arms again, all the lying would be absolutely worth it. She’d just have to try harder, and she could hardly wait now.
The next morning, she stood at Delia’s front door as they stared at each other for a few silent moments. Two suitcases sat at either side of Danica. The rest of her stuff was in the car, but she knew the suitcases were enough for her sister to know what this meant. Fortunately, they’d since made amends enough that this wasn’t the first time Danica had been back here since Delia kicked her out. She’d been back many times to see her brother Dominic, but her sister’s rules still applied if she’d ever wanted to move back in. Not that it mattered anymore anyway. She’d be more than able to comply with those rules. Delia moved back, opening the door wider and letting her in. “Are you in trouble?”
“No, I’m not in trouble.” Danica tried not to sound as annoyed as it made her that it’d be the first thing her sister would ask.
“Good, ’cause I’m done bailing you out of jail. I’m not doing it anymore.”
“I know you aren’t, and it’s been over two years since you had to bail me out last. When are you gonna stop throwing that in my face?”
“When you stop hanging around those low-life friends of yours, Danica. Mom always said, ‘Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.’ Was she lying?”
“I get it, okay!” Danica dropped her bags, pissed at the angry tears that were already betraying her and blurring her sight. “That was a long time ago. Can you cut me some fucking slack?”
“Get out!” Her sister opened the door again. “I won’t have you disrespecting me in my own home and upsetting Dominic.”
“It’s my house too,” Danica argued, choking back the emotion.
“Mom left me as sole executor of the will, which means I can do whatever I want with this place.”
“Nicah! Nicah! Nicah!”
Just hearing his voice, even the way he said her name, was enough to have Danica smiling. She turned to her brother, who stood by the hallway door, one hand leaning on his walker, the other reaching out to her. “Hey, Boo Boo.” She rushed to him and hugged him hard as he tapped her back in response. When she pulled back, she smiled, despite having to wipe tears away still. “How’s my big brother?”
He nodded but pointed at his own eyes. “Cry?” He tilted his head, searching her eyes. “Nicah sad?”
She shook her head and wiped more tears away, kissing his chubby little cheek. “I’m not sad.” She smiled even bigger. “These are happy tears because I’m moving back in. I’m gonna live here with you and La again.”
Dominic’s eyes widened, and he smiled big, glancing at Delia then back at Danica. “Nicah here?” He pointed at the floor, doing a little jiggle. “Nicah iv here?”
Nodding, she glanced back at her sister, who was shaking her head with a smirk, as if to say dirty trick. Danica knew her sister well. Seeing Dominic smile so big was enough to have Delia overlooking her younger sister’s outburst earlier. “You’re right, Dani. This house is just as much yours as it is mine and Dominic’s, and you’re welcome to live here forever if you so well please.” She sat down on the sofa as if she’d already given into the idea. “I just need you to promise you won’t bring any of those friends of yours around here. I don’t even wanna hear about them if they’re still a part of your life. Is that understood?”
Danica walked over to the sofa, and Dominic followed, pushing his walker along. “You act like I had a ton. It was just Angie and Juanita.”
“A topless waitress and an escort.” Feeling the anger warm her insides, Danica bit her tongue before she went off on her sister again, but Delia knew her too well.
“She wasn’t a topless waitress. She was a bartender at a topless bar. But she never went topless.”
“Look. I get it,” Delia said, crossing her arms in front of her. “I’m not even judging them on their chosen occupations. They’re just trying to get by, and they’re not hurting anyone, but they’re addicts, Dani, and you’ve seen what drugs can do to people. Good people. People like you.”
Grinding her teeth, Danica swallowed the emotion back. “I never did drugs.”
“Doesn’t matter. They still landed your ass in jail, right?” Danica had too much to feel happy about. She refused