IDIDNOTgoto class the next day because I decided to stay in with River, I hoped it wouldn't get me into too much trouble so I told Keomi to cover for me no questions asked. The second the sun began to rise I got Victoria on the phone, she always knew what to do.
"Hey, Tori how's it going?" I asked when she answered,
"Good, you?" She asked, "I know damn well you're not calling for banter, so what is it?"
"It's River, he's kinda having a hard time keeping up with his classes and it's making him sick....literally he won't stop throwing up everything he eats and I don't know what to do." I confided and she sighed sympathetically,
"Oh no, he’s just burned out, it happens to the best of us sometimes. Just make sure you're with him at all times today and put him on a diet of dry foods like crackers and Sprite or something." She suggested, "I know how hard it is, trust me."
"Thank you, seriously I don't know what I'd do without you." I thanked her,
"Exactly you'd probably be half the woman you are." She joked and I laughed hanging up the phone. Just as I received another incoming call, from my mother. My heart stopped and I swallowed hard in anticipation, I hadn’t heard from her in so long.
“Hello.” I answered, “Mama?”
“Armani.” My mother answered, “It’s been a long time.”
“It’s been four weeks but okay,” I responded nonchalantly.
“It feels like an eternity to me,” Mama assured me.
“What do you want, mama I don’t understand what all this is?” I questioned, tired of running in circles.
“We are hosting an 80th birthday party for your bibi and we would expect you to attend.” My mother explained.
“Are you flying her to Jacksonville?” I puzzled,
“No it’s happening in Nairobi, we wanted this to be something special for her, a chance for the whole family to bond with her for the last—”
“I’ll think about it.” I deadpanned, my mind swarmed.
“You will?” My mother sighed in relief.
“I will, do I have to come alone?”
“I— you know what, as long as you’re there.” Mama expressed, “That is all that matters to us.”
“Okay, well, then goodbye,” I said,
“Goodbye take care.”
River and I decided to watch The Breakfast Club while I ate the leftover vegan pasta and he ate the most delicious thing of all, crackers and ginger ale. We were arguing about words in English and French that we'd been pronouncing all wrong.
"When you say focus you literally sound like you're swearing!" I laughed but he was still in denial,
"That's how I hear it, focus (fuck us)" He excused and I literally thought I'd die of laughter,
"Since we're on the topic, it's trois not 'tweh" he added and I rolled my eyes at him playfully, "You're impossible to please Armani."
There it was again,Ar-mar-knee, but I liked that one, and I wasn't going to correct him on it.
"Can I have some of that?" He asked pointing to my plate and I nearly choked at that,
"Nope, crackers," I warned, sarcastically holding up cheery thumbs-up,
"Come on." He insisted,
"Need I remind you what happened the last time you tried solid food?" I recalled with a slight laugh, "that this floor once had a very expensive white carpet that is currently at the dry cleaners because of you."
