Color Me

Sun kiss

New day. Bright and warm.
Her face looked better.
Both eyes were open. Still purple and bruised but open.
The twins were taking their job as nurses very seriously.
Kim was the designated entertainer. She made them all laugh.
They sat on the floor playing cards and telling jokes.
Zoe kept looking behind her hoping to find someone.
Austin knew who she was looking for.
"Dude who are you looking for?"
Kim laughed and Alyce settled for coughing.
"What was that?"
"What was what? Answer the question my friend?"
"Nobody."
"Ohhhh its nobody now."
"Austin leave her alone. Dont worry Zee, she hasnt left yet. She's with dad in his office."
"Left?  She's leaving today?"
Zoe was getting agitated. Austin wanted to rub a little deeper. Clearly he wasn't the only one who wanted Kai to stay with them.
"Hmmm she might leave on the night flight. I'm not sure."
"Whats she going back for?"
"Hmmm i dont know. She said she missed someone."
Kim was a bit oblivious to Austins intent but she had some information of her own.
"Oh yeah. She did say she missed umm Tammy. This girl."
Kim showed them a picture she had gotten from Kai's phone. A picture of her with Tammy.
The picture wasnt extra but it still felt like a nail in the coffin for Zoe.
It was just an innocent picture, Kai smiling and hugging Tammy around the neck who was laughing.
Was it petty to say Zoe wanted to be that girl. She made Kai laugh. She didn't hurt her or stress her out.
Well who needs her anyways.
"She's cute. And small."
"Uhh yeah. Kai is tall so pretty much a lot of girls would be small."

The conversation shifted from Kai to weekend plans then to college. They all got accepted to more than one college including Berkeley all 3 of them.
"So I'm gonna pick Berkeley, What about you Austin?"
"Yeah. You aint getting rid of me Aly my dear."
"You are obnoxious. What about you Zee?"
"I haven't decided yet. I have Berkeley and 3 more. Mostly because i play ball."
"Well its still a chance i think you should take."
"I know."

Richard looked at his oldest child. Eyes silver and hair dark as obsidian. Her mothers eyes were a very light blue. But still blue. Kai had landed on silver.
Its deepness and shine depended on her mood.
Right now they were just excited and bright. The sun hitting through the window seemed to love its job and illuminated her eyes so that they seemed to shine. And gave the blue ends in her hair a vibrance that was just perfect.
He couldn't help but feel disappointed  in himself. He missed 18 years of her life. He didn't intend to miss anymore. So here goes nothing.
"Kai i would very much love it if you stayed here during your semesters."
"I wouldnt mind either but that wasnt my plan for college."
"What was your plan?"
"School campus for the first year then rent somewhere near by."
"I can help you with that if you are adamant about not staying here."
"Richard, I appreciate everything you are trying to do. But i didnt come here to get to your pocket. I just wanted to know you. And i have, we can continue building a relationship but that doesnt mean you must pay for everything i want. I'm good."
"You are your mothers child. She raised you good. I'm not trying to buy you or give you handouts Kai. I'm merely a father who wants to do what every father should do for their child. Let me do that."
"I understand. But this I'll do by myself. You can do something for me though."
"Anything."
"Zoe. Austin knows a lot. Get him to talk. You have to protect her Richard."
"I cant interfere in her life if she doesn't want me to."
"Yes you can. Unless you wanna make a speech about what a great kid she was at her funeral."
"Kai. It needs more finesse than this."
"You are a smart man Richard. Figure it out or we'll be buying a casket for that girl. There's only so much her body can take."
Richard nodded.
"I'll think of something. you have to go back home and get your stuff for school. Can you come back earlier, you know spend a few days here before you go to school."
"That would be nice but I'm gonna take all the days i can with my mom. School is pretty close so i can visit you and you can visit me any day."
"Thats a good point. I'm sorry i wasn't there Kai."
"Nah. you dont have to apologize. Its now that counts."

After her talk with Richard, she went to find Zee. Needed to talk to her before she left.
Zee left the card game, Kai wanted to talk to her privately.
She was nervous really.
Entering the sunroom with shaky legs, the view was awesome from here and Kai fit perfectly in the picture. The sun was framing her like its worshipping her. Beautiful!
No! Dnt think of that.

"I wanna give you something before i leave."
"Leaving today?"
"Yeah."
"Ohh okay."
"Have you decided on which school yet?"
"No. And you said you got a gift for me, lets see."
"Its nothing much, come see."
Zee moved to the couch Kai was leaning on. She had a stack of papers in her hand.
"Here. They are not much but just something."
Drawings.
Thats what she got.
Drawings of her alone and some with others. So full of detail, like they want to come to life from the papers.
Done by pencil but so amazing.
Zee smiled as she flipped through them. One made her laugh. A drawing of her in Kai's arms when they bumped into each other the second time. That time she was eavesdropping.

"I love them. I'm keeping them right?"
"Yeah you are. So i will see you maybe when I get back."
"Why maybe?"
"Because i don't know if you will like me after this."
She didn't have time to ask or wonder what she meant.
Kai kissed her. It was a gentle still kiss on the lips.
Zee froze and then fell into the kiss. They didn't move, just stayed connected.
It probably was 5 seconds but 5 days could have gone by and nobody would have noticed.
Kai moved away first.
She kissed Zee's cheek and walked out the door.