CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Bee
I walked into our townhouse and was immediately greeted by the most amazing smell: chocolate. I couldn’t think of anything better than ending one of my most grueling workouts with a sweet treat, and all I could do was hope Nola’s sister was a better sharer than her older sister.
“Hi Bee!” The teenager peeked her head from around the wall to greet me.
“Olive, you should stay here forever, I’ve never gotten a more pleasant greeting coming home.”
“This is me choosing to be the bigger person and ignore that dig,” Nola commented.
“And thank you for being so brave.” I mocked sympathy. “But enough chit chat, what’s that heavenly smell?”
“Olive is running a baking empire,” Nola mumbled, eyes fixed on one of my favorite reality tv franchises. I recognized immediately that it was episode five of the first season. Nola had started the franchise from the beginning.
And she was enraptured by it.
“I’m currently working on how I can schmooze my counselor into squeezing me into the AP African American class next year,” Olive announced as I watched her sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the baking pan.
“My dad does say the fastest way to get someone to listen is through their stomach.” I finally dropped my bag at the foot of the stairs and peeled off my sweatshirt, leaving me in just my sweatpants and athletic-cropped tank top.
“Then why haven’t you listened to me yet?” Nola turned her head to look at me then back at the television, except I watched her nearly break her neck at the rapid speed she did a double take at me. She cleared her throat and faced the tv again, rubbing the back of her neck.
We hadn’t had time alone since our night on the couch, and I wanted to give her space. Olive was her priority, and if the only time we had with each other were stolen moments in the middle of the night, I’d take that.
“Yogurt and grains are far from an extravagant meal, Young.” I picked up my phone to check my face, making sure I didn’t have a booger or dried smoothie on it.
“Do you want to try a brownie?” Olive offered, and even if she wasn’t a teenager I was desperately trying to appear cool and chill in front of, I would’ve accepted her offer. It’d been so long since I’d had totryto get a kid to like me. She was wearing the apron I got her, and it was taking self-restraint to not squeal over the gift acceptance.
“Thanks, girl,” I mumbled as I greedily shoved half the brownie in my mouth. The rich, decadent chocolate immediately melted in my mouth. I’d probably be floating to another planet if I wasn’t distracted by a crunch in my mouth. “Quick question, though. What’s in this?”
“The usual for a chocolate fudge walnut brownie.”
Oh.
“Walnuts?” I questioned dragging the word out just to make sure I’d heard her correctly.
“Mhm!” Olive confirmed, waiting to hear what I think.
“These are amazing…minus the part where I’m allergic to walnuts.” I cringed, swallowing the dessert that I knew would cause a problem within the hour.
Nola whipped her head from the television again. Her eyes were squinted in suspicion, her jaw clenched because she was definitely thinking I was fucking with her baby sister. “That’s not funny, Bee.”
“I’m not being funny…”
In the corner of my eye, I saw Olive go wide-eyed. Between her little gasp and Nola’s eyes growing to the size of saucers, I already felt both of the Young sisters’ panic.
“I’m going to need everyone to relax. Yes, I’m allergic to walnuts. No, I will not die.”
“Die?!” Olive shrieked.
“I said I won’t!” I cleared my throat. I casually, with no panic at all, tried to look for a water to drink, but the only glass nearby was by Nola on the coffee table. “My voice is going to start getting deeper. My tongue will be itchy. That’s it. I promise.” I raised my hand in a Scout’s Honor.
“Oh em gee, Bee, I am so sorry! Nola said you weren’t allergic to anything, so I thought I had free rein!”
“Becauseshetold me she wasn’t allergic to anything.” Nola pointed in my direction as I cleared my throat again.
“It’s really not a big deal! I don’t mention it at restaurants because it’stotallyfine. I honestly didn’t think people still paired walnuts and chocolate.” I shrugged, slightly aware of the raspiness my voice is starting to take on.
