Chapter Twenty
Ka’yah dropped Aiko off at daycare before coming home to clean up the house. She had Ciara’s “I Bet” blaring as she dusted, swept, mopped, and rearranged her living room. Her cell phone rang, interrupting her groove. She laid the Swiffer Duster on the coffee table, turned her music down, and picked up her phone. She checked the caller ID and almost laid the phone back down.
“Wassup, Kailo?” she answered hesitantly.
“Hey, have you heard from Ke’yoko?” he asked sullenly.
Ka’yah could tell by the sound of her brother’s voice that something was wrong with him. But she didn’t have time to ask him what, nor did she really care; she had problems of her own.
“Ummm, the last time I checked Ke’yoko didn’t live with me,” she answered smartly.
Kailo shook his head. He loved his sister, but he couldn’t stand the ground she walked on. It stemmed from their childhood. They’d never really had a close relationship growing up. Ka’yah tortured Kailo when he was little. She used to always hit him and make him cry, and was forever destroying his toys for no apparent reason. If he told his parents, the torture only became worse, so he’d stopped telling and suffered in silence. It was like she had gotten great enjoyment out of torturing him. Once Ke’yoko had left it had only gotten worse. Ke’yoko was the one who had taken up for him, and after she’d left Kailo had become fair game to Ka’yah’s mean and spiteful ways.
“I was askin’ because I called her phone a few times but she didn’t answer,” he said.
“Oh, well, I don’t know; I haven’t heard from her today. Come to think of it, I haven’t heard from her in a couple days,” Ka’yah said.
“Well, I was calling to tell y’all that Mother called me early this mornin’ and told me that Father passed away late last night,” Kailo said, hurt.
“Oh, wow,” Ka’yah said, completely surprised. “What he die from? I didn’t even know he was sick.”
“He had a massive heart attack,” Kailo said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“I’m so sorry, Kailo,” Ka’yah said sincerely. She knew she could be a bitch at times, but hearing the news about her stepfather really did make her sad.
“Mother asked me if I could locate you and Ke’yoko and tell y’all the news. I told her I would try my best.”
“Are there any arrangements yet?” Ka’yah asked.
“No, not yet. We’re on our way to the airport. We’re about to fly out in a few and when we get there Mother and I will make the arrangements,” Kailo said sadly.
“We who?” Ka’yah asked, wanting to hear from her brother’s mouth that he had a boyfriend.
“Chad and I,” he answered.
Ewwwww, Ka’yah wanted to say, but she knew this wasn’t the right time. He did just lose his father and he already sounded so sad. “Okay, well, let me know all the details once y’all get ’em all together,” Ka’yah said slowly, still shocked by the news.
“I will. Do you think we should tell Ke’yoko right now, being that her pregnancy is high risk?” Kailo asked.
“I don’t know why we wouldn’t. I think she should know. It’s gon’ hurt her even more if we don’t tell her,” Ka’yah said.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Even though she’s not gon’ care, she still should know.”
“Okay, well, don’t worry about tryin’ to reach her. I’ll tell her,” Ka’yah said.
“Okay, thanks,” he replied.
“No problem, little brother,” Ka’yah said before ending her call.
Ka’yah took a seat on the sofa and tried to let the news sink in. Even though their stepfather had been mean to her and Ke’yoko—more to Ke’yoko than her because of her sister’s rebellious ways—him dying really did bother her. Ka’yah snapped out of her trance and dialed her sister’s number only to have it go straight to voice mail. Any other time she wouldn’t have been pressed about talking to Ke’yoko, but the news of their stepfather was something she thought she should know and she felt it should come from her. Ka’yah rushed into the kitchen and made a cup of tea before grabbing her keys and heading out the door.
Ka’yah pulled up in the driveway behind Ke’yoko’s car and grabbed the cup of tea before getting out.
“I wonder why this heffa ain’t been answerin’ her damn phone,” she fussed as she headed up on the porch. Just as she was about to ring the doorbell Ke’yoko swung the door open.
“Hey, sis,” Ke’yoko said, surprised to see Ka’yah standing there.
Ka’yah’s eyes zoned in on the cell phone in Ke’yoko’s hand. “How come you ain’t been answerin’ yo’ phone? Me and Kailo have been tryin’a call you all day,” Ka’yah said with a slight attitude.
