A Red Leaf

Chapter 4

I let my fingers pass through the very tips of the blades of grass as my arms swung lackadaisically. My blood rushing to my head was starting to become uncomfortable and where my knees bent over the tree branch were also beginning to ache. I looked over to Devone who had given up on swinging altogether and was just letting his body hang and his arms touch the ground. His eyes were closed and I would've believed if he had fallen asleep five minutes ago. Somehow I had noticed that the branch had stopped aggressively shaking when he had been determined to impersonate, I'm guessing, a tire swing.

"Devone," I poked at my branch buddy, "Can you please go get your cousin? She's taking too long," He opened one eye and looked at me.

"She's talking to my dad. You can go get her if you want," His voice came out airy as if he was holding his breath. He closed his eyes again and I shook him.

"Dude get up, you look like a tomato," I muttered. He dropped from the branch and landed on his back.

"Oof," He exhaled before sitting up, "Mel! Hurry up!" He hollered. After a couple of seconds, I saw an upside down Mel marching out of the house.

"Devone, come here," She commanded. He rubbed his messy hair.

"Why?" He whined. I came down from the tree, more gracefully than Devone had, and looked to see Mel with her hands on her hips.

"Jace threw up and Uncle Pie said for you to clean it up," She said happily. Devone slapped his face.

"Again?!" He picked himself up and stomped up to his house. Mel patted him on the back as he passed by and then she turned to me.

"Is he alright?" I winced, thinking of a couple of weeks ago when Jace had a vomiting fit for four days. She brought her hands to clap at her sides.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Probably just some food poisoning or something," She waved it off, "But I think I'd better stay and look after him. Uncle Pie still has to help Gran move out and god knows Devone would only make it worse." I nodded in understanding.

"No worries," I reassured. Uncle Pie was Devone's dad and the name 'Pie' had a backstory that I only knew bits and pieces about since every time Devone or his dad tried to explain it, they wouldn't stop laughing every five seconds. All I knew was that it involved pecan pie and a very big misunderstanding with Pie's old ex-girlfriend from his twenties. Apparently, his buddies used to call him Pie boy, before everyone just became used to calling him Pie. I actually don't even know his real name and after calling him 'Mr. Sanders' the first time I met him, as far as I knew, Uncle Pie was his name.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then," I settled and Mel smiled apologetically. Tonight, we planned on going to the movies to watch a film I had been wanting to see since Red recommended it to us. Now since my afternoon was clear, there was really nothing to do but to go home. When I returned home, I saw my dad's car in the driveway. I walked into the house and he was on the computer at the dining table. His glasses were on and he looked up at me above the frames.

"Hey Lee," He greeted and I dropped my keys in the bowl.

"Hey dad. Are the boys not here?" I looked around fully expecting to see or hear yelling and high-pitched squawking from my two younger step-brothers.

"No," He shook his head slightly as his eyes concentrated on the screen, "Melinda took them to baseball I think- Hey have you eaten dinner yet?" He straightened up and looked at me.

"I have not," I responded.

"Great, let's go out," He got up and shut his laptop. It was rare to get a night out with just me and Dad so I made no argument.

Soon, we arrived at a restaurant that I had never been to. He said that his coworkers said the food was really good and that the restaurant just opened a location here last month. He had wanted to have a whole family dinner here but a good father-daughter moment was just as good.

"Wait, is this their first game?" I asked as I shoveled my chicken salad into my mouth. Dad sliced a piece of steak and stabbed it with his fork.

"Yeah, on the new team. I was going to go see it but I had some work I needed to catch up at home," He explained and shoved the steak in his mouth. Dad and I ate pretty similarly, like starving ogres. He used to work out a lot and you could still tell by his stature but he ate much more food back then. Growing up only eating meals with a gym rat, you could say I adopted many of his eating habits.

"Did you finish by the time I got home?" I sipped some lemonade as I recalled him not hesitating to shut his laptop and go eat. He stirred his gravy into his mashed potatoes.

"Oh no, but it's not that important anyways."

"Does that mean you just wanted to miss the game?" I watched him as I ate my chicken. He laughed.

"Hey, you better not tell them. I mean there's only so much little league I can take," He grinned. "I mean, it's like there's nothing going on in their little minds! Last practice all Ryan wanted to do was sit down and stare at the grass!" I couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"Dad, they're like five," I tried to breathe.

