There were dead rats in the bathtub. Their guts or throats were ripped out and left bleeding. Not the squeamish type, Malik managed to clean it up. There was nothing to prove anyone had broken into the apartment. Nothing of value was stolen, not that there had been anything worth stealing. He dismissed the incident as an overly aggressive cat.
He felt it was karma for setting Noah up. Since Sarah had sent him Noah's leaked hospital files he'd been torn between keeping to himself and actively trying to help. He knew Liz's auntie worked at a youth center and was well connected to social workers. Against his better judgment, he conspired with Liz and concocted an intervention.
Malik massaged the fading bruise on his jaw. It was the only tangible memento he had of Noah. Since that horrible night, Noah was nowhere to be found. He hadn't shown up to work, the Langar nor Windsor Park.
"I need to head to my folks over the weekend." He told Liz in the hallway. "Call me if you see him?"
Liz who'd blubbered after Noah knocked him flat on his ass nodded. She refused to sit anywhere near him in the lecture hall that week. It was easy enough to get by until the weekend. Between midterm preps and team practice, he was too busy for sorrow.
The bus ride to his folks' home was spent sitting next to a shabby man with an overgrown beard. He reeked of sweat and his clothes were caked in mud. Later, the conductor showed up to kick the man out for trying to leech a free ride. Because it was a very Noah thing to do, Malik paid for the broke dude and his stomach turned as he had to endure the man's stench for hours. No good deed goes unpunished.
Stepping into his childhood home Malik had a sense of déjà vu. If only he hadn't tricked him like that...
"Meemo," his mother greeted him with open arms.
"Hey, mama." he wiped at the red lipstick on his cheek.
"What is this?" his mother pointed at his jaw.
"Practice," Malik said he then popped his head inside the house and yelled. "Sarah, are you done yet, or do we come back next month?"
Sarah's voice was louder. "I'm coming, dweeb."
Little feet come running down the stairs and barreling into Malik.
"Hey, buddy." Malik picked up his nephew and placed him on his shoulder.
"Wakanda forever," Jake said punching the air.
"I'm ready," Sarah came huffing, mangy curls everywhere. "Jake, sit in the back seat with your uncle, please. Hey." She slipped on a tan coat over an a-line grey dress and ankle boots.
"Yo," Malik said. They strode to Sarah's mom-van. Their mother rode shotgun while Malik buckled next to Jake who told him about Black Panther being the greatest hero there was.
"Are you sure you got a discount?" his mother asked for the millionth time.
"Yes, mama. It's seventy percent off any five items." Malik said over Jake's punches and kicks noises.
'' There has to be a catch," his mother turned in her seat to face him.
"No. I made a sponsored video and the approached me later again. Radeon got a boost in sales after the video hit three hundred thousand. The coupon is a gift."
"They are giving you a prize for talking?"
"I'm a Youtuber," Malik said. "Plus they should've given me shi—"
"Language," Sarah said, eyes on the road.
Malik rolled his eyes. Sarah was in denial Jake was a sweet angel who didn't know any cuss words. "They should've given me stuff "— Malik signed quotation marks in the air — "for free. I did them a favor."
His mother shook her head, her curls the more refined version of Sarah's. "I thought your hobby was useless. Live and learn."
"I'm a sensation,'' Malik smiled.
"Spare me,' Sarah muttered.
Radeon was a hulk of a department store. It boasted its own five-story building, a multi-tier garage, and, to Sarah's infinite delight, a two-hour freebie access to the kids' area. They found a slot and hitched to drop Jake off to bounce on the trampoline then headed to the kitchen department or whatever it was called where they sold appliances related to kitchens.
The department was brightly lit with golden spots, the store's various products gleaming and categorized by monochrome signs dangling from the ceiling.
"Goodness," their mother beamed. "They have the latest Rumba!"
Sarah and Malik exchanged a look. They were going to be there for a while.
Contrary to his apartment's humble kitchen, his parent's kitchen was equipped with three fridges, two ovens, and two sinks. There was an artillery of pots, pans, woks, plates, and china enough to impress an affluent village. Their parents often invited the church group for lunch and their mother hosted sewing and knitting classes for those interested. That resulted in using their stuff to exhaustion and were often replaced.
