Reawaken

14.

Norris shook his head, "I got other business, Demetria. Some that don't concern you."

There was a bitterness in his tone, something he figured that would have me back down from my questioning. Staring at Norris, there was so much I knew about him and yet so much I was figuring out.

The hiss of the bus met my ears, seeing it turn from down the block and head our way. Norris heaved a sigh.

"Well," I said not backing down, "I can tell somethin' botherin' ya, Norris. And after the day I had, I think we could both use the company." I stepped in front of him, staring at him in those dark, cold eyes of his. Like often, I could never tell what the man was thinking, but I could definitely tell I was getting under his skin from the subtle flare of his nostrils.

The bus screeched to a stop in front of us, hissing as the doors opened. Defeat met the man's eyes as he stared at me, the irritated look on his face softening. Flicking the butt of the cigarette on the street, he cocked his head towards the door of the bus.

"C'mon then, girl."

❃

"What happened today?" Norris asked after what felt like an eternity.

The balding tires of the city bus wobbled on the pavement of the road; I was watching the green blurbs of the trees we passed. The bus was practically vacant, other than an old man with pale skin and freckles squinting at the newspaper sitting a few seats in front of us, and the bus driver. Norris ain't say where the bus was headed, hardly paying me any mind as he thumbed over the petals of the daisy bouquet. We sat like that for a while, my attention out the window and him picking at the daisies.

There was still stiffness in the air between us, despite it though, I turned from the window and saw him watching me then, worry etching his face.

The reminder of the ripped letter instantly made my skin hot, remembering the whole story about my daddy and Loretta, and Isis and her evil prying her nose into my business.

"Remember when I told you I found some stuff on my family?" I started. The man nodded, "Well, I found one of my Daddy's cousin's out at a shack in the bayou. He gave me some things about my Daddy, my Daddy died some years ago. I found out some stuff that I never thought I'd find out. A part of me I wasn't looking for."

"What was that exactly?"

A lump formed in my throat. Forcing down my saliva I answered, "Stuff about my mother. I was raised by my Daddy and Nana. My mother was never in my life. But now I'm reading and finding out I'm almost just like her, and my Daddy loved her to the moon. So much so he was willing to do things I ain't never seen him do for Nana and me. Had me feeling he couldn't love me enough to do right." The same anger I felt earlier threatened to bubble back up again. Blinking away hot tears I took a breath.

"Anyways, I was at work today with all that laying on me. And Isis being Isis pried her way in my business and I had enough and pushed her butt to the floor."

Norris was eyeing me, looking at me like he just met me for the first time in his life. I shifted in my seat, staring back out the window at the Spanish moss dancing in the large trees. I felt Norris's hand meet mine, the heat of his palm warming my skin.

"People can sometimes get caught up in things," Norris began, "But I don't think your pops couldn't love you enough. Sometimes people try to do the right things for the ones they care about and just get caught up."