Page 31 of Nicco

“That wouldn’t have ever happened.” She stated as a matter of fact.

“When are you going back to California?”

“Tomorrow. I came here with my friend.”

“Is this a girlfriend or a boyfriend?” I was curious. I wanted to know about her life. I had missed so many crucial years.

“It’s my roommate. Remember the girl you did a background check on?”

“Yes, I remember. Does your mother know you’re in town?”

“She does not know, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“I ordered food for us. It should be coming up soon. Are you hungry?”

“I could eat something.”

“Okay, well, go sit on the sofa and tell me everything about your life.”

“You already know everything. All I do is go to school. Do you ask those other kids about their lives?” Kelly sat down and I took a spot right next to her.

“You’re my only daughter.”

Kelly twisted her lips. “You sure?” She flipped her sandals off and put her legs up on the sofa between us.

“I’m very sure. You’re my one and only daughter.”

“I hope so. I don’t want you looking crazy out here where all these kids all over the place.”

“I don’t have kids all over the place. I only have kids in two places.”

“If you say so.” She joked. “How did your father die?”

“He was murdered. Everyone seems to believe it was a heart attack, but I know better.”

“Damn, that’s messed up.”

“Completely fucked up.”

“What are you going to do?”

“What I have to do.”

“Well, you need to be careful. I haven’t even had a father that long. So if you’ve died, that would be really messed up. Like, give me a few more years, okay?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s what Nino Brown said, in New Jack City, and that didn’t work out in his favor.” She smarted.

“The funeral is tomorrow. Are you coming?”

“Ah, no way. I like being the kid that no one knows that you have. I’m antisocial.”

“No, I think you’re pretty outgoing.”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want to be around all those white people.”

“We’re not white. We’re at Italian. We’re Sicilian.”

---