Adaeze

8

We finally got everything she needed and were back in the car. I saw the plantain. It just looks like a banana but she told me it's not sweet.

We got back to the house and walked inside.
I didn't feel like going upstairs so I collapsed on the couch in the living room.

We've been out since 10:30 this morning and it was almost 4 oclock now.

I heard someone coming downstairs.

"Hey, Adaeze." my dad said.
"Hello." she responded while she put away her groceries.
"Do you have a nickname you go by? I'm always afraid I'm gonna mispronounce your name."
"Um...No. But you can give me one if you'd like."
"Alright, I'll think on it." he stated. I heard him go into the garage.

I thought of something.

"Daisy." I said out loud.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked.
"Your name is Adaeze." I sat up. "My dad thought it was A-daisy when he read it the first time. And you smell like flowers. Daisy."
She looked at me while she listened.
She giggled.
Okay maybe it's a shit nickname.

"I like it. It's very cute." she stated.

Oh.

"Would you call me it?" she asked.
"I'll call you either. Because I wanna practice getting your name right." I stated and laid back down.

Somebody else was coming downstairs.

"Hi, Adaeze. How was the school tour?" my mom asked.
"It was good. It is a very large campus but Koda was the perfect guide."
I snickered.
"That's good. Where is Ko, anyway? In his room?"
"He's on the sofa."
"Hey." I spoke up.
"What are you doing?" Mom asked me.
"Laying here. I've been walkin' all day. I'm tired."
"You're an athlete, you can't handle walking?"
I rolled my eyes.

"When do you start practicing again?" she asked.
"When school starts."
"Have you been working out on your own time since summer practice?"
"Yea."
"When?"
"I go in the garage at night before I go to bed." We had a weight room in there which I'm sure is what my dad's doing now. "I shoot around in the backyard a bit too. I'm fine."
"Okay, I was just asking."
I closed my eyes with an arm over my face.

"What are we in the mood for for dinner?" Mom asked.
"Burgers." I stated.
"I don't have enough ground beef for burgers."
Then I didn't have an answer.
"Adaeze, do you have any ideas?"
"No, ma'am."
"Oh goodness. You don't have to call me ma'am. Makes me feel old." she scoffed.
"Would you prefer I call you by your name?" Adaeze wondered. "You are Lana and David, correct?"
"Yes. But my husband prefers Dave."
Adaeze nodded.

"Ko, where's Tatum?" Mom asked.
"Probably in his room." I groaned.
"Can you tell him to come down here please?"
"TATUM!" I shouted from the couch. "MOM SAID BRING YOUR STUPID ASS DOWNSTAIRS!"
"Koda!" she replied but we heard his door open.

Dad said we could curse once we turned 16. My mom still doesn't accept that rule even though I'm 22 now.

"What?" Tatum asked me.
"What do you want for dinner?" Mom asked him.
"It doesn't matter."
"I said burgers." I stated.
"Burgers is cool."
"I don't have enough ground beef for burgers. If you choose burgers, I'm sending you and your brother out to go get them."
"Why me?" I asked.
"It was your idea."
"Why me?!" Tatum asked.
"Somebody needs to help him carry it inside."
"Why can't you make Adaeze do it?!" Tatum asked.
"Because she's a guest!"
"I can go with Koda." Adaeze spoke up.

I sat up and looked at her.

"Are you sure, sweetie? You don't have to if you don't want to." Mom stated.
"I want to." she smiled and nodded.
My eyes widened. I saw my brother look at me and I looked at him.

"Never mind, I wanna go." Tatum spoke up.
"I don't have room." I lied.
"Bullshit! I was just in there yesterday!"
"And I put shit in there today, dumbass!"
"No the fuck you didn't!"
"LANGUAGE!" Mom yelled.
"Yes, I did!"
"Bro, what the fuck could you have put in there since yesterday?!"
"My board."
"THEN TAKE IT THE FUCK OUT!"
"NO!"
He headed for the door and I got up but the moment I did he ran outside. I ran after him and he was about to look in my car but I tackled him to the ground.

"YOU'RE A BULLSHIT LIAR! SHOW ME WHAT'S IN THE CAR!"
"NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS! IT'S MY CAR!"
We fought on the grass longer than we probably should've for something this small.

He's 18 and I'm 22 and we're wrestling in the front yard over a seat in a car.
Did I stop because of that logic? No. Fuck him. Is it still stupid? Yea. But I do stupid shit all the time. Usually when this fucking asshole is around.

I finally grabbed him and put him in a chokehold. He kept pulling up handfuls of grass and throwing them at me like a fucking child.
I caught like two pieces in my mouth and tried to spit it out.

He slapped my arm so I let him go and listened to him take deep breaths while I pulled grass out of my mouth.
He got up and ran inside. I ran after him.

He shut the door and locked it.
"MOM, TELL KODA TO LET ME GO WITH HIM TO GET FOOD!" he yelled.
I banged on the door. "OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!" I shouted.
"Do you really need to go, Tatum?" I heard my mom ask.
"NO!" I shouted.
"YES!" he yelled.
I started forcing my shoulder into the door.
"KODA, DON'T BREAK MY FUCKING DOOR!" my mom yelled.
"TELL HIM TO UNLOCK IT!" I shouted.
"Tatum, let your brother into the house!"
"Tell him to let me go with him."
"Koda, just let Tatum go with you to get the food! Can you two stop acting like children for two minutes!" she exclaimed.
I heard the door unlock and I opened it.

I got in there and just saw my mom heading upstairs and Adaeze staring at me and Tatum. I slapped him on the back of his head and shut the door. Asshole.