“They're in this phase of smelling people’s seat,” Bria inserted with an apologetic tone. “Boys, what did I tell y’all about that?”
“I took a shower this morning,” Enya defended herself. “I am on my cycle, though. Do you think they smell blood?”
“Hell yeah, they smell your funky, period juice ass,” Cali joked. “You bloody whore.”
“TT a bloody whore!” Koda cheered.
Cali laughed so hard, her stomach muscles ached. She hadn’t experienced laughter that genuine in so many months.
Bria quickly stood and pointed toward the door. “Out.”
Begrudgingly, the twins climbed off the bed and marched out of the room.
“You know what?” Enya adjusted her Alyak bag on her shoulder. “I didn’t come here to get insulted by a depressed chicken head and a pack of unruly kids.”
“Girl, don't come for my kids,” Bria snarled, looking her up and down. “They only saying what’s on their minds.”
“No, they’re spreading lies ‘cause I know I don't stank.”
“You and that fish tank smell like something.” Cali chortled. “You know you can never beat the stank allegations. Those twins are going to remind you that you once stank and I’m going to be here for it.”
“You know what? Fuck this. I’ll meet y’all at the spa.” Enya shook her head and stormed out of the room.”
Bria covered her mouth and laughed. “She can come for everybody else, but when it’s her, she be so offended.”
“Sensitive bitch,” Cali mumbled.
“Now, back to you.” Bria pointed at her. “You gotta get out this bed. I made an appointment with Rozalin so you can do something with this dry-ass hair. Then, we’re going to go to a spa so you can get pampered. You do remember what that’s like, right?”
Cali snorted, recalling the days when she got up and did anything because everything was on Rio. Now that she was unemployed, she was living off her savings. Even that had gotten low. Cali should've been alarmed but the depression hadsuppressed all of her feelings. The only emotion she felt was sorrow.
“Then, after the spa, we’re going to dinner. You haven’t eaten and you're losing weight. We gotta fatten you up again.”
“Why do you care, Bria? Just let me wither away in peace,” she complained, turning her back.
“I care because you're my sister, and I love you. I can’t sit here and watch you die.”
“But what if I want to die?”
Bria quickly raced to the other side of the bed so she could face her.
“Don't say things like this! Do you know the power of your words? Don't tell me you're suicidal.”
Cali didn’t have the heart to end her life. Still, death wasn’t such a bad idea.
“I’m not,” she told the truth.
Bria breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, good, ‘cause I didn’t know how I would handle that. Look, get up and get dressed. Your appointment is in an hour.”
When Bria walked out of the room, Cali half-heartedly got out the bed and stepped into the en suite. While showering, she cried for the third time that day before cleansing her body. Everything within her didn’t want to face the world. She wanted to crawl back into her cage of melancholy and deteriorate. In a way, putting herself through this mental torture chamber was retribution for Rio. What kind of woman would she be to continue on with life, knowing she’d almost caused him to lose his?
Cali shook her head, praying her gloomy thoughts took a break until her day ended. After showering, she brushed herteeth and tied a scarf around her head. Afterward, she looked through the piles of clothes that were sprawled in the closet and found a loose-fitting maxi dress. The material masked the ten pounds she lost. Cali avoided looking in the mirror. That way she was oblivious to how hard life had been dragging her.
“Hey, are you dressed?” Bria asked, coming into the room.
Cali stepped out the closet. “Yeah.”
Bria smiled at her. “You look so refreshed.”
