Me: No.
Zea: By showing up at her job.
Damn.
Me: No.
Zea: Then how?
I’m still figuring that out.
Me: Stay out of my business
Zea: When are we hanging out again?
This girl is a trip. She popped up out of nowhere, and now, honestly, she’s one of my favorite people. Yeah, she’s constantly asking me for stuff, but what teenager isn’t? And I got it. My baby sister doesn’t have to struggle...or depend on our raggedy ass dad for anything.
If she has a problem, it’s because I’m not around. And I intend to be around. Her mom’s cool, smiling in my face a little too much for comfort, but most women do that when they see me anyway.
Not Lily.
Me: What do you want to do?
Zea: Eat.
She’s a foodie for real.
Me: Let me guess...Somewhere expensive
Zea: I’m trying to decide if I’m bougie or not.
Me: Tell me when and where.
Zea: I’ll try to not have it be during your Lit with Lily Stalking times.
Me: I’m blocking you.
Zea: We have a house phone.
Me: Damn, how old is your mom?
Zea: Shut up!
I laugh and set my phone down.
Zea showed up in my life at the right time. I wouldn’t have had the capacity to be the brother she deserves at any other point in my life. I’m just now becoming the kind of man Lily deserves. I need to make sure she sees it.
A group of women walk out holding canvases. I open my car door, step out, and head in. Lily’s talking to the last few people in the room. I walk to the other side and start folding up chairs and leaning them against the wall. There’s still easels and paper plates with paint and cups of brushes on the tables. I’ll follow her lead on those.
“I didn’t ask for your help.”
Lily stands behind me looking a smidge less annoyed than before.
“I didn’t ask to help.”
This pulls a smile from her pretty face. I know I’m not in yet, but that’s a crack in the wall.
She collects the cups of dirty paint water and pours them all into an old paint bucket that’s on wheels. I stop what I’m doing, and watch her
