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♫ call me by cautious clay ♫
"Here..." Eli handed Kelly the bag of flour to put into the pantry as he went about separating the rest of the groceries they brought home. Though he tried to avoid the sad look she was giving him for the last six minutes, he managed to make himself useful around the house.
Whether it was tending to Lulu's needs or simply grocery shopping for the couple, he knew that this week was going to be the hardest to get through.
It seemed that everywhere he went, there was the constant reminder that Greta Abney was back with her ex-boyfriend.
And not only that, but she was engaged.
Once again, someone else was chosen over him.
And to top it off, he was now unemployed. Having finally obtained the financial confidence to invest in their own bakery, Eli, Alex, and Alex's girlfriend Olive have collectively quit their job at the office to put their full commitment into opening up the bakery they've wanted to do for months.
But until that happened, much of Eli's life was on a standstill. And so he kept himself busy by doing the only thing he's known how to do for the last 10 years:
Take care of Kelly and her brother.
When she turned back to him, Kelly offered to take the leftover bags and toss them into the recycling bin. Then once again, she made another attempt to wipe away the sad look on his bearded face by bringing up a picture of a slender woman with eloquent features and thick, kinky hair.
And as she tried to put her efforts of playing matchmaker on the field again, she hoped that this time would make for better results. "So her names Lucy. I met her at women's march last year. And I know that you have this week spot for girls that look like SZA, so..."
But Eli only declined with a shake of his head, hardly showing much interest on the outside despite his urge to examine the photo just a little bit longer. "Why she look like someone you slept with though?"
Then with a guilty tilt of her head, Kelly clicked her tongue. "Maybe me and Lulu had a threeway with her last Halloween. But c'mon," She laughed. "You and I got the same taste in girls. We were bound to sleep with the same one at some point."
"Look, I appreciate you, but I'm good." Responded Eli as he unzipped his hoodie - wet from the rain - and tossed it over the edge of the couch. "But I need to get my shit together and stave off bein' thirsty for a while. Besides, ain't no girl wanna fuck with a broke nigga with no job, and who wears his heart on his sleeve. Ain't that what you said?"
"Yeah, but that was back when we were in Georgia. The girls here fit you better, and they're more openminded." With a snatch of his arm, Kelly dragged Eli over to the couch to sit him next to her. As he slumped himself into the cushions, she rested comfortable with her arm propped onto his shoulder.
She fed him with nothing but a pensive, sympathetic stare. Seeing him like this had been something she was used to, but hadn't expected to see ever again once he moved to Seattle.
It was a pattern, really. He'd end up with a girl that would eventually break his heart, then Kelly would give in to his urge to take care of her as though that was all he had left in the world. With everything in life so prone to change, Kelly and Eli being there for each other have been a constant.
Often times, she was proud of that. But every now and then, she felt bad. Growing up, they both only wanted to believe in the idea of loving and being loved. Up until her marriage, Kelly had been keen on choosing her insecurities over being with someone she actually believed she deserved. Eli, on the other hand, had the misfortune of being the one passed up for others.
With their opposing experiences, the two felt like kindred spirits in spite of them. So picking what next to say was easy for Kelly. "Look, Greta wasn't the one. That was all. We just need to clean you up a bit, get that Marvin's Room vibe outta your head, then find you someone that's more suited for you."
Though, he muttered back to her. "But what if you're wrong? I practically told her to go over to that nigga."
"No you didn't."
"I did..."
"Eli stop-"
"She wanted to get back together, Kelly." He said. "She tried to tell me that we could've had somethin' together, but I stood there and let her go."
Then, Kelly looked down. Guilt weighed down on her now. There was the true knowledge of Greta's engagement that he'd been unaware of. And now, she couldn't help but to wonder if perhaps the truth would make him feel at ease.
Twiddling with her fingers, she chewed on her lip as her thoughts grew more weary with expectation. But after enough moments spent between them in silence, Kelly dared to look backup at Eli. "She was gonna leave you anyways." Kelly said softly, catching the confused face he looked at her with.
"I'm sorry, I should've told you when I found out about it. But Greta and Julien were going to turn their engagement back on at the end of the year. So I don't know what she had in mind when you came in the picture, but..." She sighed afterwards. And desperately enough, she took his hand into hers.
Her delicate touch grazed over his callous palms as the distinct shades of brown from their skin mingled in prosperity and heartbreak. But he only recoiled from her contact. In slow decay, he pulled away from her, then resided to the edge of the couch where his face wallowed into his hands. "So you knew about this shit?" He mumbled out to her.
