Existence - Maddy Perez

Green-ish

Hola, I've decided to wait for the the sequel, there will still be one, just a little further into the book.

"Give her more time, how would you react if Cassie died" I shook my head at my cousin

"that's the thing, I wouldn't" he scoffed and shook his head.

"Ok cousin, if you say so" Louie patted me on the shoulder and stood up.

"Do you know when they're going to be back" "no, they probably needed the space, it's been all of us in this house you know"

I nodded "I know, but I'm just excited to see her" he nodded again. "you will see her soon enough, she's your kid after all" I sat on the porch, holding the baby monitor Louie gave me.

"Who knew you could have such cute kids" I chuckled as he leaned over my shoulder to gush at cal.

"Cal looks nothing like me" he shook his head, "but Kay looks exactly like you" my head shot up.

"So Cassie changed her name." I haven't seen my daughter since she was one month old, I should have guessed Cassie would have changed her name.

He looked away "Noa convinced her that the name Astrid had a bad vibe to it"

I clenched my jaw. "That was our mother's middle name."

"Oh" I nodded, Noa has been acting out ever since our mother died, she has custody of drix and she hasn't let me see him, she hasn't even spoken to me.

"She's not the same, she'll never be the same y/n"

"no she just grieving she's my twin, she'll always come back"  I felt something wet running down my face, I sniffled, Louie walked over and handed me a box of tissue.

I wiped my eyes

"There is still hope"

i looked at him "what do you mean?"

"Look, I know you miss your mom, I understand that. And I know you're grieving still But you have to learn to let people in" I gave him a look

"what do you think I've been doing for months" he shook his head.

"Not well enough obviously"

I chuckled before looking down at my feet. "I don't think I'm cut out to be a parent, or a lover" I looked down and saw my hand wrapped around the baby monitor.  before he could respond a car pulled into the driveway

"that'll be them"  I sighed, wiping my eyes once again. I walked inside and sat at the kitchen table.

When Noa came in, she immediately walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle, not even noticing me. Louie watched as we both silently watched her drink her bottle.

It made me angry to watch, but I didn't have any right to feel that way. She put the bottle back in the fridge and grabbed something out of the fridge. Louie look at me and cleared his throat to get her attention.

  Noa turned around to see who interrupted her bottle drinking session. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of me.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me coldly. I stood up and looked at her. Louie put a hand on my shoulder, trying to push me down. "I'm leaving" I turned towards the door.

She grabbed my arm. I tried pulling free. "No you're not." she growled. My heart rate accelerated, and I felt dizzy.

The baby monitor slipped out of my hands. She caught it just before it hit the floor and glared at me

"not after you hurt Cassie" what?  "what did you just say?" I said slowly turning to face her.

Noa pushed me harder against the wall. "You heard me, don't act stupid with me" she spit in my face "I was only protecting her, from someone as messed up as you." she said, as I stood there confused.

"I didn't hurt her, if anything she hurt me" just in that moment she walked in with a kid in her arms.

i looked at the little girl as she played with her moms necklace, it sprung tears to my eyes . I couldn't breathe, everything was moving too fast.

Louie looked between us.
"why don't i play with Kay while her y'all talk?" he walked into the bedroom with kay. 

I couldn't move, couldn't speak, my throat was closing up, and I felt my breathing start to speed up. "Are you crying?" Noa spat at me.

I looked up at her, feeling myself break down in front of her. I can't cry in front of her. i squeezed my shirt right above my heart as i choked back my tears. "I'm sorry" i whispered.

She scoffed at me. "don't fucking apologize to me"
I took another step towards her "I'm sorry! I didn't hurt her, please, you're my sister!" she looked at

me "did you hit Cassie" i shook my head no, she smirked "is that supposed to make me forgive you" she stepped towards me
"I don't care about you hitting her, I never did, I finally have her" she took another step towards me.

"you know I'm teaching your daughter how to talk, her first word was mama, and it was me who she said it to, not you".

"You're lying" I tried to keep my voice down.  "No! I am fucking not lyi--" I stopped listening to her rant. And I looked at Cassie, her head was down and she was trembling, in that moment, my heart ached for her, what had Noa done.

"I should have gotten rid of you the moment mom died, it was your fault" the words spilled out before I could stop them, I looked at her, it was like I was seeing her for the first time , she looked just like mom, she looked more like her then me even if we're twins, but she also looked broken.

That look made me regret my previous words, but before I could apologize she ran out the room.

———
Yo, I think it's time to bring rue back, stay tuned.