Page 57 of Rhet

“What did you talk about?” I can feel my temper raising.

Dante grins big. “You. He is better than Mr. C if you ask me. I get more in return.”

I slap him in his face.

“You’re stupid?” I shout, vibrating in rage.

“You hit me?” he screams as he holds his face

“Shut the hell up. You brought a known drug lord to our house.” I look at the head set and toss it hard onto the ground.

“He tracked you down. He’s like Carson, he wants to take the Banners down.” He bends to reach for the headset.

“I thought you were loyal to Carson. He’s your benefactor, he has the power to make you walk again. Bio-N program. Remember that?” I feel like pulling the hair out of my head.

“I’m still with Carson, but Zee look at all this stuff.” He throws his arms out like he’s showcasing everything behind him.

“You’re a selfish, stupid, knucklehead.” I want it all out of this house.

“Did you tell him I was your sister?” I grind my teeth.

“Yes, I told him everything about Carson too.”

“Did you tell Carson that Dante? Do you think he wants people to know about his plan?” I need to scream.

Dante stops and it looks as if the reality of the mess he’s made begins to sink in.

“I don’t even know everything that’s happening with you and Mr. C. I’m doing this for you. So, you can have a second chance.” I feel like hitting something.

The beeping green light on the game systems blinks as if it’s mocking me.

“Dante, you put us all in trouble. You gave Mackey the trump card he was looking for.”

“Well, what’s done is done.” He shrugs like it doesn’t even matter.

“What’s done is done? How much money did you get? Did you get anything for Ma? Let me guess. No. For me? NO.” My temper is raging. I open his windows, then walk back to his PC and gaming system.

“What the hell are you doing?” he screams.

I grab the system and the controls, and I throw them out the window. The sound of them crashing below brings me a great level of joy.

“You can’t do this to me!”

“Okay, but I just did. You’re a spoiled, selfish, narcissistic, son of a bitch.” I don’t bother trying to explain why his actions were so bad. I walk downstairs, seeing Ms. Helen at the bottom. Dante throws a tantrum behind me.

“I will be back tomorrow, Ms. Helen.” I walk into the living room and kiss my mom on her cheek, and I leave the house. Dante screwed me over. Now he placed power over me in someone else’s hands all for a new gaming system.

I drive downtown and call Penny to meet me for dinner.

I walk into the diner and Penny is already sitting waiting for me. I smile for the first time for the day when I see her.

“Hey Heifer.”

“Heifer, you ordered for me already?” I reply as I slide inside the vinyl booth.

“Yes. We need to find a new normal way to greet each other,” Penny says.

I laugh because I know it’s never happening.