Chapter 2
Four Years Later
No one came outside to help me as I unloaded the groceries. I knotted my shirt in the back to give myself some sort of ventilation from the heat. Ms. Louis waved at me from across the street and called,
“Your momma cooking for this weekend’s party?”
“I’m doing the desserts.” I shook my head and plastered on a smile that felt like cardboard. Ms. Louis made an affirmative noise that sounded disapproving.
“Let me know if you need help, sweetheart. I may not be able to stir like I used to but I still can whip up a decent recipe.” She made her way down her porch steps for her daily walk to her mailbox. It’s as far as she went nowadays. As a kid, I remember her car barely being in the driveway during the week.
“Thanks but I got it.” I closed the trunk with one hand and walked across the street to help her open her mailbox. The thing was horribly rusted due to summer storms over the years.
Ms. Louis’ eyes sparkled when I managed to yank open the box so she could reach her weathered hand inside. “You’re so sweet but I could have done it myself.”
I shrugged, shutting the mailbox. “No biggie. See you at the party for the fun.”
She laughed. “Yes, for the fun. I hope that means you’ll make sure you’ll have some?”
“Of course, I will. How can I not? It’s the event of the season.” I winked and started back to my house. As soon as she couldn’t see my face, the smile disappeared.
When I walked into the kitchen, I found my brother sitting at the table. I set the bags down near him and tossed my purse in a chair.
“So you’re just going to eat to avoid helping put stuff up?” I teased when he peeked in one of the bags, looking for snacks.
He chuckled and gestured to the phone in his hand. “I got you after I finish this call. It’s Leo and an apparent emergency.”
“If you got to go, go,” Leo’s familiar deep tone offered.
“Nah, it’s fine,” Nate insisted and readjusted his phone so the screen flashed in my direction for a split second. “We’ll be quick.”
I turned my back to Nate when I realized he wasn’t on audio but a video call. Leo’s voice on the other end made me want to escape to my room and leave the buckets of ice cream here to melt.
Instead of running, I squared my shoulders and hurried to unload the bags. Nate continued talking, completely oblivious to my spike in nerves.
“How ‘bout I ask Kira what she thinks?” Nate proposed when I was halfway through restocking our spice cabinet and he was halfway through a mini bag of pretzels.
“I’ll take all the help I can get,” Leo said with a heavy sigh.
“No, thank you,” I whispered when my brother’s gaze turned towards me. “I don’t want to be on camera right now.”
“It’ll only take a second,” Nate promised, and then to Leo, said, “She’s still camera shy.”
My skin warmed at his words. I’ve never been camera shy. I’ve always been Leo shy. Talking to him right now would mean breaking our current streak of not addressing each other: seven months and sixteen days.
Nate didn’t feel the awkwardness now. But, he would if I stood in front of his phone and pretended like his best friend didn’t make my fingers tingle with nerves.
“Fine but hurry up.” I motioned my hand for Nate to give me details. “I’m on a schedule.”
“You’re always on a schedule. Kid, it’s summer.”
“There are still things to get done. Now, do you want my advice or not?” I held up my hand before he could continue and added, “Oh, and if it’s girl trouble, I’ll have to pass.”
I had limits, one of which would be offering relationship advice to my childhood — and honestly, current — crush who I needed to get over.
“It’s not relationship advice.” Nate turned up the volume on his phone. “You want to summarize the problem or should I?”
My brother directed his gaze back to the phone. Thankfully, he refrained from turning the lens to me.
