She’s probably wondering why I’m staring at her like she’s a stranger. Is she?
“Still hungry?” She rounds the island, putting some distance between us. I note her purse is zipped up and tucked away now.
“Why do you have pills in your purse?” I wasn’t ready to ask the question, but it comes out anyway, and my harsh tone makes it sound like an accusation.
“You looked through my purse?” She’s defensive, they always are.
“Your bag fell,” I point out, but I wouldn’t feel guilty if I did. I need to protect my brother and myself. “What are they?” Oswald told me there were a few doctors in her phone contacts, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. That should have been a clue right there.
“Mine,” she says without any other explanation.
“Clearly, they came from your bag, but what kind of pills are they? Why are you taking them?” I ask slowly, but not because I think she’s stupid and doesn’t understand the question, I’m just trying to control my anger.
“A lot of people take medicine.”
“A lot of people don’t carry around bottles of pills with the labels scratched off, but addicts do.”
“Addicts?” Her head pulls back a little like she’s surprised, but I don’t know many users who would admit to themselves or anyone else they have a problem. “You think I’m doing drugs?” She really sells the fact that I’m confusing her.
“You already admitted they were yours,” I remind her.
“Admitted it was my medication.” She’s the one to speak slowly now.
“Then why isn’t there a label?”
“Because I know what they are, and it’s no one else’s business,” she snaps.
“If you’re around me and my brother, I have the right to know if you’re a junkie.” As soon as the word is out of my mouth, I regret it, but I don’t know how to take it back or if I even should.
“I’m supposed to divulge my full medical history to you because we’ve hung out a few times?” Waylynn’s arms are across her chest, but her shoulders are curled in.
“It’s more than that, and you know it.” Her glib remark pisses me off, because she knows there’s more to this than just hanging out a few times.
“Do I?” She narrows her eyes on me. “I know virtually nothing about you or Oswald besides he could eat half a cow daily and loves football, or at least I’m assuming he does because he works so hard at it, and you’re extra bossy with the need to take care of people.”
“I’m not hiding something that could be dangerous to myself and you.” I hate the way she’s looking at me like I’m disappointing her. I haven’t done anything wrong.
“I’m not a danger to myself or anyone else.” Her back goes ramrod straight.
“You’re putting poison in your body,” I snap. Why can’t she just admit what’s going on here? Then we could at least discuss this and get her help.
“I am taking medication prescribed by a doctor,” she says slowly through her teeth.
“Yeah, we noticed how many you have in your phone. How many do you have to hit up to get your fix, or do you just bribe them with your parents’ money?”
“What the fuck is going on?” Oswald asks, having heard most of my last comment. He’s looking at me like he has no idea who I am.
“She’s taking pills.” I point across the room.
Waylynn takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before calmly saying, “Prescribed medication.”
“Bullshit. If it was something you should have, you wouldn’t have scratched off the label,” I tell her again.
“Because you decree it so?” Waylynn’s eyes are wide, angry, and worst of all, hurt.
“What kind of medication is it? What do you have?” My eyes roam over her from head to toe, but I don’t see a damn thing wrong with her.
“Chill out, Memphis,” Oz says gently.
