Learning the Cabrera Culture #wattys2018

Teenage strops

"How did it go today your first appointment?" Sammy asks, wheeling herself onto the porch with Darius not far behind.

"Great!" I say sarcastically picking at my food that they brought for me, jadedly.

"Hey come on! Liven up a bit, you're a grown man now," Darius exclaimed. Honestly, this guy. Three fucking years older!

"Darius, I know you're mom's little brother, but come on. Stop treating me like child. We're three years apart! Stop acting as if your the same age as my dad just to make yourself feel more grown up," I groan before pushing my plate aside and run inside.

Well what do you know, I just threw a teenage strop. I'm 24 but I sure as hell didn't act like it. I blame it on my job, being around children made me this way. Don't blame the doctor!
I quickly call up January, it's evening here but over there it's like... morning.

She picks up straight away, her eyes failing to stay open. "How was your day, babe?" She says through a yawn. Her hair is sticking in every direction and she's so oblivious to what's going on. "I'll tell you after you've washed, go wash and get changed and call me back," I say sternly.
"No no, I'm awake. Tell me," She says adamantly. I huff, shaking my head at her stubbornness.

"I'm kinda scared to be honest. I kinda just snapped at Darius. I threw a teenage strop," she laughs on the other side. Gosh I miss her laugh.

I really needed her embrace, her laugh and a sneaky kiss. "Oh that reminds me. I lost my jumper, that red Adidas one, I've looked everywhere. I was wondering if you picked it up," she asks worried. Caught, red handed. Oh shit, it really is red-handed.

I laugh awkwardly. "Yeah I think I accidentally picked it up, sorry." I lie. She laughs getting up and fetching something. She hold up my matching black Adidas hood.
"You won't mind if I borrow this would you?"
"No, no sure dale hermana." I lend her a smile. Her jaw drops dramatically.
"Ay! You just sister-zoned me when we're engaged," she squeals I blow her a kiss and she leans in to give me a kiss. Ugh, well the camera a kiss.
I wish it was me.

I tell her the month long processes and tests whilst she nods to the squeamish details.
After a while she hangs up to eat breakfast.

I walk straight to the wardrobe and dig out her jumper that she'd been searching for.

The truth is, I kept it on purpose because it had her scent on it. I inhale her scent, giving me butterflies like it was our 'primera cita' to quote CNCO. That's first date to all you boring non-Spanish speakers or non-CNCO fans.

"Are you okay?" Sammy asks peering from behind the door. "Yes. Yes. Come in," I call her. She wheels in and sits besides me. She grabs my hand, the warmth of it comforting me and she turns my face towards hers.

"What's the real truth?" She says her eyes locking with mine. "What are you? My counsellor? They're already setting me with a counsellor should I donate a kidney." I push her hand away.
"You miss her? Ah come on your so easy to read. You're a grown man it's been 3 days," she says calmly. I huff like a child ignoring her.

"Come on, you're worst than me with your teenage strops!" She chuckles making me laugh too. Sammy attempts to steer away from the awkwardness I was offloading.

"Can you get me to FaceTime Erick? He's just so hot," she says flapping her face like a fangirl.
"No," I say annoyed. "Please," She pleads.
"Naw, is someone about to throw a teenage strop," I tease her.

"Okay okay, fine. Only if you watch a movie with me." She dramatically rolls her eyes.
"What one?" She asks, rather groans. "Black panther?" I ask.
"Okay for Erick Brian Colon," She smiles.

I get into my bed, switching on Netflix and flicking through the movies till I land on Black Panther.

Just as they introduce Michael B Jordan I turn to Samantha who has passed out in her chair. Her head tilted sideways into a distort uncomfortable position.
"Sucker," I say sticking my tongue out to her ask she sleeps.

I get a stupid idea, running through my dad's bag looking for a marker. Of course he has a marker incase he'd write music whilst donating a freaking kidney. I find it hiding amongst his notepads.

I run back up to Sammy's face tilting it up and drawing a curled moustache. I quickly snap a photo sending it to January before running downstairs as if nothings happened.

I walk into the living room where Darius and dad were sipping on tea.
"Yoan, sit down." He motions to a small stool besides him. I take my place and both men smile creepily at me.
"When you marrying January?" Darius asks behind his mug of tea, before slurping loudly.
"Don't know yet," I reply shrugging.

"You should have a kid by your age," I roll my eyes at his remark.
"And you should be married Darius. Why aren't you married Darius?" I say harshly.
My dad continues to glare but I avoid his eyes.

I'm not usually like this. Why was I so angry and why was I taking it out on Darius?

"I'm just going to excuse myself," I get out the room and run upstairs into my room. I thump in Uncle Joel's number and wait as it rings.

"What's up, my man?" Uncle Joel says chuckling on the other side.
"Joelito. Can I talk to you, like I need advice?" I ask.
"Go on," I take a deep breath in. I think for a moment.
"Oh don't worry it doesn't matter. I just miss you," I say. We laugh for a bit and I turn off the phone after I hear Sammy yawn.

"I'm so sorry. I fell asleep," she pouts. "Will you-,"
"Ofcourse," I butt in knowing what she'd ask. She squeals wheeling around.

"It's kinda hot in here," She fans her face.
She pulls off her jumper waiting eagerly for me to phone. I FaceTime Uncle Erick and he picks up straight away.

"Yoyo what's up I'm with Kat right now, we're shopping," he smiles facing the camera to the aisles of food. Kat steals the phone off him. "What's going on Yoan? Is everything okay?" She asked concerned.
"Yeah can I borrow Uncle Erick for like 5 minutes. I promised my cousin I'd let her talk to him," she sighs passing the phone to Erick discussing something which sounds more like an argument.

He returns laughing. "Hurry up, 5 minutes or this Asian Kat might claw me apart," he chuckles. I pass the phone to Sammy her eyes lighting up in disbelief.

But something I notice now causes me concern. Samantha has blue and green bruises all over her right arm.