with mine. I really was blinded by love.
Watching Sutton talk to my family so easily does something to me. Something warm and unwelcome.
My iPad rings in the living room. Walking up to it, I see it is a FaceTime call from Ezra.
“It took you long enough,” Ezra says when I answer.
“Why did you leave Iris alone? You know she talks too much.” I laugh despite myself.
“Yeah. Iris does not know how to stop talking. Anyways, what happened between you and Keke?”