With furrowed brows, she nodded. "Babe, I'm sorry." But when she reached her hand to his back, Eli rushed himself to his feet, giving Kelly worry as she stared up to him. "I thought she wasn't going to go through with it. I hoped-"
He didn't listen, however. "Look, I think I need to get outta here."
"Eli!"
Grabbing his hoodie, he slid his arms back into the sleeves, but left it unzipped over his black tank top before he grabbed his keys and looked for his phone.
But a vibration erupted from the kitchen counter. Realizing it was his phone, Eli walked over to it. However, he wasn't as fast as Kelly once she climbed over the couch to snatch it first. And frustrated, he tried to reach. "Kelly, gimme my shit back."
"No!" She protested. "You're not leaving all mad like this, alright? We're gonna stay and talk about it until you feel better."
"Kelly I ain't mad!"
"Bullshit!"
"Gimme the phone..."
However, she was defiant. And with the Android still vibrating in her hand, she registered that it was a number calling him. And instead, she answered. "I'm sorry, but he's busy right now..." Though, despite the carefree tone in her voice, Kelly's brow furrowed. And staring back up at Eli, she spoke to the person on the other line with a much more concern pitch in her voice. "How do you know that name?"
He mouthed to her his confusion. Then after a few blinks, Kelly finally handed the phone back. "She called you Malik."
Now, he wore concern. Then he took the phone back to his ears.
*Who this?*
*Oh, hi! Um... Is this Malik? Malik Clayton?*
*It is.*
*Great, so... Look, you don't know me, but my name's Hope. I'm your sister.*
*Look, I'm sorry, but I ain't got a sister*
*Your father's name was Montgomery, right? He was from Bankhead? Your mom's name is Gabrielle?*
*How you know all that?*
*Like I said, I'm your sister- well, half-sister. We have the same fathers.*
*Well look, I appreciate the call but I ain't never spoke to that nigga, so...*
*That's actually what I'm calling about. I'm sorry, but he died last week. He had a tumor, he tried to fight it, but it got to him. He instructed in his will that he wanted us to meet so that I could give you something. And I know it's sudden and weird. And I understand it if you don't really have any feelings to come across town but... You're still in Georgia, right? *
*Hello?*
*Ye- Uh no... No I ain't there no more. But I can fly down.*
*Oh, great. That's great to hear. My husband and I live in Buckhead. But I can send you the rest of the details over text if you'd like.*
*A'ight.*
"Eli, what's up?"
He was snapped out of his own dark void of revelations to find Kelly still in front of him. And turning back, there stood Lulu as well, who was no in the living room and drenched from the downpour of rain outside.
He clenched his jaw tight enough, hoping that somehow, he could bite away the turmoil through his teeth. And slipping his phone into the pockets of his Levi's, he recomposed himself with the zipping of his hoodie. "I'mma head out," He grumbled out. This time, as he backed away, Kelly didn't follow.
And as the front door shut, the awkward silence gave way to Lulu's bewilderment as she treaded closer into the kitchen to meet Kelly. "I thought you said that he didn't know his father?"
"I did." Said Kelly. "And he didn't..." Then, despite the distance between them closing in, Kelly parted ways from Lulu, only to take her seat back on the couch. And with a huff, Lulu followed her back, this time hoping she wouldn't move as she sat down so closely against her.
"Are you okay?" She asked her wife.
Then, Kelly scoffed. "I'm not the one who just got the news that their deadbeat dad is dead."
But Lulu shrugged in nonchalance. "I know. But I like asking you anyways. I know with Cora living here now, and with the pregnancy making me uncomfortable more often, we've been kinda off."
Taking her hand into hers, Kelly couldn't help but to smile at how tightly Lulu's fingers clung around her own. It was the exact opposite that Eli did, and she quickly took comfort in the feel of it all. "We're not off, babe. Or maybe we are a little bit... I dunno. I'd just like to feel like I'm doing something useful around here. Cora and Greta aren't getting along, Eli's back living under that grey cloud of his, and you can barely sleep!"
Lulu gave a sympathetic laugh, then pulled Kelly in for a deep enough kiss. And at the reunion of their lips, Kelly smiled some before nuzzling her face in with her lover's. "Tell me everything's gonna work itself out someway."
And hugging her tightly, Lulu obliged. "Don't worry, Goddess. We'll figure it out."
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