You over everything. (Book 2)

Chapter 21

Janet

I was on FaceTime with my mother when I heard a knock on the door.

"I'll...be right back," I told her through my laptop screen.

I stood up from the couch and walked over to the front door. When I looked through the peephole, I saw Elijah standing there.

Definitely the last person I expected to see, given yesterday, but a person I wanted to see. Immediately, I unlocked the door and opened it.

"Hey, E." I stepped back, and he walked in.

"Mother, I'll call you back later." I said loudly, walking back to the couch.

"Alright, I love you." She said softly.

"I love you too." I closed my laptop and turned to Elijah.

"Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" I asked, sitting back on the couch.

It's going on 9 in the morning, and he's normally not even up this early during the summer.

He put his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and shook his head. "No,"

I crossed my arms and leaned back. He wasn't saying anything; he was just staring. "Are you going to just stand and stare at me, or are you here to talk?"

He looked at me for awhile longer and nodded. "I have one question, and I came here for one answer." He said with no emotion.

I signaled for him to continue.

He took his hands out of his pocket. "You love us, right?"

...not the question I expected him to ask me. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that.

"Yes, I do. With all my heart."

"Then why weren't you there?" He asked seriously.

I looked at him and then stood up. "Are you going to listen today? Or is this just going to be another argument?"

"Just answer the damn question."

"And you stop talking to me like that!" I said, pointing at him. "I don't care how mad you are with me. Stop talking to me crazy. Talk to me like you have some fucking sense because I know you do."

He didn't say anything, but his jaw clenched.

People may say I'm too hard on him, that I'm too tough, but all that gentle shit doesn't work with him. The message doesn't get through to him like that.

"Listen to me when I say, I love you, I love your sister, I love Toni, more than I love myself."

He smacked his lips and rolled his eyes.

I meant every word I said. It's crazy to me that it seems he doesn't believe me.

"I can't answer your question." I said honestly.

He threw his hands up. "Of course you can't because you know you're wrong."

"I was. I was wrong to not be there. You're right." I agreed. "But I don't know, Elijah."