31

Ashley
I stopped over at Elena’s house with fruit juice and apples. I knocked on the door and was a bit hysterical about the noiseless neighborhood.
The door slowly creaked open to reveal a spent-out, Joe.
“Hi,” I tried to regain my composure, still remembering the text message I saw on Elena’s phone, “-It’s been a while, Joe. ”
He scratched his head and parted his lips to reveal a toothy smile, “It’s been a long time since I saw you too. Come in.”
I noticed that his beard looked unkempt and his pores were exposed.
I walked into the house with batted breaths my eyes searching every corner of the living room. The shelves were filled and overflowing with novels while the center table held nothing.
My nostrils picked up fried eggs while I settled down on the sofa.
“You are frying eggs, ” I remarked, “That’s great.”
He tilted his head, “I just don’t want to burden your sister with my crazy cravings.”
I chuckled while fondling the nape of my neck. I was certain that he was only frying eggs because he and Elena weren’t communicating.
“Should I call Elena for you?” I heard Joe say, “She might be napping. ”
I was about to dismiss his generous request when Elena stepped into the room with a look of puzzlement crossing her face. she stopped, and peered intently, her gaze drifting from Joe and back to me.
“What are you doing here? You should have called. ” I heard her say in a firm tone that she rarely used.
I chuckled nervously, “Did you hear from Mother?”
She let a hand below her abdomen and edged closer to me, carrying a pillow beside me and dropping it on the sofa before sitting on it.
She cast a subtle glare at Joe who took the hint and stepped out of the room. I lifted my shoulders, sending the tension that they had no idea that I was already aware of.
“Do you want coffee or juice?” she asked with her face wearing a grin.
“No,” I responded, “I got you fruit juice and apples. ”
“I should be the one giving you those and not you,” Elena shook her head while chuckling.
A mountain of silence fell between us with Elena sliding a palm over the other and then she let out an exhausted sigh.
“She said she was sorry, Ashely, and -”
I cut her off in mid-sentence.
“That wasn’t the response I hoped to get,” I chuckled nervously, “Did she tell you she was going to pay up?”
“We didn’t talk much. She just said she was sorry and she hanged up on me. I was going to ask you about it, tomorrow. ” Elena responded.
I let out another bitter chuckle and clicked my tongue.
“She took out a debt in my name without my consent and made me a guarantor without my consent. ” I inhaled sharply, taking a pause, “-And then two men came to my workplace which I was sure she told them and I was threatened, slapped and my co-worker was physically assaulted.”
Elena’s mouth hung open, heart face bearing shock and perplexing horror.
“Oh my goodness. I had no idea. Mum was crying over the phone and I thought you said hurtful words to her but this is shocking to hear, ” she started, “Is your co-worker fine?”
“I hope he is, ” I bit my bottom lip, “She’s not returning my calls or my texts and it’s infuriating. ”
“I will try to speak to her, Ashely but you have to calm down so we can think this through.” Elena verbalized.
I felt my throat closing up and I took a short intake of breath. My body was wracked with an onslaught of sobs and tears escaped my eyes followed by my fist meeting the wall.
“Calm down?” I grunted, “Do you know how humiliated I felt, Elena? This is not a time for this. I am hurt, enraged and I am even more disappointed that you don’t want to pick a side.”
“Picking a side, why should I do that?” Elena muttered, “We are all family, Ashely.”
I gesticulated with my left fourth finger pointing towards Elena, “You are my family. She is not and she has proved that countless times. You won’t be talking or rationalizing this if she took that debt in your name. ”
“The only way we can fix this is by talking to her. You can’t throw her under the bus. She’s our mother.” Elena emphasized.
“I owe her nothing, ” I wiped my tears with the back of my palm, “Do you have her address?”
Elena shook her head, “That is not a good idea. ”
“You wanted me to talk right?” I taunted, “And that’s what I’m going to do. ”
“You haven’t seen her in years.” Elena spoke, “You are going to dig up old wounds.”
“And new ones too.” I set my hands on my lap.
“I’ll come with you. ” Elena suggested.
I tilted my head and spread my lips to give a witty smile, “Why? You want to play peacemaker?”
“I just want to ensure that all this, ” she emphasized with an outstretched hand, “-won’t get any worse.”
I bit my bottom lip, trying to get the mental image of being ridiculed and slapped in the bakery.
“Do you want wine?” Elena asked with concern.
I shook my head, “No, I’m not in the mood for wine.”
“What about your date with Mason? Is it still on?”
