Lola didn't fucking lie. The statement streamed through Tulip's mind as she glanced at the little girl buckled safely in the passenger seat. She couldn't stop stealing peeks at her while waiting for the red light to shift to green. Sidney King was a perfect amalgamation of her and Jasper.
Tulip's dark brown hue and Jasper's burnt sienna created a child with deep brown skin that seemed like God molded her from riches clay and sprinkled her with finely ground gold to catch the sun and shimmer in its rays. She had Tulip's almost black irises and Jasper's full lips. She even pulled her bottom one between her teeth as she thought deeply. She was doing it right now as she read the graphic novel she gripped in her hand while Lola introduced them in the foyer earlier.
Sydney's black mane that was the thickness of Jasper's with the length of her when she was that age was held back by an unidentifiable hair tie. It was straight but not hard like the way her Grandmama used to do her's. Casting a line of smoke from the hot metal comb knocking every trace of curl from her stands as she held her ear down.
I fucking hate steam. Tulip remembered the old nemesis that paid her a visit on the first day of school, the day before Easter Sunday, or any other holiday that you were meant to be paraded around and seen. She now rocked braids, cornrows, and wigs when she wanted to switch things up. She loved trying new hairstyles and colors but was certain about protecting her curl pattern. Tulip knew the Texas humidity was going to morph Sydney's flat-ironed ponytail to a corkscrew puff by the end of the night
"Verte," Sydney quipped with her eyes falling back to the colorfully illustrated page.
"What?" Tulip slanted closer to the child as if she was going to translate the word she spoke.
A honk for the car behind her gave back her awareness and she looked ahead at the glaring green traffic signal. She gave the engine some gas and they glided down the busy feeder road.
"D-Do you like this song?" Tulip nodded to the radio even though the music was streaming from her phone. She didn't know why she stuttered or why her voice sounded like a sheet of pre-used sandpaper. Nor why she was gripping the steering wheel like it was the last life jacket and she was on the Titanic.
No words come for the little girl. She did, however, look at Tulip with blankness for about a full second then went back to reading.
"That's fine." Tulip merged onto the freeway, swallowing away the nerves that rumbled in her empty stomach.
Damn, I didn't eat. She remembered the single sour strip she devoured before Lola rang her doorbell to bestow her with the delight next to her.
"I'm a talker." She jumped her car to the middle lane and received a blaring hunk from a black sports car... She shot up her middle finger and immediately regretted it as the little girl's eyes widened at her distended finger.
She planted her hand back on the wheel, "It's how people greet on the interstate."
The girl's eyebrows bunched together as her head tilted with disbelief.
"Naw, It's not a greeting." Tulip shook her head admitting. The last thing she wanted for the girl to go round flicking people off and thinking she was saying hi. That would be a parental fail or highlight, however you wanted to look at it.
"He was going thirty in a sixty-five zone and had the nerve to honk at me while on the phone." Tulip blew out a breath trying to validate her reason. She thought it was a stellar reason but Amelia King or even Lola might not agree.
"But telling people 'fuck you' isn't kind...I mean..." She shifted the chair easing on the gas as traffic slowed down. "Only if the situation calls for it and this is one of those situations. But you shouldn't do it. You're not old enough yet. "
"Les manières sont importantes." Sydney chimed sliding her hand down the glossed page.
Tulip didn't know what that meant at this present moment faked it. "Right. Some people need to be told off." She added knowing the girl had to be agreeing with her because she was right.
"What's going on, now." She pressed down on the brake further than she liked as traffic stalled. She dropped her back against the leather seat with annoyance then ran her eyes over the sea of cars before her. "Where are all these people even going? This earlier on a Saturday.
It was twelve forty-five but still, it was a horde of fiberglass sedans, pickups, and wagons on the road for a normal June Saturday.
She glared at the clock in the console as the two turned to a three. It was officially 1:13. She was hungry. Sydney was talking to her and only gave glares like she was Pinky and not the Brain. Today was going to be a doozy.
******
She slid SUV's gear into park in the circle driveway of a Mediterranean Revival mansion at 2:05. She was five minutes late. She abhorred being late but five minutes was better than eighteen, which it very well could have been later if she didn't go Vin Diesel on I-45. Sidney clung to the seatbelt during the process but she assured the little one she was a masterful driver. She only had one wreck and two fender-benders. That old lady saw her lights as she reversed it wasn't her fault. Although the insurance company didn't see it that way. They shelled out five hundred to get the elderly woman's bumper and headlights fixed then upped her premium.
