Chapter Seventeen
"Stop. You gotta be kidding me," Lamia blurted out as she sees Josivini and Aunesti walk into the restaurant together. "I'm not trying to go to jail today," Lamia said as she pinched her nose bridge out of frustration.
Josivini invited her out to lunch with Takecia. Lamia and Takecia had arrived early but Josivini was running a little bit late and now they know why.
"Messy," Takecia said.
At this point, Lamia is feeling some type of way about Josivini.
"Hello, ladies," They said once they reached the table.
"Why is she here?" Lamia asked, not even greeting them.
"I just felt like y'all are sisters and you guys shouldn't be enemies," Josivini answered.
Lamia rolled her eyes.
"I already told her why I didn't want to be around her," Lamia said.
"Enough is enough. Let's put it to rest," Aunesti said.
"Just talk it out," Takecia told Lamia.
Josivini and Aunesti sit down at the table.
"How are you?" Aunesti asked Lamia.
"Good," Lamia answered.
"So, help me understand why I can't be in your life?" Aunesti asked.
"You already know why, Aunesti, please don't play this game with me. I told you my boundaries and how I'm uncomfortable with you still being associated with the people who hurt me and your sister," Lamia answered with an attitude.
"To me, it sounds kind of crazy that you wouldn't want a relationship with your baby sister. I'm your family! They can come back into your life without putting in the work but I can't," Aunesti said.
"They never did anything wrong to me. You not acknowledging the fucked shit our parents did to me is why I don't want you in my life!" Lamia said as she hit the table.
"What? Do you want to hit me now like why are you banging the table?" Aunesti asked.
"I do want to hit you because you're not fucking listening to me," Lamia answered as she leaned over the table to get in Aunesti's face.
"No," Takecia said as she grabbed Lamia by the shoulder to bring her back down to her seat.
"No fighting, use your words," Josivini said.
"You girls loved each other. She was your baby, Lamia. I feel like you're taking out your anger with your parents and not hearing your baby sister that wants you in her life. She can't change what your parents did but she can be here for you. Let her be here for you," Takecia said.
"I can't. I don't want them to have access to me through her," Lamia said.
"I would never do that to you," Aunesti told her.
"I don't know that. I can't open myself up to be hurt again by them," Lamia said.
Aunesti starts crying.
"It's hard but I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that how you're treating me is okay. I love you, Lamia, you are my big sister. I just want you and Kamoria back in my life. If you want I can limit my contact with them but just give me a chance," Aunesti said as she picks up her napkin to wipe her tears.
Lamia's phone starts ringing. She picks it up and answers the call while Aunesti continues to talk.
"Hey, yeah, I'm leaving now," Lamia said into the phone as she stood up from the table.
"Lamia, are you serious?" Josivini asked.
"Yeah, you can pull up now," Lamia told the person on the phone, walking away from the table.
"See I told you, this is how she treats me," Aunesti said as she watched in disbelief as her sister walked away from her. "It's always like this whenever I come around. She's so cold to me," She added.
Takecia shakes her head.
"We gotta figure something out," Josivini said.
Lamia walks out of the restaurant and gets into Joe's car.
"How was it?" Joe asked her.
"I walked away instead of hitting her," Lamia answered.
Joe shakes his head.
"I know I don't know everything that went down but why not just give her a chance?" Joe asked Lamia.
"I don't know if I can trust her," Lamia replied.
"You won't know unless you try," Joe said.