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1487 Words
Stephanie was sitting on the couch watching television. Abitha had just dropped Kirsten off at a friends’ house for a birthday party. Abitha knew that this would be the perfect time to talk to Stephanie.
“Stephanie,” Abitha called walking into the livingroom. “We need to talk.”
“I’m watching TV. Can we talk later?” Stephanie asked coldly.
“No. We need to talk now.”
Abitha turned off the TV and stood in front of it.
“Fine. What do you want?”
“First of all, lose the attitude.”
Stephanie straightened up. “Sorry.”
“Second ... we need to talk about last week and why I had to work the extra hours ...”
“I already know why, Abby. We need the money. Are we done now?”
“No, we are not done now. What is with you?”
“What’s wit me? What’s wit chu?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean ... you’ve been so concerned about keeping a low profile and earning more money that you’ve forgotten about us.”
“How can you say that, Steph? Everything I’m doing is for you. How can I forget about you?”
“Well, you for damn sure don’t know we’re here.”
“Unh unh. Who you talkin’ to?”
“I’m talkin’ to you!”
“I don’t know who you think you are ...”
“I think I’m your sister which you’ve seem to lose sight of.”
“Stephanie Jean Smith!”
“Isn’t it bad enough we lost our parents. Now we gotta lose you to?”
“Lose me? Is that what this is about? You think you’re losin’ me?”
Stephanie sat silent with her arms folded as Abitha sat beside her on the sofa.
“Oh, Stephanie,” she sighed.
“Don’t do that. Don’t make fun of me.”
“I’m not ... I’m not making fun of you, honey. I just ... I can’t believe you would think ... Listen,” she said unfolding her sisters’ arms and facing her. “You’re not losin’ me anytime soon. It’s gon’ take a lot more than a job and a few paychecks to get rid of me. I’m not goin’ anywhere. You hear me?”
She nodded and hugged her sister. As Abitha hugged her back, she felt a feeling of deja vu. There were times like these where she could see a bit of herself in Stephanie, hearing her confess some of the same worries that she had on her mind at her age. She didn’t want either of her sisters to feel abandoned. She knew what that was like ... and she didn’t want to continue that cycles with them.
“I gotta get to the store, sweetie ...”
“Aww, man,” Stephanie said letting go of her sister.
“No, now wait a minute. It’s payday, okay? I gotta collect this overtime. I have somebody coming to watch you for a little bit.”
“Oh, come on, Abby ...”
“Listen to me. I won’t be gone long, alright. And when I come back ... you and me are gonna have a conversation about how I can better manage my time. Okay?”
Stephanie smiled. “Okay.”
They heard knocking at the door. Abitha rose from the sofa.
“Is she nice?”
She turned back to her sister. “Very.” She walked to the door and opened it.
“Hi, Leah.”
“Hey. I’m sorry it took me so long. It took me a minute to find the place.”
“It’s cool. Come on in.”
As Leah walked in, she noticed Stephanie peeking in from the livingroom giving her a once-over. When Leah greeted her, Abitha turned and introduced the two.
“Leah, this is my sister, Stephanie.”
“Hi, Stephanie. Do I meet your approval?”
“Mmm ... you’re okay, I guess.”
Shaking her head, Abitha laughed, “Told you she was a handful. You still want the job?”
“Oh, I think we’ll get along just fine,” Leah laughed.
“Good. Um, can I talk to you for a quick second before I head out?”
“Sure. Hey, Steph, why don’t you go watch a lil TV and I’ll be with you in a minute, okay?”
“Alrighty.”
As Stephanie followed the direction she was given, Leah asked, “So what’s up?”
“I just wanted to know how you were doing. Since, you know? The incident.”
“Incident? What incident?”
“You know ... Mr. Searle firing you.”
Leah scoffed, smiling. “Chile, I didn’t get fired.”
“What?”
“I quit my job at the store.”
“W-why would you do that? You’re strugglin’ with paying your bills. You’re about to get evicted. Why would you quit?”
“What? Okay, where are you gettin’ your info from?”
“Kayla said ...”
“Oh, Lord. That daggone Kayla. I wish she would get her facts straight. I told her I went to Mr. Searle and said I needed to leave my position. I didn’t have the heart to tell that man I was rollin’ out cuz I made more money at my other job.”
“Other job?”
“Yeah, girl. I was holding two jobs when I was workin’ at Searle’s. The other gig started demanding more of my time and I tried to do both but at the end of the day, I was so exhausted. Since the other one paid more and allows me to have an actual career ... I decided to quit Searle’s.”
“O ... kay. What about you gettin’ evicted?”
“Listen, I said I was movin’ in with my boyfriend and she just let her imagination run away with her.”
“Are you even behind on tuition?” Abitha asked sarcastically.
She smiled. “Yeah, but the job helps with that. And the couple dollars I’m savin’ livin’ with my boyfriend doesn’t hurt either.”
“So, you’re good then?”
She nodded. “I figured I’d help you out cuz I know you’re always workin’ extra and helping your sisters.”
“Ain’t that somethin’? Here I am thinkin’ I’m lendin’ you a hand and you’re helpin’ me out? That’s what’s up.”
“Can I help you out in another way?”
“No, I’m cool actually.”
“Uh, that wasn’t exactly a question. More like an introduction.”
“An introduction ... to what?”
“Abby, how old is Stephanie? Thirteen?”
“Twelve.”
“Uh huh. And why does she still need a babysitter?”
She smiled in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sure the girl can take care of herself for the ... what? Fifteen, twenty minutes it’ll take for you to go pick up your check. You don’t think havin’ me here is a lil ridiculous?”
“Okay, um ... Leah. Honey. I appreciate the concern, but I don’t need no help.”
“You might not but I think Stephanie does.”
“What the hell are you talkin’ about?”
“Abby, I am a lil older than you and I know where your sister is comin’ from. I’m a middle child just like she is, and your teenage years are such a tender age ... she doesn’t need to be smothered while she’s tryna ... find her way into womanhood. You can’t hold her hand forever. You have to let go at some point and what better way than to give her the small responsibility of being home alone?”
Abitha cleared her throat and stressed out of her clinched teeth, “I don’t need this right now. I’m gon’ go get my check ... and I’ll be back shortly.”
- Writer
