“The worst she’ll do is slap us around.”
“That’s not okay.”
She shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time I fought her off. We’re old enough to make the decision to see you. She had no right to keep us away. She was just doing it to be spiteful. I don’t care anymore. I’m seventeen. She can’t keep telling me what to do.”
I sighed. There was the defiant nature my aunt told me about. If she and Amiyah snuck off to see me, there would be hell to pay. As I opened my mouth to say something, the door opened, and a uniformed worker stuck her head in.
“Adrienne, what’s taking you so long?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Carrie. I was just talking to my sister. I haven’t seen her in a long time.”
“Well, I’m sorry to break up this little family reunion, but we have customers, and you’re needed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She turned to me and came into my arms for a hug. “Please come back to see me.”
“I will.” I kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
We parted ways, and she left the bathroom. I washed and dried my hands before leaving as well. When I joined Londyn at the table, she looked relieved.
“What happened to you? I thought I was gonna have to come get you.”
I sighed as I sat down. “The girl that took our order, she’s my oldest little sister.”
Londyn gasped. She looked around me and back at the counter. “Now that I look at her again, she does look just like you. Damn, the resemblance is uncanny. Y’all got the same daddy?”
“No. I’ve never met my father. I don’t know anything about that man.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, boo.”
I waved her off. “No need to be sorry.”
“So did you two talk? I take it that’s why you took so long. Sis acted like she didn’t know you at first.”
“We talked. It got a little heated there for a moment, but I think we’re okay now. She made me promise to come back here and see her.”
“Wait. Why here? They can’t come to Mr. Clive’s?”
“My…mother, she won’t let me see them. She’s banned them from the house as long as I’m there and threatened me if I come around them.”
“Pardon my language, but why is she being such a bitch about it? Theyareyour sisters.”
I swallowed hard. In telling her that I killed Rodney, I didn’t tell her that my sisters saw the aftermath.
“My sisters…they were in the house when it happened.”
“Oh my God!”
“Yeah.”
“But you would never hurt them. I know I don’t know you that well, but I can’t see you intentionally hurting anybody. You did what you did to protect the three of you. It’s not like she did anything to protect you.Ugh!Now I want to fight her for you.”
“No need for that. I’m a firm believer in karma coming back for you. She may not feel it now, but she will reap the seed she’s sown.”
“Amen to that. My daddy always said that unjust doesn’t profit. You can fool man, but you can’t fool God.”
I nodded. One day, Kennedy was going to pay for the part she played in my childhood. I would never believe that she didn’t know. I just didn’t want to believe that she knew and chose to let it keep happening. The truth would come to light, and I had a feeling that when it did, I’d be heartbroken all over again.