But that was a year ago, this year she had skills. The skills of Tia Norfleet. She professed it. It was true.
She hopped out the car in a dash—her sandals nor the garment bag over her shoulder held her back; she hurried into the house and straight to the backyard. Sydney had to jog to keep up with her new guardian's brisk strides.
Tulip let out a sigh of relief stopping Niesha in the lush green backyard. She was having a conversation with the deejay. No doubt running through the list of music again. Triple checking was a requirement of the job.
She strode over to Niesha, costing her eyes over the long table the upper-level employees (the ones with titles) were sitting. Twinkle lights were blanketed over the rectangular-shaped bushes that bordered the massive flat area that usually housed lavish outdoor furniture.
Her heel less shoe smack against the lacquered ornate dance floor and gave a nod greeting Niesha.
Neisha told the deejay one more thing and sauntered over to her, "Was traffic that rough?" She checked the time on her iPad, she was never without that thin thing.
"It was the second ring of hell," Tulip sighed heavily shielding her face from the blazing sun. "It looks good."
"Hi! How are you?" Niesha stretched out her hand to the little girl in the simple white sundress standing a step behind Tulip.
"Oh! Shit!" Tulip harked. She couldn't believe Sydney's presence slipped her mind once stepping in the house. Granted she was on the clock and her brain was on the list of needs and wants of her client. "Sydney, Niesha. Niesha, Sydney. Now, hug."
They didn't hug but Sydney did give the well-dressed woman with diamond earrings that blinded in the sun the smallest of smiles.
No words but Tulip didn't expect any.
"Can you watch her while I change?" She looked down at her tank top and blue jeans. It was a great ensemble to shop in but not one to greet your client and the other 44 employees of the swanky advertising firm that was coming in a couple of hours.
"Sure." Neisha quickly said with a shake of her hand then she pointed to one of the round tables that were placed adjacent to the VIP table. "One of the guests..." She looked down at her device and got more information. "Ira Ewing went into labor and can't attend. She can sit there and be fine all night."
"You hear that." Tulip rested her hand on Sydney's shoulder. "You get to be treated like one of the guests! It should be fun!"
The girl glanced back at the table with a twisted mouth and turned back to them at the end of her eye roll. Tulip groaned inwardly, not surprised the girl wasn't excited. A party with a crowd that hadn't been kids in decades didn't screen preteen fun.
The photographer had a few questions and Niesha stepped in knowing she had her hands full. Tulip led Sydney to the table and seat Ira Ewing claimed. She plucked the name card and dug in her tote bag for a pen. Of course, she had one. She knew that for sure no matter how deep down it was. She drew a line through the woman's name and elaborated drew Sydney's name in bubble letters.
She couldn't whistle but she had phat penmanship.
"All yours." She placed the card in front of the place setting.
Sydney scrolled her eyes over the card, "Jolie," then rested her book and the table and resumed her reading.
"Thank-you." Tulip beamed a smile knowing what that meant.
The appreciative smile to her lips was wiped off as a man in a seersucker suit trotted her way.
"Mr. Palmer," She started standing up straight trying to look as professional as she could in jeans, "How are you? Everything's coming along nicely don't you think?"
He brushed his eyes over the setting then clung to her waist which was small although his stomach could compete with Ira Ewing's.
"You're late." He barked. "I hired you. Not the tech girl."
Inwardly she was cursing but she kept her smile, "Mr. Palmer Neisha and I are a partnership. A team. She's more than a tech girl. And I'm here I just had something—"
"What's with the kid?" He cut her off.
Sydney didn't twist to look at the man even though his voice was abrasive.
Tulip thought for a second. She didn't want to go through everything with this little man so she went with something else.
"My niece. My sister got the stomach flu and I had to be Super Auntie."
He frowned at her, the wrinkles on his face giving off pug vibes. "Keep the rugrat quiet or I'll need ten-percent refunded."
"She's a quiet child. You have nothing to worry about."
"I better not." He scoffed then padded off.
She waited until he was out of earshot the murmured, "Asshole." She looked down at Sydney to see if she'd heard her but the girl's sight was already on her. "Sorry."
Sydney turned back to her book and whispered, "Menteuse."
Tulip didn't have time to play translator so she left it along and went to search for a place to change. She had work to do.
What do you think is the reasoning behind why Sydney speaks French to the new people she meets and doesn't talk to some like Niesha?
How do you think Sydney will behave at the event?