Chapter 19

"Fucking killer!" Angelo booms, entering my locker room.

"He's not dead." I correct him, wiping my bloodied knuckles on my shorts.

"Yeah, well a stretcher is basically a social death to fighters." He says, handing me an envelope.

I open it and to see the contents, "Collections are at the house," I remind the old man handing him back the envelope, "you know this."

He rolls his eyes, "Petty deals, c'mon Woo. Buy yourself a personality or something." Angelo shrugs.

"Inside betting got Isabelle killed." I remind him, "Don't be stupid, old man." He waves me off and exits the room.

I feel a little bad about Heathen's broken neck but I shake it off immediately. When have I ever felt guilty after a fight? The second guy I ever killed in my life was someone in the ring. It's Sunny and that disappointing tone in her voice. That shit goes straight to my bones. I hear it even now, still fresh from yesterday.

It was a bad idea sleeping over at her place and an even worse idea going with her to that diner. I knew her friend was full of shit. I could tell by his fucking grin when he saw her. Growing up the way I did it's not difficult to spot bullshit but Sunny's different. She's accepting and gives without asking, she's always been that way, and that fucker knew it and was going to exploit it.

I probably should've waited a while for him to expose himself but I couldn't. I don't know why I just couldn't.

Last night when I was watching her sleep I realized I was way too close. I'm no better than that asshole honestly. I took every opportunity she presented to get closer to her. It took all of my strength not to kiss her when she asked because I knew that would've been the final nail. The idea of Sunniva being involved with someone like me is blasphemy. It's best to keep my distance like I originally planned to do before I went soft and said yes to everything she asked of me.

"There's no way we're not getting fucked up tonight." Eddie says entering the room and Marc follows behind.

"Yes, there is you idiot." Marc looks at Eddie like he has two heads, "Did you not see the big ass bouncy house Alex said we have to set up for Malia's party tomorrow?" He fires.

"Fuck." Eddie groans, "Can't we do it the next day? She's 4 so I doubt she'll care."

I pack my shit not paying attention to their conversation because somehow they fight even more when Marc's brother comes into town.

"You're coming right?" Marc asks.

I am about to decline when Eddie speaks up.

"Yes you're coming." he says pointedly, "If I have to subject myself to Super-Dad so do you." He groans.

"Asshole." Marc chuckles at the nickname Eddie gave his brother.

"I'm sorry, man but I don't what the hell happened to Alex the fucking Lion." Eddie laughs now too, "I mean seriously how does the guy who knocked out a grown ass man at 12 years old turn into someone who gives a 4 year old a pre-birthday birthday party."

"Shut up." Marc says through laughter, "She wanted to visit her Mom's grave on her birthday and Alex didn't wanna drive all the way here on the actual day." He explains.

"Were the 3 batches of cupcakes really necessary though?" Eddie rolls his eyes.

"Your greedy ass will probably eat most of them." Marc says as we all exit the room.

"So is your ugly ass coming or what?" He asks me, "Or you got somewhere to be as always?" Marc scoffs.

Sunny's birthday is tomorrow too but like I promised myself last night I need to create some boundaries and those boundaries include me not in Sunniva's bed again.

"Yeah whatever." I shrug.

Sunniva

"Don't forget to make a wish baby." Mom says smiling brightly.

I close my eyes and blow, the smell of burnt candles fill my nose.

"So vodka or tequila Miss 21?" My aunt Henrietta asks from across the table.

"Hen if you don't stop playing..." My mom warns with laughter.

"I'm just kidding, Lilah." My aunt says winking at me sneakily.

"She is not kidding, Aunt Lilah." Eric adds.

"You know your mother was 17 when she started drinking?" Grandma says and Aunt Henrietta bursts out in laughter.

"She thought her Momma and I were a fools and didn't know the smell of whiskey at 2 in the morning." Grandpa adds having the whole room fill with laughter.

I see Momma walk out of the kitchen and my mom nudges me on my arm.

"Sit with her and I'll call you two when I'm done cutting the cake." She says. I kiss her cheek and exit the kitchen.

Momma is sitting on the sofa when I enter the lounge area. Eyes closed taking in Norah's voice.

When Mom has family over Momma gets a bit overwhelmed by the noise and needs a little time out. She eventually goes back after she's feeling recharged. This has been normal to me since I was a kid and back then I was more attached to Momma than Mom but it was the opposite for Neoma. I'd beg her to let me stay while she had quiet time and would lay on her lap and listen to the music she'd play.

We add a song to the playlist every year it's mainly classical instruments but when I was in sixth grade and obsessed with Norah Jones I added it and to my surprise Momma really enjoyed it, it's the only one we ever replay.

I've taken this activity with me in my life. Quiet time to process my thoughts. Lately they've all been about Leo.

I tried calling him but he didn't pick up or respond to the text I sent. I didn't tell Lucy about it because she'd just yell at me for even texting him after he didn't answer my calls. It's all quite pathetic and it's moments like these I miss my sister the most.

