“Oh shit. That’s right. I promised to have you back earlier. I’m so sorry,” Lyric apologized as she began wiping her fingers with the wet wipe. Ever had already cleaned up and applied more gloss to her lips. She was ready to bounce.
“It’s fine, but I’m ready when you are.”
“Are you OK to drive?” Lyric asked.
“No,” I interrupted, “Laike is taking you home. Ever can ride with me. Y’all both need to chill out.”
“It’s only a ten-minute drive,” Lyric fussed.
“It only takes a second to get wrapped around a pole. Not up for debate. Clean yourself up and we’re heading outside.”
She knew she wouldn’t win because whatever I wasn’t willing to say, Laike would. If necessary, neither of us minded tossing her over our shoulder and carrying her out with her lips turned up in a pout. Her safety had always been and would forever be our highest priority. I’d did eight years to prove it. I refused to get out and let her kill herself on some drunk shit. My job was to protect her from everyone, even herself at times.
We filed out of the bar with me on the tail end. The slight breeze that welcomed us when we hit the door was appreciated. We all made our way to the valet booth, both Ever and Lyric barely able to walk straight as their giggles pierced the air.
“Oh my God.” Lyric realized just how fucked up she’d gotten. “Yeah. Nah. No driving for me.”
“You ain’t have to tell us that,” Laike assured her. “We knew that shit two hours ago.”
“We meet again, stranger.” I felt a hand on my back as Kasey rounded my body.
She smelled just as good as she had back at the bar.
“Somehow you don’t feel so much like a stranger now,” she joked.
“Yeah?”
“Um. Hm. What are you about to get into?” she asked as I threw my arm on her shoulder.
“Bed.”
“Can I join you?”
“If that’s what you want to do, then I won’t stop you. This my ride. Hit me up,” I told her as I stepped away. “Come on,” Iturned to Ever and commanded. Drunk and giddy, she leaped off the curb and toward my truck. I walked her around and helped her inside, afraid that she’d fall on her ass if I didn’t.
Once inside, I handed her the bottle of water that I’d been sipping from earlier without hesitation. She needed to be hydrated to combat the liquor she’d consumed. Ever turned the bottle up without question, although it had obviously been opened.
“God. I can’t believe I drank so much again tonight,” she fussed.
It was obvious that she wasn’t used to being so far off her rocker. Neither was Lyric, but when with us, they were cool. I wanted them to drink as much as they could tolerate because we’d always make sure they were good.
I remained silent, watching the road. Lyric’s place wasn’t very far, but she’d have enough time to begin to sober up. The water, in addition to the wings she’d eaten would soak a bit of the liquor up. She’d sleep really well and wake up refreshed the next morning.
Neither of us indulged in conversation, instead opting to allow the music to lead us. Laike drove like a fresh graduate of driving school to ensure our sister’s safety, forcing me to fall in line. When we approached her street, I breathed a sigh of relief. Ever noticed we’d reached our destination and leaned up to lower the volume on Meek Mill’s album.
“Can we talk?” she asked as we pulled up to Lyric’s home.
She’d been saving her words for this very moment. I’d caught her orbs a few times in the ten minutes we’d traveled to my sister’s place. Ever wouldn’t let things go so easily, I could tell by the look on her face when she turned to face me.
“What we talking about, Ever?”
I shifted the gear, placing the truck in park. Laike had left the remainder of the weed we had smoked in the cupholder on thearmrest. I removed the clear bag and the grinder that was next to it. As I waited for Ever to give me a straight answer, I filled the grinder and sealed the bag of weed up again.
“I feel like you’re upset with me,” she admitted.
“You shouldn’t feel that way because I’m not.”
“Then why aren’t you talking to me?”
