“That’s your sister, Land. You can’t just have anybody around her.”
Nowhere in my vocabulary did the word commitment exist outside of football. Omiri was well aware that I did not date seriously. As far as he knew, me having help meant a rotation of women who found their way in and out of my bed.
“It won’t just be anybody. Her teacher is coming back with us when I get Rylee.”
“So she really fucks with your sister? That’s good but it’s also temporary. What are you going to do when she has to head back home?”
“My goal is to get her to stay. She’s good with Rylee and Somee loves my sister.”
That very relevant detail had been on rotation in my head since meeting Somee. She might not have cared much for me, but she was all in with my sister. Just the fact that she checked on her, found Rylee alone, and bypassed sending her straight to social services or my parents meant a lot.
Somee was also advocating to keep Rylee, fostering and probably even adopting her. Not only did she take her in, she’d decorated a room for my sister, which proved Somee cared about giving Rylee a safe space to feel welcomed.
Hell, she was ready to go against me to keep Rylee. Shehadgone against me to keep her, even though it was just through the rest of the week. Somee argued and won because I boarded that plane alone.
Having someone around would be an asset and make Rylee’s transition of moving here so much smoother.
“I hope like hell that’s not your plan, because if so, you’re not ready for this.”
“Fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He stared at me, not speaking, and I frowned back. “Why the hell are you looking at me like that?”
“Come on, Land, this is me. I can see what you’re doing and this can’t be that. Not if you’re serious about stepping up for your sister.”
“The hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you want ol’ girl here for all the wrong reasons.”
I frowned deeper and he shook his head. “You want to fuck her. The fact that she’s good with your sister is just a bonus.”
I could have lied, but he was right. “I won’t deny it but I will say you have it backwards. She’s good with my sister and fucking her would be the bonus.”
Omiri shook his head. “You kept it one hundred with me when I was going through my shit about Avi and Kari, so I’mgoing to return the favor and give you similar advice. Fuck her. Get it out your system so you can do what’s best for your sister.”
“That’s your advice.” I shook my head, laughing because honestly it was the exact same thing I told him when it came to Makari. The difference in our situations was that they had a child binding them. Somee and I did not. At least not a child who shared our DNA. She could run. Catch a flight home and never look back. Where would that leave me?
“You have to be in this for the right reasons or your sister will be the one who suffers the consequences. Wanting to have sex with her teacher is not the right reason nor is that a solid plan for how you should navigate being a parent. Because let’s be real, if Rylee is living with and solely depending on you, that’s exactly what you’ll be. Her parent, Land. Not just her brother.”
“Me wanting Rylee is not about Somee. I had fourteen years with Felicia. I know what that feels like. If I had known, I would have stepped up a long time ago. I know you think I’m on my regular bullshit but I’m not. Besides, Somee isn’t dealing with me at all. If I had to guess, she’s somewhere right now trying to decide if it’s physically possible to end my existence and hide the body without getting caught.”
Omiri laughed. “Damn, what’d you do to her?”
“Not a damn thing.”
“Yeah nah, I know you, Land. There’s a reason. But real shit, if this is what you’re doing, you know you have me and Kari on your side for whatever.”
“’Preciate that.”
“Now let’s go hit these weights so I can take my ass home.” I dapped my boy and we both were on our way to the weight room with me suppressing the pull to detour toward the locker room. Thinking about Somee made me want to text her, but if I was serious about this, I needed to stay focused on my priorities.
I curbedthe urge to text Somee until I got home. It was after three in Chicago, which meant school was out and there would be no reason for her to ignore me.
So far, she had been agreeable with responding to my texts to check on Rylee, although she paid me dust. Whenever I asked about my sister, she would respond, but that was all she gave. Each text where I asked about her taking leave so she could fly to Crescent Falls with me and Rylee on Sunday always got the same response.
Working on it.
I was starting to freak the hell out. I could hire people to take care of Rylee’s basic needs and fill in when I wasn’t around. The downside was no amount of money would ensure she felt at home. I also carried an unavoidable guilt for further disrupting her life, considering Felicia had done enough of that in the past. There were no other alternatives but I could have given in and waited until school was out. Logically, doing so was providing false hope in a sense. Another concern was, albeit slim, Felicia could return and act like a real parent, meaning Rylee would have to stay with her.
