Page 7 of Dreaming

Still, she’d never had sex with a person she didn’t know and had never planned sex. Most lovers were almost accidental and she felt obligated to make them feel better.

I don’t know how to do any of this. My life is very structured, organized, and this kind of spontaneity is…terrifying.

Dennis responded instantly.

Let me take care of you. Don’t overthink it, Nia. Get some sleep and I’ll reach out to you in two weeks.

She sent him a goodnight text, turned off her lights, and climbed back in bed. Her sheets smelled like the mild cologne he wore. Replaying their time together, she touched herself.

The man was going to be hell on her concentration.

Chapter Three

Two days later, Nia was a wreck. She wasn’t speaking to Nicki and her sister wasn’t speaking to her.

Their mother lived in Orlando and Nia called her to make her feelings clear. “It’s your turn, Mom. I can’t keep dealing with Nicki’s shit.” Her skin hot, her hands shaking, she explained the prank her little sister had pulled. “You have to take her.”

Stunned to silence for a minute, Nellie finally managed, “Nia, she sent a stranger…a man into your bedroom?”

“She did. It-it could have gone so much worse. She barely knew the guy herself. He could have been like most of the others.” She rubbed her temple and sighed heavily. “She’s been done with school but won’t get a job. Between us, we’re giving her an allowance that makes her feel like she doesn’t have to. I can’t – I won’t – take anymore.”

“You’re right. You’ve lasted a lot longer than I thought you would and this type of behavior…it’s unacceptable. I’ll buy her a ticket and tell her the move isn’t open for discussion.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m sorry…”

“Don’t you dare apologize, Nia. Tell me more about the stranger because…you sound different.”

An hour later, she was working on her laptop when Nicki came down the hall screaming.

“You fucking cunt! You tattled on me to Mom? Always the goody two shoes! Why don’t you grow up?”

Removing her glasses, Nia sat back in her chair and stared at her beautiful, hateful sister. “For someone who lives off the grace of others, you have shockingly little gratitude.”

“This is my house, too! We grew up here! You got no right…”

“Shut your mouth, Nicole.” Rising from her chair, Nia watched as her sister backed against the door frame with a wary expression on her face. “Yes, this was your home when you were a child. When I bought it at fair market value from our mother so she could enjoy her retirement, I allowed you to live here.”

She got within a foot of her sister and crossed her arms. “In thanks, you trash the place, have people in and out at all hours, and you’re not even abiding by the one rule I gave you. No gangs, Nicki. No one even remotely resembling the people who took our father’s life, our brother’s life. You can’t follow one fucking rule while you act like a goddamn princess without a care in the world.”

“You don’t know shit…”

“I most certainly do know shit, Nicki. You might be able to pass off your bullshit to your idiot friends but don’t you dare try to peddle that nonsense to me. I want you out of this house. Go live with Mom. It’s you who needs to strongly consider growing the fuck up.”

“Oh, I’m grown, Nia! Just ask Den!”

Crushing down the way the words made her feel, Nia laughed. “Fucking doesn’t make you grown, girl. You’re twenty-six. It took you eight years to get a four-year degree. You smoke weed like you’ll never have to worry about a job application. You spend my money as if it belongs to you.” She shook her head. “No more. The free ride is over. Pack your shit. A car will be here to take you to the airport tomorrow morning.”

“What about my car?” she screamed.

“You don’t have a car. You use my second car. Mom will help you get one when you get to Florida.”

“I hate Florida!”

“I don’t care, Nicki. You crossed a line and if you don’t see that, I feel sorry for you.” She stepped close. “How can you be this way? After all the three of us have been through together? How can you be so selfish and cruel?” Softly, she added, “Dad and David would be so damn disappointed.”

“Don’t say that, Nia!”

She took her sister’s shoulders. “Listen to me. I don’t know what’s going on in your head but acting out at sixteen is different than acting out at twenty-six. The shit you’re doing now, people can get hurt. Don’t you care? Isn’t there any piece of the girl you used to be that cares?”

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