To What I Owe You

Chapter 4- No One

To What I Owe You

Chapter 4- No One

"He was a menace, and beca—"

"No, he was never a menace. He was never that. Don't call him that, speak on him like the king he was when you ask about him."

~~~~~

            I wrestled with the sheets that I was under trying to get just a foot free from under them so I could feel a wave of relief from the cold air because I've been feeling trapped under these sheets all night. Once I finally got my foot free, and made a mental note not to tuck my sheets anymore, I laid flat on my back with my hands behind my head trying to enjoy the new found feeling, and letting the sweat that was all over my face dry up. Had no one known any better you would've thought I had gone on an early morning run, but really was dealing with the affects of some tragic nightmare, that I was more than happy to wake up from.

I laid there a bit longer just enjoying being freed from the heat. Didn't get to enjoy my solitude before my phone went off under my pillow. I lifted up enough to reach for it and snatch it off the charger, placing it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answered.

There was a lil shuffling going on before I heard my mama's voice. "Hey baby, how you doing?"

"I'm straight, everything good with you?"

"Everything is just fine, just kind of been missing your presence around here." She sighed.

I rolled my eyes at the goof ass comment considering she was the one who shipped me off. I honestly didn't expect to hear from her any time soon off the thought that she'd be just fine without my 'presence' anywhere in the house. That's what she had wanted after all, but I guess you don't miss anything until it's gone.

I sat up in bed and propped myself up against the head board just listening to the emptiness on the line. "Well, dad had a sister did you know that?"

"Yea, Silvia, her and I were kind of close when I first met your dad."

"She passed away." I stated.

My mother gasped in shock. "Really? I hadn't spoken to her in years. That's so sad."

"Yea, her son stays with pops, his name is Chris, you ever meet him?"

"Once when he was real young. How old is he now, y'all got to be about the same age huh?"

"He's 20."

"Yea, how does he treat you?"

I shrugged thinking on how Chris, and I sort of have a bond. He's been as nice as anyone I've ever just met at random, and treats me like a little sister which I kind of like. In the same breath we're still getting to know one and other, so it was a lot missing from having a tight bond, but he's definitely been a good friend to me. "He treats me really good, he's good people. Always looking out, real respectful, and stuff. Included me in everything. You'd like him."

"Sounds like a sweet boy," she proclaimed before a silence fell on the line again. "How about your dad, how's he been treating you?"

"Ehh, good I guess. He's always working for the most part, but he's been alright. We talked, about everything and I got stuff off my chest and he did too."

"Really? That's so good, I'm so glad. I was worried you'd lash out on him." She lightly laughed, but it only caused me to roll my eyes; she always expects the worst out of me.

I went to respond with a smart remark when I heard my phone beep a couple times. I pulled it off my ear to see an unknown number with a Houston area code. "I gotta let you go mama, somebody calling me."