Sunday was also the day Lilith spent at our house, and lately she preferred to spend more time gallivanting around with Jayce than hanging out with us. That pissed Rana off until I reminded her that they were basically us at that age, doing the exact same things on the exact same pavement. We didn’t hang out with our parents, either. My understanding of that fact didn’t mean Jayce was safe from me, though. He’d face my wrath if he so much as laid a finger on her. Lilith was basically screwed with two sets of parents and a crazy grandfather constantly up in her business. Hopefully, someday she’d realize how lucky she was for that.
Speaking of the crazy grandfather…remember the sex dungeon idea Rana and I toyed with for the garage? Yeah, that never happened because Eddie was now living in it. He’d gotten kicked out of his apartment, so we took him in. There was good and bad to that scenario. The bad? Rana and I couldn’t have sex as loud as we wanted because the man heard goddamn everything. (Couldn’t say “goddamn” either because he’d crucify me.) But we did have a kickass vegetable and flower garden happening, since he spent all of his time during the day working on the yard. The outside of our house also had more religious statues than the Vatican.
We watched as Lilith sat on the top of the handlebars of Jayce’s bike while he wheeled her around.
Rana didn’t take her eyes off them when she said, “You know what she asked me this morning?”
“What?”
“She wanted to know why she should forgive me for my mistakes when I wasn’t able to forgive my mother for hers. She wasn’t saying that I didn’t deserve her forgiveness. She was more trying to make a point, I think, that I should probably look up Shayla. I think she’s curious about her mysterious, thieving grandmother.”
“What did you tell her?”
“I told her that forgiveness was a two-way street, that you couldn’t forgive someone who doesn’t want to be forgiven.”
“That was a good answer, baby. Not everyone deserves to be forgiven.”
Rana changed the subject quickly like she often did when we brought up her mother. “I think she likes him…Jayce.”
“Don’t say that shit. I don’t want to have to hurt him, and I’m sure he wants his teeth.”
“I’m scared he’s gonna hurt her.”
“She’s not you. I know it’s hard to believe that sometimes, considering how similar she is to you. The same things you went through may not necessarily be her experiences. But regardless, she has to live her own life and learn her own lessons, as hard as that might be for you to accept.”
“I know.” She sighed. “You’re right. But why couldn’t she have stayed ten forever?”
“At least you know you’ll be able to be there for her no matter what happens. And I’ll be there to fuck up whoever messes with her.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Eddie emerged from the garage holding an apple and a knife.
“Sup, old man,” I teased.
He took a look at my face and said, “Why you no-shave?”
“Rana likes me scruffy, and I like annoying you, so win-win.”
He knew I was kidding. Getting him riled up was one of my favorite pastimes. I’d wear the man bun on occasion just to fuck with him, too. All of it was done out of love. Truthfully, Eddie had become like a second father to me, and there was nothing I wouldn’t have done for him. We also played some mean card games together when Rana worked at night.
Lilith came skipping toward us. “Can I have some money? Jayce and I are going to the store.”
“What do you think, I’m your bank, Sassypants?” I said, taking out my wallet.
She stuck out her bottom lip. “Please?”
Before I could even get my money out, Eddie was already handing her a five-dollar bill.
“Thanks, Papa,” she said before running away.
Rana got a kick out of the fact that Lilith had Eddie wrapped around her finger. He’d been so strict with Rana when she was growing up, but all Lilith had to do was look at him, and she’d get whatever she wanted.
I yelled after Lilith, “Spoiled!”
The three of us watched Lilith and Jayce leave on their bikes.
When they were out of sight, Eddie mumbled, “I no-like this boy.”
“You wouldn’t like any kid within three feet of her.” I chuckled.
He nodded. “True.”
Rana stood up and started to head into the house.
I hollered after her, “Where are you going?”
“I have to check something in the house. I’ll be back.”
With Rana inside and Eddie fixated on his apple, I grabbed the Rubik’s Cube I’d been playing around with earlier.
After about ten minutes, I hit a breakthrough where I almost had all of the sides matched. Concentrating, I turned one of the corners forward in slow motion and couldn’t believe my eyes. It finally happened. I’d finally color matched all six sides of the cube.