Page 46 of The Wright Man

Brave. Loud. Unapologetically bold in a way I was still learning.

As we got closer to the house, I spotted Angelica and Tina on the porch, but not in that chill, popcorn's-on-the-way kind of way.

They were stiff. Agitated.

Neither of them was smiling. Tina's leg was bouncing like she was either about to sprint or cuss somebody out. Angelica was rubbing her temples like she had a whole migraine.

And from inside the house—commotion.

We heard it—raised voices inside. Mr. Reed... and someone else. A woman. I didn't recognize the voice, but it had the sharp edge of somebody on the verge of saying something they couldn't take back.

Kareem and I traded a look.

"Yo," I called out, hopping up the porch steps. "Everything good?"

Angelica's head snapped up. Gave us that fake-ass Barbie smile that told me we were in for it.

"You remember my dad's sister?"

I blinked. "Your dad doesn't have a sister."

"Exactly. I thought that too, until 3 o'clock this afternoon."

Tina huffed and folded her arms. "Aunt Christa—who dad apparently cut off when I was born, due to her being a whole crackhead. Plot twist: she's been dead for two years."

Angelica jumped in, voice flat but too controlled. "Final wish? That her daughter get sent to her big brother—aka my dad—who didn't even know she had a kid. Child services finally tracked him down. And now?"

"Now there's a demon named Bella in the living room," Tina snapped. "I came home to surprise Dad for the weekend. I did not need the drama."

Angelica sighed. She looked exhausted. "It's my fault. I prayed for a little sister. Should've clarified that I didn't want her to be a DEMON HELLSPAWN."

"BITE ME, SKANK!" came a small, angry voice from inside.

Angelica didn't flinch. Just made a face as if to say, See?

I blinked. Kareem burst out laughing.

Tina pointed at the door. "That. That's why I'm leaving."

She stood up, brushing invisible lint off her jeans.

"If I wanted to witness Tyler Perry level dysfunction, I could've looked out the window of my own place. I'm going home."

Angelica reached out, grabbing her leg dramatically. "Take me with you. Please. I can live under the couch."

"Sorry baby sis," Tina nudged her off with her foot. "My bachelorette pad is a minor-free zone."

Another crash from inside.

Tina didn't even look back. "And that's precisely why."

Kareem stood up, grabbing his soda. "Well if movie night's canceled, lemme get a ride, Tee. Drop me in Southeast near Leon's."

I stiffened.

Tina turned to him, eyes already narrowed. She'd called him Twin since they were a matching pair of trouble whenever they were together—Team Talk Too Much, we called them—but right now, her voice had no warmth in it. "So I can get caught in the crossfire at your 'wannabe kingpin' best friend's house? Pass. I don't want my car anywhere near y'all's hoodlum activities, getting my tires shot out. I don't even know why you still mess with them."

Kareem smiled, big and bright, ready to argue for sport.