RELIVING

◖ 45 ◗

               Arlene could only nod and quickly wipe the tear that fell from her eye. Anicia left her to ponder, turning down the hallway where Dwight was standing near with their luggage.

               "Thank you," Dwight said.

               Anicia eyebrows furrowed instantly. "For what? Don't get it twisted, Dwight, if my sister does decide to divorce you, I'm gonna make sure she has the best divorce attorney in this world to come for ya juggler. We're not friends. So don't ever mistake what just happened as me being on your side because that will never happen. She's still my sister. Matter of fact..." She removes the luggage from his hold, "How about you leave?"

               Dwight left with no issues, with capturing one last glance of his wife.

               Anicia leaned back on the wall, feeling a wave of nausea once more, as she heard her sister's voice talking from the few steps away, "Hey, Dad and Mom. I have to talk to you. . . Uh, no, it's not about that. . . This is about me and Dwight..." her phone conversation continued as Anicia went back to her bedroom.

               Anicia done her morning routine, and with the amount of time it took her Arlene and the luggage was gone. She was in her home alone; peaceful and quiet. She was in the middle of cooking herself what she was craving when her phone start ringing and her father's contact flashed across her screen. She let it ring for a moment longer, contemplating on if she wanted to answer.

               Her thumb pressed on the button. "Hey, Dad."

               "Didn't think you'd answer." his voice filled her ear.

               "I wasn't." She admitted.

               "Well, I'm glad you did." he exhaled heavily, "Have you heard about your sister and Dwight?"

               "She'll talk to me when she's ready," She leaned back on the counter. "Did you call me just to talk about her and Dwight?"

               "No, I called to check on you." Adonis informed and asked, "How are you?"

               "I'm fine. How are you?"

               "Same ole. Are you really fine?" Adonis wondered, "After our last conversation—"

               "You know, Dad, that conversation; I said all I needed to say." Anicia interrupted the words nearly flowing out of his mouth, "I told you how I felt and that's that. I'm not gonna go back on a conversation I don't care to speak about anymore."

               "You don't even care to fix things with your mother?"

               "I have no intentions to, no."

               The line fell silent on his end for a second until he sighed heavily. "Okay. . that's something I'm going to leave for you and your mother to deal with that amongst yourself."

               "Yeah, that's the best idea." Anicia remarked, as she grabbed the pot of boiling noodles with one hand and braced her phone with her shoulder to pour the steaming water in the sink.