“Yes,” I responded, still sniffing.
“And are you sure you don’t need to cancel it because of the circumstances happening now?” she asked.
“No.” I answered, “Why would I ditch Mason for Lucy?”
Elena sighed. She disliked my preference in calling Mother by her first name and she had corrected me continually but the name, “Lucy” stuck more than “mother”.
“I will call you later tomorrow morning,” I finalized, “I will be leaving now. ”
I rose to my feet and brushed the creases on my shirt. I was about to race for the door when a thought passed through my mind.
“Are things between you and Joe good?” I asked while slanting my bag on my shoulder.
My question caught her off-balance as she batted her lashes in confusion at me.
“W-Why do you ask?” Elena responded, wearing a nervous smile.
Rubbing my palm against the other, I answered, “I just wanted to know. You and Joe are so perfect together and it just crossed my mind. ”
“Oh,” was her first response while she swiped her hair under her outer ear, “We are still good and going strong. ”
I tried to respond but I found no words so I smiled instead, displaying a toothy smile and waving my hands at her. I walked out of the door with guilt in my heart.
I knew she wasn’t telling the truth and I didn’t know how to be direct about my feelings.
Maybe I could wait till she was ready to tell me about her and Joe.
I stared at the darkened sky. The day was finally turning into night and my day was one big hell of a mess. I walked faster and hastily to catch a bus.
****
I stared at the moon, inhaling the sharp smell of freshly baked bread in my neighborhood, and then I sighted a man limping with a walking stick and then my mind reeled back to Leo.
I wondered how he was faring.
My hands reached for my bag to single out my cellphone and I took it out and the crumpled paper in my hand and began to punch in the numbers afterward, I slanted it across my ear and the ringing and vibration of my device became my solitude.
I heard a voice respond in a deep, sexy voice, “Hello.”
My lips spread instinctively to give a shy smile as I rubbed my right palm against my jeans in nervousness.
“Did you go see a doctor, Leo?” I asked, walking slowly towards my apartment.
I heard no response and then I heard him chuckle. It was light and laced with a hum of amusement.
“Are you toying with me?” I clicked my tongue, a smile dancing on my lips as I leaned against my apartment door.
I heard him laugh again, “I didn’t go to the doctor. ”
“But you made a promise,” I yelled playfully, “You lied. ”
“Would you have preferred it if I lied? You should be delighted about my honesty. It’s a rare gift.” I heard him taunt.
I scoffed, “You are so arrogant. ”
“I accept it with a bow,” he countered back with a light chuckle, “Are you okay, Ashely?”
“I should be asking you that. How is your shoulder?” I spoke hastily.
“My shoulder is much better, ” he answered, “Where are you?”
“I am leaning against my apartment and staring at the moon. ” I said slowly with my eyes fixated on the sky.
“Doesn’t it look beautiful?” I heard him ask.
“It’s beautiful but it doesn’t fascinate me. Not anymore. ” I responded.
“Really?” he asked, “I was going to say it looked similar to your eyes. ”
I swiped a hair under my ear, “Do you say this to every woman?”
“Are you jealous?” I heard him say.
“You are-”
I was about to speak when he cut me off in mid-sentence
“I have to go, cutie. I’ll catch you tomorrow,” he said and then I heard absolutely nothing.
I batted my lashes in confusion, “What’s wrong with him?”
I turned and then touched the doorknob but it was locked. I shook my head, wondering if Emily was already asleep.
I shook the door again but she didn’t come out. I touched my forehead in frustration, my extra keys were in my bedroom and my only option was to call her through my cell phone
I moved my phone to my eye level, grasping it tightly in my arms. I punched in her number which I memorized for years and unfortunately when I dialed it, it was switched off.
I crouched low and groaned. Was I going to sleep outside my apartment?
I felt insects sting my body and I squinted, trying to absorb the temporary discomfort. I bent my knees and stared at the ground.
I was about to decide between yelling her name which might rouse my neighbors from sleep when I heard my apartment door creak open.
In a flash, I stepped into it and noticed Emily in her pajamas walking towards the couch which she had turned into a bed. She got a bowl of fried chicken to snack on, for herself.
Did she stall for a while before opening the door or was she napping?
“We need to talk, ” I stood in the center of the room, my fingers sliding across my eyes, “Now.”
“I’m exhausted. ” I heard her respond while dragging a duvet over her chest. She darted her gaze away from me and turned her body to the side.
I mashed my lips together, wondering what was going on and why she was doing this…
To me.