We would be at the facility on our birthday and my mom would leave a slice of cake up front for Neoma to pick up later but mostly we'd just talk and Mom would leave upset almost always. She was never happy when we left but it was even worse on our birthday. For the past three years we've just been visiting her grave in the morning on our birthday.

I flashback to the image in the police file of a bleeding heart stabbed to the wall of her cell. It always makes me shiver just the memory alone. I wasn't supposed to see it but I snuck downstairs when the officers spoke to my moms and I saw it. I didn't speak a word for three days after that. I was inconsolable and heartbroken that anyone would ever want to hurt my sister, my sweet angel of a sister who got sent away for protecting me.

"You are crying Sunniva." Momma says beside me.

"I'm sorry." I wipe at my watery cheeks.

"Are you thinking about your sister?"

"Yes."

"I am as well." She confesses with a heavy sigh.

Mom calls from inside and we both get up to walk back to the others.

"When you were children your sister always tried to make you laugh when you cried." Momma speaks walking beside me, "Try to think of something funny she once told you." She smiles and kisses my cheek before entering the dining room.

I don't need to think of something funny because the sneaky look on my grandpa's face as he steals food off grandma's plate makes me giggle.

She looks up at me confused then turns to see the old man with smudged fingers. She swats his hands and she points a red painted nail in his face, "Arnold I told you on the way here not to touch Juney's creamed spinach." She softens her face and smiles and Momma, "She's the only one in this family who makes it as good as me."

"Thank you Diana. It is actually quite an easy recipe to follow." Momma says sitting at chair Mom holds out for her.

Momma looks more like grandma than Mom does, everyone always says it. I think I've only seen Grandma Pat once before when I was very little. She hated the idea of my Moms being together and even more when they got married and had kids. Momma's parents were apparently very religious and I once heard Mom tell Aunt Henrietta that whenever Momma had a meltdown as a kid grandma Pat would lock her up in the her room. I cried when I told Neoma about it.

"What time is your friend coming Sunny?" Aunt Henrietta asks.

"Anytime now." I say checking my phone for the time. Lucy's an hour late.

"Well I can't wait anymore," Eric huffs and puts a box wrapped in newspaper on the table, "Open it now" he demands with a sinister smile.

We all giggle at his excitement and my grandpa berates me for being too delicate with the wrapping paper, "Goodness sake's, baby it's just newspapers."

"Daddy, just let her do it." Aunt Henrietta defends.

"We'll be here all day, babygirl." My mom adds.

"If you all don't leave my Sunsun alone!" Grandma voice speaks hushing the table.

Mom only invited our closets family because Momma manages so well through the years with the noise level of us and she doesn't want to risk adding her other aunts and cousins to the mix. We are a very loud family.

"Oh my-" I say in shock when I recognize the pink packaging, "Eric oh my goodness! Thank you so much!"

"So nobody's gonna tell us what it is." Aunt Hen says dryly.

"Excuse me!" Mom looks at my aunt as if she's offended, "It's only the best mixing bowl rated by Food Court." Mom says ripping the box from my hand to examine it.

"Oh my god." Aunt Henrietta rolls her eyes , "I'm glad you like it Sunniva." She chuckles and scowls at my mother beside her.

"I really do." I smile at my bashful cousin. Eric always has the best gifts.

"Happy birthday Sunniva." He says.

"Now me." My aunt's dark red lips smirks deviously as she hands me her gift.

I see Tom Ford beneath the red bow and look up at my aunt in shock.

"Open it." She smirks.

I slowly open the box and see black material folded delicately. Lifting up the dress I run my finger of the perfect stitching on the sides to the spaghetti straps. It's much shorter than anything I own and it's the blackest black I've ever seen, practically absorbing the light in the room.

"You really had to one up your own son Mom." Eric complains.

"It's not really Sunny's style though." My grandma comments.

"Well Sunniva is an adult now Mom and she needs something in her closet besides a cardigan." My aunt counters.

"My daughter is perfectly comfortable in her cl-"

"I love it." I say, stopping the fight that was about to ensue. They get together every month just to spend most of their time arguing.

"You do?" My aunt asks with hopeful eyes.

"Yes." I smile taking in the most beautiful dress I now own.

"Try it on Sunny." My mom says.

Despite my protests the whole room besides my sweet Momma forcefully encourages me to try it on. I'm in the bathroom zipping it up but I can't see the entire dress because the only mirror I have is the cabinet one. The spaghetti straps are snug on my shoulders holding the material of the dress that cuts beautifully in the middle that molds the shape of my breasts as best as it can.

Whistling and loud praises are heard when I enter the dining room again to showcase the dress.

"Babygirl you look beautiful." Mom comments.

"Beautiful? She looks fucking hot!" My aunt claps her hands excitedly.

"That will go so great with these." We all turn to the brunette girl who's holding up a black box, "It's not too high I promise."Lucy continues looking around the room.

"This is Lucy, everyone." I introduce the late comer.