Sarah pushed the cart around while their mother inspected items. Malik kept checking his phone. There were notifications on his Youtube account but none were from Liz. Suppose he could call Mrs. Forester?
"Malik?" His mother called.
"Yeah?" he picked up a serrated knife then tossed it back on its rack.
She held him with a hawk-like gaze. "How is Elizabeth?"
Great. "Liz is...good."
"She is a very nice girl. Nice family. Why didn't you ask her to come today?"
Malik stifled a grimace. "Because it would be weird."
Sarah laughed. "Leave him alone, mama. He is still young."
"Young? I was engaged at his age." She tossed a packet of bathroom towels in the cart.
"Different times. Different countries." Malik said.
"Has anyone seen the latest adaptation of The Greens?" Sarah came to the rescue. "The actor who plays Teddy is charming."
"I like the scene with the rabbit," Malik said.
"Jake has been begging for one since."
Their mother shook her head. "You shouldn't let Jake watch these things, Sarah."
"Why not?''
"The Teddy actor is a deviant," she looked around the store and dropped her voice. "He is a homosexual."
"I don't see how this affects his acting." Malik couldn't help his temper flaring.
"It is everything. These channels are trying to present to our children that this type of behavior is alright. They started with their own movies and series and now they shove them everywhere."
"Because they do exist. We don't live in the world alone." Malik retorted. He felt the sharp tip of Sarah's flats ram into his chin. He didn't flinch.
Their mother shook her head. "It's an agenda, mind you. They are leading us astray from God's path."
Sarah cleared her throat. "I need to pick Jake up—"
"I'll do it," Malik said. He didn't want another argument about sexual orientation.
Sarah raised bushy eyebrows. "He needs to eat."
"I'll take him to the cafeteria."
"He can watch a video if he gets on your last nerve." Sarah passed him a grey Samsung tablet.
He took it. "Call me when it's time to cash in." The coupons were personalized to him.
He raced to Jake was stomping his feet. "I wanna stay."
"No can do, bud. We can go for hotdogs!"
"I want ice cream!"
Jesus. "Eat and I'll let ya watch a video."
They got in a short line for the dogs. Some twenty-something women fawned over Jake and complimented Malik on being such a good daddy. It always amused him when chicks barked up the wrong tree.
"What do you wanna see?" Malik asked when they found a table.
"Troll war."
"Uh-huh." Malik flipped through the Wifi setting and rigged access to Rodeon's employee Wifi. He was about to search for Jake's cartoons when a file caught his attention. It was labeled; Baxter.
He'd thought he'd find a myriad of photos of Jack but instead a young man with blonde locks and a backpack that rarely left his shoulder filled his vision.
Malik clicked on an image, Noah distributed the sample boxes of energy bars Malik had gotten from a sponsor to homeless men and women.
Double tab: Noah in his uniform mopping a hallway.
Double tab: Noah sleeping on a street bench.
Double tab: Noah bright-eyed, beaming at Malik in Windsor Park.
What in the actual fuck?
Sarah was a model citizen. She doted on her son, appeased their parents to the extent of her abilities and... There was no change in her behavior. Was she spying on Malik? Was she accepting of his sexual orientation as long as there was no possible threat to their family's dynamic?
No. When did Sarah get the time to stalk him? The hospital was hours away.
Wait. Did she quit the hospital...to stalk him?
Malik's phone buzzed, the screen announced an unknown number.
"Yeah?"
"I wanna watch Troll Wars," Jake whined, ketchup all over his mouth.
Malik motioned for him to zip it. "Hello?"
"Um. Hey." Noah sounded tired.
Malik sat straight on the plastic chair. "Hey."
''Am I speaking...can I ask you for a massive favor?" Noah asked.
Malik frowned. "Shoot."
"Can you pick me up?"
"Uh. I'm at my parent's. If you wanna meet up...Tuesday?"
"Oh. I...I...it..."
Malik's voice softened. "What is it? You solid?"
Noah sighed. "I got arrested."
"You what?" Malik hissed.
"It's fine. I'll..."
"I'm coming."
"I don't want to be a burden."
"Hang in there. Noah?"
"Yes?"
There was a flurry of things he longed to say. But Jake was sitting across the table and he had photos of him on his sister damn tablet.
"I'll get on the next bus." Malik finally said. His sister and whatever was falling apart in his life, would have to wait.