“Zea.”
She shrugs. “I’m trying to put you on.”
“How many boys are you talking to?” I ask then immediately regret.
“Mind your business.”
I nod. “I will, my bad.”
She turns to take in the park, and her face lights up. “Lily!”
Sweat immediately beads on my forehead. I get why Tank walks around with a sweat rag like the old Unc that he is.
“Hey Zea!” I hear Lily say. I don’t see her say it because I haven’t turned around yet. I focus on the menu, even though this food truck only serves ribs. There are a variety of sauces, and I need to know what I want when we get to the front of this very long line.
The line moves a few spaces forward. I move with the line, leaving a crater of space between me and Zea and Lily.
I know I’m being a punk. Zea’s in my head, and I don’t know how to step into that situation over there.
“Javonte, look!” Zea’s closed the divide between us and tugs on my arm.
I put a smile on my face and turn around, even though I want to run. “Hey, I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Yes, you did, Drummond just told you.”
I tilt my head towards Zea and open my eyes wide, hoping she understands I want her to shut the hell up.
“I didn’t know before we got here.”
Zea stands between us, looking from me to Lily and back again. Then she claps her hands. “Well, I’m going to get some ribs and wait for my mama.”
Lily smiles at Zea before she turns to me. “She’s something else.”
“I know. I learn new things about her every single day.”
“She looks just like you.”
I nod. “I know. Drummond was adamant about a DNA test, but once I laid eyes on her, it was undeniable that we were related.”
Lily watches Zea order, still smiling. “She adores you.”
I look over at Zea. “Same. She’s my favorite person, and it’s almost like she’s my kid. Whatever she wants, she gets.”
“No, that’s just the power of the baby sister. My brother Andre is like that with me.”
How the fuck did I not know she had a brother? I don’t deserve to be back with her.
“Oh yeah?”
“He lives in Chicago now, but yeah, when we were growing up, he spoiled me and beat up any boy that made me sad.”
Our eyes meet.
“He woulda beat my ass good, huh?”
She laughs with her whole body. “He wanted to. I had to keep him from flying down here.”
“Damn.”
