Page 63 of Redd

“Vicki, this conversation is done!” he yelled, slamming his fist down on the wheel. Redd refused to let her finish, keeping me hanging in limbo, wondering what information had just been slapped down from her lips.

I was tempted to ask, the questions sat on my tongue, the curiosity an explosive disaster screwing up my brain.Now is not the time to pry.

Keeping my mouth shut, I stayed out of the argument heating the car and brewing in the front seats. That was between them, and I wasn't about to insert myself to defend his actions or encourage her defiance.

I had no place in that fight.

Squeezing her lips tight, Vicki turned her head to look out the window and let out an annoyed groan. “Whatever.”

I could feel the tension between them. It was so thick and dense, if I had a knife I could probably cut chunks out of the air.

The car rolled forward, and I took one last peek out the window to see my sister. But she was gone, disappearing into the tidal wave of kids and teachers that flooded the front court yard.

Flopping back down, I laid my hands over my head. The entire situation was fucked up. I had been held against my will, and now I was free, hiding in the back of a car. My family was literally minutes away, my sister was right there. . . And I could do nothing.

Straightening my legs, I placed one foot on the floor and left the other up on the seat. I could feel Redd looking at me, but I didn't meet his gaze. I just kept my eyes on the roof, unable to focus on anything but my sister's face in my mind.

Reaching between the seat and the door, Redd started to rub my ankle with his left hand, out of view from his sister. Flicking my eyes up, he was staring back at me through the rear view mirror, his eyes saying everything he couldn't at the moment.

'It's okay, I'm here.'

'This will get better.'

'I'm going to help you.'

“What's for dinner?” Vicki asked, breaking the quiet drive back to their house.

“What do you want?” Clearing his throat, he pulled his hand off my leg and placed it back. Squeezing the steering wheel with two hands, he glanced at his sister then back at the road. “Pasta?”

Whatever feelings of anger they had with each other seemed to vanish, their tones relaxed and casual as if they hadn't just had a mental battle of right and wrong. Truth and secrets, feelings of being left in the dark and withholding answers—it fizzled out, blowing away like dust in the wind.

Making a gagging noise, I could see her shake her head 'no' from the corner of my eye. “We always have pasta.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I don't know, something different.” Tapping her finger against her chin, her lips crinkled in thought. “Stuffed peppers?”

Redd chuckled, loosening his grip on the wheel and placing a hand in his lap. “I don't know how to make that, keep it simple.”

“Can't you just try? Mom used to make them, I think I liked them.”

“You did like them, I can't even believe you remember that. You were probably four or five the last time we had them.”

“Didn't her and dad fight over them too? He was pissed that she changed the recipe and used a cheese sauce instead of regular tomato sauce.”

Redd shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing back at me then back at the road. “Uh, I'm not sure, I can't remember. That was a long time ago, Vicki.”

“Yeah, he did, I remember. You don't remember? You had to separate them, and Dad got really ticked off with you when you stepped in, and he—”

“Vicki, stop. I don't want to talk about this.”

Her tone lowered, head falling into her chest. “Sorry, I forget sometimes.”

The two siblings looked at each other, sending soundless apologies and drawing clear lines.

They were talking without words, their eyes telling each other what the other was thinking. There was this connection between them, something that I had never seen between a brother and sister.

It made me miss Lila and my family even more.

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