Sidney Berry had her life planned out: after high school go to culinary school, become a world-renowned chef and marry her childhood sweetheart, Aiden. But after a tragic incident that shakes her world at the end of her senior year, her plans derail...
They shuffled side by side to the bathroom where Sid helped him undress. After testing the temperature of the water she gathered his clothes off the floor and went to leave, and allow him some privacy and space to think. The door had almost closed behind her when she heard him speak.
"Can you stay?" His voice was barely above a whisper but it reached her none the less.
"Of course." Sid dropped the clothes into the corner as Phil opened the glass door and stepped into the shower, his brown skin popping against the cream subway tile. Sid put down the toilet lid and settled onto it as she watched the steam swirl around him. The moment seemed to require silence on her part so she didn't say anything. She'd been thinking and speaking and filling in the long silences since she picked him up but right now she resisted the urge to do that. She instead just did what he'd asked of her. She just stayed. She stole glances at him through the glass.
"Did you know where I was?"
"No"
"He had me right at home. In our mother's apartment. There's this big portrait in the living room of all of us. When I was ten my mother got us all dressed up and dragged us to JCPenney for Easter. In that picture, I'm looking up at him with this little suit on like he's larger than life. I blacked out looking up at that picture over and over." Sid thought she heard a sob catch in his throat but he coughed, groaned, and pushed it away. The water gurgled down the drain and she was sure some of his tears were mixed in there too. It had never occurred to Sid that Phil had been right in the apartment building. Right in his apartment the whole time. It seemed too brazen. Too open. Too much of a risk. But Kru didn't care about any of that. It didn't seem like anyone cared about what Kru did.
"Why didn't your mother stop him?"
"She died last year. A stroke. It's just me in there. He hasn't been there since she died but seemed to think it was a great spot to..." Phil's shoulders started quaking long before the words came out of his mouth, "Fucking evil. He's evil, Sid. And he's my brother. Am I like that too?" This time he didn't hold back his tears. He let it all out. Sid's hands were on the handle to the shower before her brain had time to process it. She stepped in, the water seeped into her clothes slowly as she wrapped her arms around him. Her chest pressed into his back. She tried to tell him through their embrace that she had already put an end to that evil in motion. That right now, Kru was out of town with Nixon doing shows and completely unaware that there would be no businesses for him to run his money through when he returned. That she was now controlling all of those spots and had sent the owners off on vacations, far out of Kru's reach. That she was just waiting for him to come to her so she could do what needed to be done. For Phil and for her.
"Sometimes evil comes into the world to show everyone what virtue looks like. You're good. So good, Phil. You are nothing like that. We are going to show him what virtue looks like." She coaxed him to turn around and look her in the eyes so he knew every word she said was true. Phil was truth. He was honesty. He was everything she was starved of. He faced her finally and looked deep into her eyes. Using one finger he pulled back the strands of hair that had become plastered to her cheek with water and replaced it with his hand. He seemed like he was about to say something but Sid didn't want words this time. It was time to stop talking and just get to the business of doing. Not just here but with her entire life. She rose up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his lips that she hoped erased whatever he'd meant to say from his mind. Their kiss deepened and as much as she wanted things to go further she knew that he was in no condition to do so. She didn't even really want that. Just being with him was enough. Sid pulled away and grabbed a fresh loofah and body wash. Neither of them spoke as she slid the puff of foam all over his body. Quietly in her mind, Sid hoped that they would have more moments like this in their future. This intimacy. But with Kru looming, She didn't know how this would all turn out. She wouldn't hope for more. Instead, she cherished the moment like it was her last because it may very well be.
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These two literally make me melt. The way they allow one another to be broken is so wonderfully beautiful. I'm in my mushy BAG right now, lol. How are you guys feeling about things? Are you wanting Sid to face down Kru? Are you wanting her to just leave it alone and run away with Phil? Tell me.
Okay, people! My goal is to finish up the story THIS WEEK. So stay tuned this week for a few more updates and the conclusion of "All She Can Take". Did I mention that you all are the dopest for reading this and I'm so damn happy? VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE!
