JEALOUSY IN DEATH

19.

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19. Desiree

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Desiree walked out of the house on Saturday afternoon. Bobo had tried to bribe her to stay by promising her all his chocolates, but she'd laughed at his offer and hugged him before getting her bag. She got a cab and headed home.

Her brothers had called to say they were waiting for her at one of their favorite spots. Desiree shed her baggy clothes as she got to her bedroom and went to the bathroom. She used her flowery scented shower gel on her body then used shampoo on her locks. When she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in her brown towel, she went to her wardrobe.

Desiree wanted to go overboard with tonight's dressing. Every time she wore one of those baggy clothes, she felt like she was losing a huge chunk of her identity and whenever she got home, she felt the need to overdress and overcompensate. It was as if she was trying to make up for the days she on without her usual style of clothing. She found a red skinny jeans and paired it with a knitted cropped top.

She left the house and got a cab after checking her face in her compact mirror. Her brothers smiled as they saw her walk up to their table in the Indian cuisine shop they'd chosen for their night out.

Sugar stood and hugged her. "Ugh, I missed you."

Desiree pecked both cheeks and smiled. "I missed you too."

Hanye stood and spun her around before dropping a kiss on her forehead. "That was for bailing on us last week." As they all settled around the table, Hanye ordered appetizers and drinks. "So, tell me what you've been up to."

"Just working."

Sugar snorted. "Are you truly living with a single man?"

Desiree rubbed the back of her neck. "Yea, but it's strictly professional." She tried not to meet their stares as she spoke so as not to give away her feelings.

"Still, I'd be wary. Did you tell Maa about this?" Hanye asked.

"There's no need to, I'm fine. I've been there for weeks and he hasn't jumped me, yet."

Sugar frowned. "Riddle me this, why do you look like you wouldn't mind getting jumped by this guy?"

"Brother, mind your business."

"And that is all we need to hear to know you're anything but professional with this guy."

"Can you guys like, stop? Please."

"Why not? You're an adult but have you thought of what Maa would say about this? She's going to give us an earful for allowing you live alone with a single man."

"Hanye is right, Dee. You can't expect us not to at least worry and you know your mother, she's going to blame us if anything were to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen, I can assure you."

Hanye stood. "I got something for you. I need to get it from the car."

"Alright." Desiree turned to Sugar when Hanye left. "You couldn't have my back." Sugar always took her side in most cases but it seemed things were changing.

"Caring is having your back. You're our little sister, what do you expect us to do? Turn a blind eye?"

"I get it but you guys overdo it most times. I'm fine, I'm an adult and I can handle myself."

"So you like your boss?"

"Nope."

"That's better. You didn't sleep with one boss to sign a contract and you don't have to sleep with this for whatever reason."

"It's different, both cases aren't similar at all. If I sleep with this boss, it'll be because I fully consent to it."

"But you don't like him so you don't have to tell yourself that excuse, right?"

"Right."

They were interrupted when the appetizers and drinks arrived, and Desiree decided to stuff her mouth with chips rather than answer questions from her brother. Hanye joined them and passed a spray bottle to Desiree.

"It's a pepper spray. You only have to remove the cap and aim before spraying."

Desiree looked confused. "Why do I need this?"

"It's a precautionary method. Carry it around always, it'd make us feel better."

She rolled her eyes then dropped the bottle into her handbag. "Thanks."

"Do you still remember the self-defense lessons we taught you?"

"Sugar, I don't know what you're going on about but I'm fine."

Sugar shrugged and took his drink. Desiree watched as his eyes scanned their perimeter, he was probably looking for his next prey. She turned to Hanye and asked about his girlfriend, Brie. Hanye smiled before filling her in on their latest adventure.

Hanye and Sugar had grown up as respectable men. They treated women fairly and had steady relationships. Hanye was still with his long-time girlfriend while Sugar was healing from a breakup. Sugar put up a carefree front but everyone knew how hurt he still was over his breakup. It happened a long time ago but he swore never to fall in love again, now he spent his spare time breaking hearts. It was a stupid coping mechanism but he never listened to her whenever she brought up the topic and she was tired of trying to convince him.

Desiree thought about Lucas as their meal of rice and chicken curry arrived. He'd gone back to ignoring her after the key incident and she didn't try to apologize or say anything to make the situation better. It wasn't until later she realized she was slowly morphing into Lucas, sad, brooding and distant, those were the last thing she wanted to be.

Would he be laughing and having fun as she was? For his sake, she hoped he was. He needed the company. He needed to laugh. He looked like he wasn't used to either. Hanye ordered for more drinks and that snapped Desiree out of her troubled thought. Sugar was studying her and frowning.

"What?"

"Are you okay? You don't seem like your usual self."

"I'm fine."

Hanye shifted in his seat and smiled. "Dee, I want you to meet one of my friends. He just moved here and he's looking for some company."

"I'm not interested."

"Since when? Weren't you begging us to set you up with one of our friends few months ago?"

"I know, but I'm not in the right space of mind to socialize."

"You're acting weird."

"I think she likes her boss."

Desiree cleaned her mouth with the napkin as she finished with her meal. "No, I don't. You're reaching, Sugar."

"Then why do you look away when you talk about him?"

"Can we move on to another topic. Sugar, when am I meeting your girlfriend?"

He grimaced. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"When are you getting one? I want grandkids already," Desiree said, imitating their mother. "And you Hanye, when are you proposing? You know you're not getting any younger."

Hanye smiled before shaking his head. "Shut up."

"Now you know how I feel whenever you guys talk about my private life."

"You do need a boyfriend though. When was the last time you had one?" Sugar piped in.

"Four years ago if memory serves me right and he was a total idiot."

Desiree pretended to be offended. "He wasn't."

"He was. Didn't he propose to you one month after dating?"

"Well, you guys scared him off. You were so mean to him."

"He didn't deserve you."

"By your standard no one deserves me."

"That's because you're special, you light up our world," Sugar said.

"I have to agree with the idiot today," Hanye said which resorted in Sugar punching him. "Ouch, that hurts."

"Guys, let's be civil," Desiree said before they forgot where they were and lost all morals.

"Dee, are you sleeping over?" Sugar asked after their plates were cleared.

"Yes!"

"Then we should stop drinking so we can catch up on Criminal Minds."

"Great, I've missed about five new episodes."

"I watched it with Brie." Hanye took in the expression on his siblings faces and sighed. "I know we have to watch it together, but Brie insisted and I couldn't say no."

"Because you're pussy-whipped."

"And you're a man whore."

Desiree asked for a refill of chilled water from a passing waiter as her brothers called each other derogatory names. She'd learnt to ignore their banter a long time ago. They could go at it for hours and come out smiling. It was a sport to them and she let them have their fun without interrupting.

"Shut up, fuck faces," she finally said to hush them and they both looked at her before cracking up. Sugar held his middle as he laughed.

"You're getting better. Is that sass I noticed? Usually, you'd be like, stop fighting yen yen yen yen," Hanye mimicked her in a childish voice and Sugar doubled over again.

Desiree slapped the back of Hanye's head. "I've not spoken like that since I was five."

Hanye held his head. "You know I'm someone's boyfriend, right?"

"Yen yen yen yen," Desiree said in reply.

Sugar wagged his index finger at her. "Good, sis."

They lingered for few more minutes since Sugar was still trying to find a girl to impress. Unfortunately, he had no luck and all three went home to their crime series.