“Girl, my phone don’t even work. I was on my way to Verizon to let them look at it. It won’t ring and my screen went black,” Ke’yoko said, coming out of the house and locking the door behind her.
“Oh,” Ka’yah said, losing the attitude. “I thought you were ignorin’ me or somethin’.”
“Igonorin’ you for what?” Ke’yoko asked, laughing.
“I don’t know. You know how ever since you’ve been pregnant, you been havin’ mood swings.”
“Blame it on my hormones, girl, they are so outta whack. Anyways, what y’all been tryin’a reach me for?”
“I think we should go in the house and sit down,” Ka’yah said.
“Okay,” Ke’yoko said slowly. “Is everything all right?”
“Come on, let’s go sit down.”
Ke’yoko unlocked the door and headed back into the house with Ka’yah in tow. She walked into the living room and took a seat on the sofa. “What’s up?” she asked impatiently as her heart beat fast. She knew the news couldn’t be good.
“Here, you’re gon’ need this,” Ka’yah said, handing Ke’yoko the cup of tea she made for her.
Ke’yoko took the tea from her hand and set it down on the coffee table.
“Father died late last night,” Ka’yah said quickly, watching Ke’yoko’s reaction.
“What? From what?” Ke’yoko asked, surprised.
“A massive heart attack,” Ka’yah replied before sitting down next to Ke’yoko and wrapping her arm around her sister, ready to console her.
Ke’yoko sat in a trancelike state for a few minutes before speaking. “Damn, how could a heartless person die from a heart attack?” she finally said.
“Ke’yoko!” Ka’yah said in a raised tone, standing up, appalled.
“What?” Ke’yoko asked, unfazed.
“How could you say such a thing? No matter how mean and cruel he was, he was still our stepfather and he loved us,” Ka’yah said, defending him.
“No, get it right: he loved you and Kailo,” Ke’yoko said, standing up as well. “Where were you? You act like you didn’t live in the same house as me!”
Ka’yah watched as her twin sister got riled up.
“That man never once told me that he loved me, he never even pretended like he did, so miss me wit’ that bullshit, Ka’yah.”
“You’re wrong, Ke’yoko,” Ka’yah said.
“How the fuck am I wrong? That man dogged me up until the day I left,” Ke’yoko said, hurt. Tears formed in Ke’yoko’s eyes as all the hurtful things her stepfather had said and done came rushing back. “What type of animal would tell a ten-year-old child that they’d never amount to anything? That the only way they would ever make money is if they ended up on a pole at some hole-in-the-wall strip club?”
Ka’yah watched as her sister broke down.
“Yes, I might be wrong, but I’ve been wishin’ death on this man ever since he made me go outside and pick the neighbor’s dog shit up outta our yard wit’ my bare hands. I can remember screamin’ and cryin’ and lookin’ over at Mother and she never once opened her mouth. And call me callous, but I don’t know why it took him this damn long to die.” Ke’yoko bawled.
Ka’yah was in complete shock. She knew her sister disliked their stepfather but she never knew how deep her hatred ran for him until now. “Wow, Ke’yoko,” Ka’yah said, walking over and wrapping her arms around her sister.
“Just please leave me alone, okay? I need to get myself together,” Ke’yoko said, moving Ka’yah’s arms from around her. Ka’yah just didn’t know how close she was to getting her ass kicked.
“Okay, I’ll leave you alone. Please promise me that you’ll calm down. You’re pregnant and you don’t wanna harm the baby,” Ka’yah said, taking a step back.
It had hit Ke’yoko that Ka’yah had gotten her riled up on purpose. She’d known if she protected their stepfather it would push Ke’yoko over the edge. Ke’yoko couldn’t believe she let her sister take her off her square like that. Then again, she could. Ke’yoko didn’t understand why her sister was trying everything she could to make her have a miscarriage. The pain of the betrayal hit her hard again as she looked at her sister.
“I promise. I’ll be okay. I’ll call you later,” Ke’yoko said, wiping her tears.
“Okay, sis. I love you,” Ka’yah said while heading to the door.
“I love you too,” Ke’yoko forced herself to say.
“Drink your tea. It’ll make you feel better,” Ka’yah called over her shoulder.
“I sure will,” Ke’yoko said with a disgusted look on her face as she watched her sister head out the door.
Ke’yoko shook her head, picked the cup of tea up off the table, walked into the kitchen, and poured it down the sink.