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JAIYA POV
BRONX, NYC;; FRIDAY, 7:00 A.M.
I stare at myself in the mirror.
It's been three months since Kahlil passed.
The last time I looked at myself like this, my eyes had been puffy and empty. Now, they just look normal and this time, I'm even smiling a little.
I guess that's how grief works. Eventually, the sadness goes away and you return to your old self, without even realizing it. But I do know a lot of it has to do with the person I'm on FaceTime with.
Setty called me at three in the morning. At first, his screen had been black. Now it's showing the pile of blankets he was buried under. He also hadn't said much before falling asleep. I figured he probably just smoked too much.
I'm staring at his neck tatt and the little bit of his fro I could see, biting my lip when the bathroom door opens.
"Arion is here to see you." Aunt V pokes her head in, "Now I don't know what he want but hurry up girl before he eat up all the damn food in my house."
"Okay. I'm coming now." I tell her, hiding my giggle behind my hand.
Aunt V shakes her head, tightening her robe before leaving. I end the call with Setty and head into the guest room, grabbing my backpack and camera. After checking myself in the mirror one last time, I leave, heading down the hall into the kitchen.
Aunt V always cooks breakfast, and usually I'm the only one around to eat it because my moms leaves for work early. But now Dougie's at the table eating from both me and Aunt V's plate. He's even drinking Aunt V's coffee. I can't help but laugh cause I know he's high, gotta be to be drinking straight black.
"Lil ma!" Dougie shouts, grinning with pancake syrup all over his mouth. But he's too busy licking his fingers to care. "What's up? Yo, you good?"
