Page 93 of Until Nalia
“Okay,” she agrees softly, leaning up to kiss me again before walking me to the door. As I step off the front porch, I turn to take her in, arms wrapped around her middle, the dress she had on earlier replaced with a t-shirt and shorts, and her hair up in a messy bun because it got wet in the shower despite her best efforts to keep it dry.
“Be good.”
“Maybe, or maybe I’ll be really bad and leave the dishes in the sink until tomorrow.” She smiles.
“You’re a pain in the ass,” I laugh. The words I love you are on the tip of my tongue as I walk away, shaking my head.
Cooper
“Seriously, Zur!” I shout when Zuri gets the side of our dog that she's controlling sucked down a pipe, sending us into another dimension.
“That wasn’t my fault,” she mutters, and I roll my eyes. It was totally her fault. She sucks at this game, but it’s still fun playing with her, so when she asks, I never say no.
“Where did you go after school?” I ask as I place our dog in a spot to save our progress in the game.
“I had to go talk to a therapist.”
“Why?” Billie asks from the bean bag chair where she’s been reading.
Zuri looks over at her.
“I think Nalia is worried about me.”
“Moms are like that,” Billie mutters, and Zuri gets really quiet. She does that sometimes when she’s thinking. It reminds me of Billie.
“Can I tell you guys something?”
“Sure.” I shrug.
“Nalia isn’t my mom.” She looks away like she’s embarrassed, which I don’t get.
“I know,” I tell her.
“You do?”
“Yeah, but she’s basically your mom, right?”
“Yeah.” She places her controller on the couch between us. “But my real mom is in jail.”
“Why?” Billie asks.
“She was selling drugs.”
“I...”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say you’re sorry,” she cuts Billie off and my shoulders fall forward.
“Do you miss her?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” She rubs her lips together. “I know I’m supposed to say yes, but I don’t. Not really, anyway. I like being with Nalia.”
“She’s cool,” Billie says, and I agree. She is cool. She's also nice, and I like when she ruffles my hair like my mom does.
“She’s the best,” Zuri agrees.
“Do you think she and Dad will get married?” I ask Billie.
“I don’t know, maybe. He did ask us how we’d feel if Nalia and Zuri stayed the night here.”
