Sunbeam

28) Open up

"She won't take the food," Polly states, dropping a basket onto the table, "I left this almost three days ago, it's not been touched."

"She's not talking, not even to us," Bea sighs, "we've left more food but who knows if she'll take it."

"It's still outside her door? The food you've just left?" Kez asks, grabbing her jacket.

"Yes," Polly nods, "Kez, if she won't talk to us, what makes you think she'll talk to you."

"I'm her sister, she can dislike me all she wants, but she's never been able to give me the silent treatment," Kezia states, "she's going to eat something even if I have to kick the door of its hinges."

"So you're going in all guns blazing? Is that your best tactic?" Polly questions.

"Oh you see if I don't get her eating and talking," Kez responds.

"If you reckon you can why've you waited so damn long to do so?" Bea asks.

"I never thought she'd ignore you two," Kezia shrugs, "I assumed she'd let you in, take the food. Just trust me on this, she might not want to see me, but she'll let me in."

"It's worth a shot," Polly sighs.

-

Kezia approaches the apartment Ada was living in, spotting the basket of food Polly and Beatrice had left for her still on the floor outside her door. She knocks on the door, she can hear movement inside but there's no response.

"Come on, Ada," Kezia says, "you've got to open up for someone, you've got to eat something. It's not good for you or the baby to be holed up in there."

It goes silent behind the door, and then there's a tone of disbelief in Ada's voice when she speaks, "Kez? They sent you?"

"They didn't send me," Kez responds, "they actually thought it'd be a bad idea, but once they told me you weren't talking or eating, well, there's nothing anyone could've done to stop me coming."

"I thought I told you to fuck off," Ada says.

"It's not the first time you've ever told me to fuck off, I didn't listen then, and I'm not going to listen now," Kez states, "you don't have to invite me in, you can stay mad at me even though I've done nothing wrong, but I am not leaving until you open that door and take the food that Polly and Bea have been kind enough to make and deliver."

Ada doesn't respond, but Kez knew she probably still had her ear against the door, "Chakano, please. Take the food. We're all worried about you. I promise to leave if you just take the basket."

"Most people wouldn't have come after being told very clearly to fuck off," Ada states.

"But I did," Kezia shrugs.

"You'll always come, won't you?" Ada questions quietly.

"So long as I'm alive," Kezia replies.

Kez hears the chain being undone, and moments later Ada had opened the door, she looked pale and fragile as she gives her older sister a soft smile, holding her child close to her chest, "thank you... and you don't have to leave."

Picking up the basket of food, Kez follows Ada into the apartment, shutting the door behind her, "why haven't you been opening up for Bea and Pol?"

"I don't want them to see me like this, and they're not as annoyingly persistent," Ada states.

"Someone's going to be here every other day with some food, whether it's me or them, you open up, okay? You can't just stay here alone and hungry in silence," Kezia commands, and Ada knew there was no point in arguing, if she didn't open up, her door would've eventually been kicked down. Kez never had been good at listening to people if she cared enough to want better for them.

"You look exhausted," Kez sighs.

"It's hard raising a newborn alone," Ada replies.

"Then accept the help people who love you are offering," Kezia responds, "I know it's a shit situation, but Tommy and I are working on getting Freddie released."

"You really didn't have anything to do with it?" Ada queries, and Kezia shakes her head, "no, I didn't call the cops on Freddie, nor did I tell someone to or know it was going to happen."

"Who did?" Ada asks, picking out a sandwich from the basket.

"I was with Grace when Bea told me," Kezia states, "she needed some extra money and coppers were offering cash for anyone with information on Freddie."

"Grace did this," Ada repeats.

"I... I didn't think she'd sell us out, I wouldn't have gone near her if I thought for a moment she'd do this," Kezia says.

"I know you wouldn't," Ada sighs, "I don't want to think about it right now, it only makes it harder to deal with. Let's talk about something else, what about the woman?"

"The woman?" Kez replies.

"The one you're in love with, any progress? Did you speak to Bea?" Ada questions.

"No progress, and yes I did talk to Bea, didn't really help though," Kezia says.

"That's a shame," Ada frowns, taking a bite from the sandwich, "will you be okay?"

"I'll be just fine," Kez responds, "it's not the main thing on my mind at the moment, Dad's back, Arthur's running around Birmingham for him."

"What does he want?" Ada scoffs.

"Probably money," Kezia says, "he'll be gone soon enough once he's emptied Arthur's pockets."

"And you're not going to intervene?" Ada asks.

"I've had enough of arguing with Arthur about Dad, he's a grown man, if he wants to get done over again, he can, he's not my responsibility," Kezia replies.

"But I am? I'm a grown woman," Ada points out.

"This isn't your fault though, Arthur's just an idiot who believes in a man who has only ever fucked people over," Kezia states, "you might be grown, but you're still my baby sister. The boys feel the same way."

"Then why haven't they come?" Ada asks.

"They knew they'd get no answer," Kezia shrugs.

"And you knew you wouldn't?" Ada responds.

"Yes," Kez nods, "you've never been able to ignore me, Ada. Even when we were kids and you'd get annoyed at something we'd said or done and swore to never speak to us again, you gave in instantly with me, you'd ignore them for a good couple of days."

"The something you'd done would be hit a guy for speaking to me," Ada states.

"It was more than just speaking and you know it," Kezia responds, "you're the youngest girl, Ada, it's one of the reasons why dad never fucked with you, he knew he'd have four very angry older siblings after him. Even if it may not seem like it, we're always just trying to look after you, and keep you safe from things that we have experienced."

"You have to admit you did go too far sometimes," Ada says, to which Kez just shrugs, "there is no too far when it comes to you."