“Trust me, I’m doing what’s best for all of us.” Giselle motioned with her hand to emphasize her point.
“Right for you. Seems selfish, though, after everything.”
“What do you want me to do?” Giselle sighed and zipped one of her bags closed. “I don’t belong here. It’s never been more obvious than right now. I never intended to stick around anyway.”
“So, you’re just going to go back to Leawood and do what? The estate isn’t settled. You’re just going to let this man take care of you and use you?” Lou surmised.
“Alonzo is cool. He’s not like that. He offered to help me when all this happened, and I turned him down because I didn’t want to seem like some charity case. He’s been with me this whole time. Planning the funeral, burying them, and checking on me when it felt like I was drowning in that hotel back in Leawood alone.”
“And now you’re okay with being his good deed?” Lou hiked a brow.
“You wouldn’t understand.” Giselle shook her head and grabbed a few other items to shove into her last suitcase.
If she left anything behind, it didn’t matter. She was hoping her lawyer would get back with her soon, and she could settle everything then go about her life.
“Make me understand then. We’re family,” Lou reminded her.
“And sometimes, that isn’t enough. I’ve been judged by everyone since I stepped foot off that fucking bus! I’m sick of it!”
“Like you’re not going to be judged when you get back to Leawood, and this is by people who don’t know you. At least we love you.”
“It doesn’t always feel like it. Can you just… support this decision? Please?” Giselle pleaded with teary eyes.
A moment of silence passed between them, and Lou’s hands dropped at her side.
“Fine.”
She got the feeling nothing she said or did would change Giselle’s mind, and she seemed desperate. The last thing she wanted was to come off as one more person coming down on her.
“I was just starting to get used to having you around. So… I’m gonna miss you.”
Pausing, a half-smile claimed Giselle’s lips.
“I’m gonna miss you too.” She stopped long enough to hug her cousin. “And we’ll keep in touch, okay. I promise.”
“Sure,” Lou agreed when they parted.
Somberness now rested behind her warm hazelnut eyes. Lou used to be so jealous of Giselle and Maisie’s relationship. She was four years younger than Giselle, but Maisie let her go with her anywhere. For the first time, she and Giselle were old enough to kick it, and the last couple of days, they’d been smoking and having little sessions in either Lou’s room or hers and talking about their summers together.
It was nice having her cousin around and spending time getting to know each other as grown women. Lou still lived at home with her mother, and at the time, Giselle hadn’t moved out either. Her family home was big enough for her not to ever run into them, and half the time they weren’t there anyway. She saw no point in moving out, paying rent or mortgage, and wasting money. Not only that, but the house also came with a staff. She literally didn’t have to lift a finger.
“I think I’m gonna head back over to the block and get drunk. Call me when you get back to Leawood, so I can at least know you’re good.”
“I will. Thanks, Lou.”
Giselle went back to stuffing her luggage and zipped her final bag once she was sure she had everything. She’d only been there a couple of days, so she hadn’t gotten too comfortable. By the time she descended the stairs, Maisie and Crew stumbled into the house, laughing together. When Giselle reached the landing, they both stopped and stared.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to Leawood,” Giselle replied.
“With that handler looking ass nigga out there?” Crew questioned, aiming his thumb over his shoulder.
“His name is Alonzo. He was one of daddy’s business partners. He made me an offer, and I really don’t want to be here.” She adjusted the strap to her bag on her shoulder.
“So, you’re just going to take off like that? Were you even going to say goodbye, Giselle?”
“What do you want from me, Maisie? I am drowning with no life jacket, and all I keep hearing from everyone around me is to suck it up! Like it’s just a job I didn’t get, or a phase in my life! I lost both of my fucking parents!” Tears burned her eyes as the screen door creaked open behind them.
