Page 3 of Delilah In Discretion

“Oh, Benny, stay, stay! I could really use your help.”

He looked around the room unimpressed. “Why am I not surprised?” he asked, and I ignored his sarcasm as Kimi spoke aloud.

“Delilah wants to wear something other than our school uniform tomorrow.”

“Well, that is something Delilahwants, but Delilahknowsthat the only thing she’ll be wearing is her school uniform, which costs her parents well over $5,000.”

I pouted as I sat on my vanity chair. “You guys are no fun...”

Benjamin spoke as he turned to leave. “And your room is a mess. Have it cleaned before dinner.”

My jaw dropped at his words, and I looked over to Kimi, only for her to raise her hands in surrender. “Hey, don’t look at me. You’re supposedly underreacting to all of this, remember?”

I narrowed my eyes at her as I grabbed a few hangers to fix the pile of clothes on the bed.

“You’re helping me clean,” I ordered, and she gave me a look.

“Like hell I am.”

I puffed in annoyance and spoke. “Now that we have my outfit ‘together,’ I still need to do something with my hair.”

“Don’t ask me,” Kimiko advised as she continued petting Marshmallow, and I nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. I need help from someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Ivory!” I called out my younger sister’s name as I looked past Kimi’s glare.

I didn’t want to admit it, but my twelve-year-old sister had a better sense of fashion than I had my entire life. Listening as she walked over, she stopped by the door.

“Yes, sister?”

“We go back to school tomorrow, and I need to do something with my hair. Suggestions?”

She nodded. “Well, we don’t want you looking too desperate, but we kind of do because we need to make a good impression. So I’m thinking half up, half down with ringlet curls and curled bangs to the left? Hmm?” she proposed, and I smiled as I blew her a kiss.

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“I know I am. I was already on my way to let you know that Mom needs to talk to you, too. She’s downstairs.”

I nodded, and she walked out of the room.

“You see, Kim-Kim? That was an example of a helpful sister. Take notes and cite your sources, too,” I advised, giggling, and she grabbed the empty water bottle on my bedside and threw it at me in a playful rage.

“Mom wants to see you, so get out of here,” she groaned, and I walked out of my room and went down the stairs to see my mother sitting at the kitchen table, feeding my younger twin brother and sister, Tyler and Trinity, who were both a year and a half old.

“Hello, Mother.”

She gazed over at me before putting the spoon in Tyler’s mouth. “Hello, Delilah. I hear your room is a mess.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Ben never fails to spread the word, does he now.”

She sighed, “Don’t worry. I couldn’t care less. I mean, look at me.” Only then did I notice the many baby food stains on her white shirt, her hair thrown up in a messy bun—and her leggings had all types of paint and markers from their little art and crafts session an hour ago. Her eyes were, like always, tired but filled with light, and the smile on her face was as genuine as can be.

“Yup, beautiful as always,” I remarked, and she rolled her eyes as she placed the other spoon in Trinity’s mouth.

“You know I actually did call you down here to speak to you.”

“What’s up?”

She placed a few Cheerios on the trays for the little ones to pick up and eat.

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