Don't Get Angry

55- Otis: Acting Different

I woke up and immediately smiled. I turned to Dalta. She was still asleep. She held the pillow she'd stolen from my bed in her arms. I tapped my finger the mattress, staring at her; waiting for her to move. She just laid there. I was willing to lay in bed all day until she was ready to wake up, but my phone began to ring. I quickly sat up and picked it up off the floor. I answered it. "Hello?"

"Otis?"

I furrowed my brows at the panic in my mother's voice. "Mom?... What's...what's going on?"

"It's your sister...I don't know what's going on with her, but I think you should come home."

I looked at Dalta. She rolled over on her back. "I can't," I gulped. "What's wrong with Angie?"

"She's behaving erratically. I tried to talk to her last night. She doesn't want to tell me what's going on and she just packed her things and walked out of the house and left."

"What?" I shouted. Dalta flinched. Her eyes opened briefly, then slowly shut again. I got out of bed and walked outside. "Why would she do that?"

"Well, you run away from your troubles all the time. I guess she got it from you-"

I scoffed. "Are you kidding me?"

"Otis-"

"You chased dad away because all you did was argue with him," I yelled at my phone. "I've never ran away from my problems. You chase away yours... That's probably why Angie left...Where is she?"

My mother didn't reply.

"MOM-"

"She went to a friend's place."

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Then she's fine."

"...Is that really how you view me, Otis?... You think that I chase people away?"

I looked down at my feet, shaking my head. I rolled my eyes, then ran my fingers through my hair. "No...I'm just angry. I'm sorry."

"...It's okay... Your sister wouldn't listen to me. She isn't listening to your grandmother either... Please come home. I miss you."

I shut my eyes. "I will...okay? Angie's fine. She's just being a kid. Dalta's mom gave us a curfew. So, we'll be home as soon as we can be."

"Okay... You have a lot of explaining to do-"

"I know...I know...I...I love you."

"...I can't remember the last time I heard you say that...I love you too."

"Bye." I hung up. I sighed then turned around to find Dalta standing in the doorway. I smiled. "Hi."

"Hi," she replied, leaning her head against the door frame.

I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her. I sighed, resting my chin on her shoulder. My phone vibrated in my hand.

"What's wrong?"

I looked at my phone. My eyes grew. I quickly let go of Dalta. "We have a location."

She grinned. "For Betty?"

"Yeah. Peter just sent it to me. And a phone number."

Dalta threw her arms up. "Yes!"

I followed, throwing my hands in the air.

She giggled. Then rushed into the room. I walked inside, watching her pack her things. She turned to me. "Let's leave. If we leave now, we'll get home by tomorrow tonight or tomorrow morning." She grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt then looked at me. "Otis."