"I know!" He exclaimed, "Which is why I can't take any more of it. I mean, you were an easy kid but I'm glad you're not a child anymore."

"I think that's the opposite of what a parent is supposed to say," I joked.

He snorted. "I'm sure I'll be saying that in a few years when I'm missing my little girl." I shook my head.

"Don't worry dad, you'll still have Ryan and Benny to keep you company," I assured, "You've gotta keep those gray hairs in just a little longer."

"Gray? Do I look a day over thirty-five?" He pulled at his short hair. There were a few specs of gray I could see, but dad was forty-two.

"Not at all father," I clinked my drink with his and smiled. His eyebrows scrunched.

"Ay, you're getting too cheeky for your own good. I've gotta get out of here before I sprout more white hairs, can I get the check please?" He raised his hand. I looked over my shoulder to see that our waiter wasn't around but there was another waitress who was looking around before walking toward our table.

"I'll get your check for you," The waitress said and began picking up our finished meals. As her arm crossed the table to pick up my plate, I got a glimpse of her face and froze. It was a face I hadn't seen in five years but I'd recognize anywhere. I watched as she turned away, almost in slow motion, and I was still stunned when she left. Luckily, dad was on his phone so he didn't notice the change in my demeanor. I quickly turned around to see her again but she had already rounded the corner. Not long after, she returned with the check and my eyes shot up to her nametag.

'KYRA'

All I wanted to do was stare at her but I found it impossible to look up so my eyes stayed trained on the wall behind her. I could feel her presence so close and I felt an urge, to do what, I had no idea. When she left again, my eyes stayed stuck and I didn't move. I looked at my dad and it felt like our dinner and our conversation happened a thousand years ago. When she finally came back, I looked at her. She was looking at my father, waiting, and had a 'working' expression like she was busy and trying to get through her shift. For a split second, her eyes drew to me and I saw those chocolate eyes again, but just as quickly they were looking away again.

The drive home was only about ten minutes but it went by in a flash. I remembered watching the trees zoom past and blur together and in the next second, we were in our driveway. I couldn't tell you what I had been thinking the whole drive but I knew who it was about. It was 7:30 and Melinda and the boys were home. When I walked in the house was quiet besides the TV that was on.

"Hey you two," Melinda said from the couch where she was in her pajamas and had a cup in her hands. Dad put down his things and went over to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hey," he breathed.

"How was dinner?" she sipped her tea.

"Great, we tried that new place I was talking about," Dad rummaged through the fridge, "I'll have to take you there some time, it's really nice."

"What are you watching?" I leaned against the couch and looked at the screen.

"James Bond movie," She set her cup down and walked into the kitchen, "The boys are asleep early for once, I didn't think they would but they got really sleepy in the car." She touched my dad's back and I took that as my queue to go to my room.

"Do you want some ice cream?" Dad called out.

"No," I went up the stairs.

"You don't want to watch the movie?" I heard Melinda shout.

"No thanks! I'm going to my room," I yelled before going down the hall. I shut the door with my foot and plopped onto my bed. I stared up at the ceiling and my mind wandered. I saw the black attire she wore, probably the dress code, and the way her hair was up in a messy bun. The strands of hair that escaped were still brown but I wondered if she dyed her hair since it looked lighter than I remembered. I saw the arm that stretched across me, my eyes trailed up her skin and to the black collar of her shirt. Her forehead was shining with sweat and her brows were slightly scrunched as if she was always thinking.

I'll get your check for you. I'll get your check for you. I'll get your check for you.

Her voice had that typical customer service tone, polite but strong. It wasn't how she would naturally talk and I found myself dying to hear her talk to me. I have to hear her voice. I sat up and thought for a second. I have to hear her voice.

I grabbed my jacket and ran out of my room. I quickly went down the stairs and didn't spare a glance to dad and Melinda on the couch, sharing a blanket.

"I'm going to Mel's for a bit!" I called out and went to the garage before I could hear a response. I got in my car and started the engine, backing out of the driveway. I was stiff all the way there, both my hands on the wheel and my mind both running and empty at the same time. I remembered where to go since I recognized the Wendy's near the restaurant that Devone had been fired from. He had lasted two months which was a month and a half longer than his first job. I turned into the restaurant parking lot which was mostly empty. I parked at the front and turned off the engine.

This is stupid. I got out of my car.