“She said,” Za swallows, “that at least her son has sense and didn’t waste his life.”
I suck my teeth.Girl, that ain’t even that bad!
“And that I had sense, I’d marry someone who had money so I could be someone worth mentioning.”
I feel the heat rise in my face.Oh… see that one’s a bit dodgy.
“Zaza, You sure she wasn’t trying to be funny?” I ask, because I know my mum. I know how she talks when she thinks she’s joking around. I know she doesn’t always hear how it sounds.
Za turns to me. “Of course you’d say that.”
“I’m just saying she was probably?—”
“For once!” she snaps, voice cracking, “for once, Jabari. Can you just be on my side? We literally just talked about this!”
“I am on your side,” I say, frustrated. “And you know what, you have every right to be upset. But running off ain’t going to fix it. You gotta talk to her.”
“I agree Za,” Frankie adds. “How many times have I told you to stand up for yourself? You can’t run off.”
“I’m not running off!” she shouts. “I’m removing myself before I say something I can’t take back.”
Frankie’s eyes flick between us, pleading for me to fix it. This isn’t her load to bear. It’s between me and my sister. But those eyes God dipped in Kryptonite stared up at me.
“Look,” I say, trying to stay calm, “Mum shouldn’t have said it like that. I’ll talk to her later, okay?”
Frankie’s shoulders drop.
“When?” Za fires back. “After she’s finished praising you for breathing?”
“That’s not fair.”
“Neither is this!” she gestures toward the house, wiping her face angrily. “I can’t stay here.”
I step forward. “Zee, come on. Just come inside for five minutes. We can talk about it properly.”
“Properly?” she repeats. “In front of her friends?”
“Well,” I rub my neck. “I’ll tell her she crossed a line.”
Za looks at me, searching my face for something.
“Right now?” she asks.
I hesitate. I don’t even mean to.
But I hesitate.
Zaza sees it.
Frankie sees it too.
Za lets out a hollow laugh. “Exactly.”
She turns, already moving down the steps. Frankie calls after her, “Wait. I’m coming.”
Za’s already halfway down the path and I see Frankie’s eyes tracking her.
“Jelly—” I say before I can stop myself.
