“They are,” she popped back.
“And you know that because?”
“Because I-” she groaned, stopping herself and spinning back toward the closet. “Don’t worry about it.”
Just that fast, she’d already formulated a plan to ensure Ernie was going to get the best care. She didn’t have anything else going on. Back to the closet, she finished pulling out the remainder of his suits. Then she moved to the drawers to pack his socks, t-shirts, and night clothes.
“Just so you know, I plan on paying his property taxes and getting this house back in livable conditions,” Erys spoke.
Remedy said nothing, she was over talking to him. Silence was what she gave him in response. She had the bags propped up along with all of his supplies. Without uttering another word to him, she walked out the house through the yard back to hers. Packing a bag of her own, she looked at the time and nodded. Erys had another thing coming to him if he thought she was going to let him take Ernie without a fight.
By the time she got out of the shower, Ernie was up and drifting around.
“Where you going, Rem?” he asked, spotting her bag.
“We are going on a little trip,” she said just as Erys walked into her house. “Nigga, this ain’t your fucking house. Go back outside and knock like one of your parents gave you some damn manners.”
“That’s his mama shit. Walking in without knocking. Got it intruding in his damn blood,” Ernie grumbled along with his stomach.
Remedy walked away into the kitchen to make him something to eat. She barely had food in her house due to spending most of her money to make sure he ate. Ernie followed her.
“There’s only orange juice and old take out in there. I checked. You ain’t been eating, Remedy,” Ernie lowly fussed.
Remedy couldn’t combat him on that fact. “I ate at the diner with you. I’m not hungry.”
She’d been conditioned to surviving off one meal a day.
“Well, dammit I am,” Ernie huffed, spotting his son. “How about you and Rem go get something to eat.”
“I’d rather starve,” Remedy replied.
“I like silence, I’ll pass on riding around pint-sized loud mouth,” Erys added.
“I’ll knock your teeth out, nigga, don’t talk to me,” Remedy grumbled.
Ernie huffed. “I don’t give a damn if y’all talk or blow smoke up each other’s asses. I’m hungry.”
“Alright, fine. Fine,” Remedy grunted, grabbing her keys and stomping to the door. “I’ll get you something to eat. Alone.”
“Don’t just stand there, nigga, go with her,” Ernie directed, shuffling back to the couch. “Hurry up.”
Remedy got into her small car and slammed the door. After a few turns of the key, the starter turned and the engine fired up. She rolled the windows down and blew out a long sigh. Erysopened the passenger door and folded his large body into the passenger seat.
“What part of alone did you not understand?”
“The part where that mean ass old man told me to go with you so here I am.”
“You just pick and choose what you want to listen to?” Remedy asked, as she threw the car into reverse and floored the gas. She slammed on brakes and pushed the gear into drive before taking off down the street to the nearest BGC’s.
“Your car is fucked up because you drive like this,” Erys muttered.
“You don’t have nothing to do on your phone? Please take talking to me off your list of things to do,” she fired back.
“Why is your mouth so-”
“Smart? Because I can fight. Anything else, Franklin?”
He rumbled in tense laughter. “Nah.”
