Alana's Scent

79

Alana

"So wait, one more time.." JJ began repeating what I'd just explained. "Madi is addicted to drugs, so now they're sending her with you to get her addiction out of control?"

I picked up a handful of clothes off the rack in my second closet and looked at the camera. "Yep."

"Okay and what's your game plan for that?"

Putting the clothes on the guest bed, I picked up the boxes I'd purchased from Walgreens. "She's gotta drug test every Sunday. No cheating. No skipping. Hopefully she'll pass them all because my mom said she really just wanted to go to a rehab."

"So why didn't they send her there instead?"

"Because my mother said that she had a talk with my father and that dad said he wasn't comfortable sending his youngest daughter into a facility where they could dope her up or restrain her if she gets to acting up."

"And if she acts up at your place?"

"I'm gonna karate chop her in the neck." I nodded softly because that was a great plan in my head.

JJ chuckled. "I love you honey, but that doesn't sound like a great plan."

"I will karate chop if need be but hopefully she doesn't. I mean... we talked on the phone and she just sounds really down in the dumps and dry. Mom said something happened with Tania's father."

"Wait, something happened as in what?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. She didn't wanna tell me but one can only connect those dots."

"Oh no. That's so horrible to hear. When's she getting to you?"

"She's boarding any minute now and she should land in a like five hours because they have a layover somewhere. My mom told me but she was so frantic and talking so quickly that I honestly can't even tell you."

"You know you're picking up an actual human responsibility right now though, correct?"

Unfortunately, I had realized that. "Yeah..."

"Not saying that you won't succeed at this because I have complete faith that you will but you won't be able to watch her every second of every day. You have your practices after school. She'll be home alone and—."

"Thought of that too." I cut her off because that thought had crossed my mind earlier and I had gotten prepared. Grabbed the other bag I'd gotten from Home Depot, I held the box up. "Ring Cameras. They'll alert me every time she moves. Imma put one up in this room, the kitchen and then two in the living room. One facing the couch and one facing the door."

"Lord, you're about to turn your apartment into a jail house."

"If that's what it takes to save my sister, so be it."

"That's the spirit... but about me coming down this weekend."

Immediately dropping the bags on the bed, I picked my phone up. "Janet, do not cancel."

"I wasn't canceling." She chuckled at my face. "And don't use my government name like that. Whose the teacher here? Me or you? I was actually asking if you wanted me to still come because your sister will be there."

I propped the phone back up where she could see me. "Yes. You're still coming. Don't flake on me. I haven't seen you in like months and—."

"It's only been two weeks love."