She spreads the towel on the bed, places her suitcase on top, opening it, and only removing the items she’ll need tonight. Although her return flight isn’t until Saturday evening, more than likely she’ll be returning tomorrow. No need to drag things out here. The sooner she handles this, the sooner she can get back to Austin and prepare for Akeem’s return and their talk. Telling him the truth is more pressing. He’s her future, and as much as she loves her sister, she’s her past.
With that realization heavy on her mind, Sunjiya journeys back into the bathroom, strips, and eases into the elevated tub. She’s fully immersed and relaxing when she realizes she left her cell phone in the bedroom. Only because she knows Akeem is with Axton at the hospital and won’t be calling, she remains in the soothing water and enjoys her bath. Between her long bath, massaging jets, shower, and skincare routine, Sunjiya’s actually in the bathroom longer than she realizes. When she finally emerges, it’s an hour and fifteen minutes later.
She dresses in yoga pants, a tee, and sleepers, grabs her cell, takes a deep ass breath, then explores the upper level. The primary suite is twice the size of Sunjiya’s current room. It has beautiful trayed ceilings, a sitting area with a bay window, andabundant natural light. The ensuite bathroom is very similar to the one in the guest room with the same whirlpool soaking tub, separate dual showers, dual vanities, and a walk-in closet. The California king bed is littered with piles of clothes and shoes. The room, hell, the entire house is massive, and it’s definitely very different from her foster homes.
After giving in to her curiosity, Sunjiya journeys down the stairs. Yara’s second album,All for Love,plays on the digital jukebox and her sister is reclined on the right side of the double recliner. Snacks, tequila, chasers, and a small, silver ice bucket clutter the wooden coffee table, the smell of strong weed fills the entire lower level of the house.
“I was wondering if yo’ ass was coming down,” her sister says. “I already smoked a whole blunt and I’m hungry as shit. I’m about to order Bojangles. Tenders, wings, and rice, right?”
“Don’t order too much. I’m not really hungry,” Sunjiya admits.
“I’m about to roll up again. If you hit this, trust me, you’ll be hungry.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t. We really need to talk and I need you to hear me. You can’t if you are too fucked up.”
“I know my limit and two blunts ain’t it. I can handle my shit. Besides, you need to hit something to loosen up. I called you here for a truce. I apologized too and you’re still acting stiff.”
“I appreciate your apology; I just need to make sure you know that doesn’t change anything. I’m not going back to how things were,” Sunjiya says, then nods. They are definitely going to get deeper into this, but right now, she needs ice and a soda. “Where’s the kitchen? I need a soda.”
“Sorry, I don’t have any sodas. I’ll order with the food,” her sister says as she grabs her cell from the arm of her recliner. “They got Pepsi products.”
“A Starry then,” Sunjiya says, then waves her hand. “Kitchen?”
“Behind me down the small hall through the nook,” her sister says while pointing. “And can you dump the water and add more ice to this?” She straightens her foot to point to the ice bucket.
Sunjiya doesn’t verbally confirm but she walks over and grabs the bucket.. She handles the ice bucket first, then fills a glass with ice. When she walks into the living room, she places the bucket on the table before sitting on the loveseat.
“This is a nice ass house,” Sunjiya says.
“Thanks. I’m thinking about selling it though.”
“Why? It’s yours, no mortgage, and your parents wanted you to have it.”
“Cause it’s Conyers, it’s boring, and it’s not me. I need excitement, adventure, and more than this.”
“We are so different,” Sunjiya utters while shaking her head.
“No, we’re not. We are identical in every way. You’re just like me. You’ve just forgotten that.” She seals the blunt then lights it. After taking a long ass pull, she holds the blunt out to Sunjiya. When Sunjiya doesn’t grab it right away, she says, “Hit it. It’ll give you an appetite. I ordered the food and it should be here soon.”
Reluctantly, Sunjiya takes it and pulls twice. She allows the smoke to infiltrate her lungs and relaxes into the effects. When she tries to pass the blunt back to her sister, she snatches Sunjiya’s hand and flips it over.
“What’s that?” her sister exclaims loud as hell. “Diamonds,” she sighs as she examines the two-carat princess cut, disregarding the lit blunt. Sunjiya takes the blunt with her other hand. “You’re marrying him,” her sister utters before abruptly dropping Sunjiya’s hand. “Wow and you didn’t tell me. I’m not going to share this with you. It’s really fuck what we promised each other.”
“That was dumb, kid shit that we should have never done. We are two different people and we need to live our separate lives. You have to see that. Just look at this house. I love it and would definitely keep it for my family, not sell it. You want to get rid of it.”
“I am your fucking family,” her sister fires back. “Your only family. Your fucking fiancé don’t even know who the hell you are.”
“’Cause I got caught up in that switching shit and took it too far but I’m going to fix that when I get home. I love him and I’m going to tell him the truth, everything.”
“Good luck with that shit,” her sister mumbles under her breath but Sunjiya hears her clearly. Chimes interrupt their heated conversation and her sister stands. “That’s the food,” she says as she walks off, shaking her head in disgust.
While she walks off to get the food, Sunjiya takes another needed pull on the blunt then places it on the ashtray. Her plan to tell Akeem is out to her sister and the threat of exposure no longer looms over her head. Her sister can’t hurt her by telling Akeem. She’s going to do what she should have done a long time ago and pray he understands.
Thinking about Akeem, she twists her beautiful ring then grabs her cell. When she taps the dark screen, it stays dark, so she presses the side button.Still a dark screen. It’s dead.
“I thought I charged it,” she mumbles as she stands.
Sunjiya walks out of the living room right as her sister walks in with the food and drinks. She rushes upstairs and grabs her charger. When she returns, her sister is sitting on the floor with the yellow and red boxes spread on the table alongside their sodas. Tension is so thick in the room. It’s palpable but so is the aroma of the food. Her appetite appears to be back.
