Family Lies

Treasure

"Treasure!" Aunt Dot knocked on my door before coming in. I had just woken up from a late afternoon nap because Aunt Dottie made the heaviest breakfast and it gave me the itis like a muthafucka. I picked my head up and she laughed. "Oop. I know I ain't just catch you sleepin' in the middle of the day," she said like she was tickled and I just smiled. She looked at the suitcase I had been living out of for the last couple weeks and frowned. "Why you ain't unpack babe?" I shrugged slowly as I sat up. "I don't know. I've always been kinda slow to put my clothes away. Every time they leave my side somethin's missin'. Then I turn around and see Summer and Kashmir wearing it." Aunt Dot laughed as she sat beside me. "Well that's how sisters are. I used to steal Donna's and Dollie's clothes all the time. Dollie would be so mad at me. But Donna ain't care because we wore the same size and she'd be sportin' my shit too."

I shook my head.

"I wanted to take y'all to the mall. Irving said he'd meet us there to catch a movie if he could get outta work early. I already told everybody else so gone get ready. We gone leave in a couple hours."

"I'll stay behind Auntie," I said. She looked back at me with furrowed brows. "Why? You don't feel good or sum'?" I shook my head. "Naw, I just barely got money with you insisting I don't work this summer," I told a half truth. I stacked up some bread from moving weight back home. But I was determined to never be broke ever again in my life. I never want to have to struggle like I did when I was living with Dollie. My brother showed me how to keep the paper rolling in so I would be damned if I ever had to steal or suck for anything I wanted again. So I hated to spend more than I was bringing in. And since I ain't have no work out here then I would just have to sit this little trip to the mall out. Which was such a shame because I was craving a cinnamon sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne's like a muthafucka. "Y'all have fun though. True goin'?" She rolled her eyes while shaking her head.

"Yeah True goin' and you goin' too. I already told you, you ain't gotta worry about that, I gotchu. Ight?"

"But Aunti—," she cut me off as she stood up, "But Auntie nothin'. Get your butt up and get yourself ready girl. Two hours." She walked out the room and I took a deep sigh. I watched TV for a little while before I got up to go find True. He was in his room playing that game with I.J. and they was both so caught up talking shit with each other that I ain't think either one of them noticed me crawl onto the bed and lay down behind them. "I just know yo ass ain't lay down in my bed with no socks on them crusty musty ass feet," True said without looking away from the TV. I sent a mean punch to his arm. "You always wanna talk about somebody. You think you so fuckin' funny."

I.J. laughed. "Y'all act just how I would think twins would act." I rolled my eyes hard. The fuck that even mean? Initially, since I had time to waste I was gonna spend it with True. But now that he'd gotten on my nerves I ain't wanna be nowhere near him. Then I thought about somebody I had barely talked to in weeks and decided to get up and go make a phone call. I ran down the stairs and into the living area where Aunt Dot sat putting two braids into Divine's hair with her on the floor in front of her. "Auntie, can I use the phone?" I asked as I stood beside them. She nodded. "Sure babe. You don't gotta ask."

"Thanks." I snatched it out of the hook and walked a little ways away while dialing Nicci's number and waiting forever for someone to answer.

"Hello?" Miss Gwen answered the phone and I smiled.

"Hey Miss Gwen. It's Tré. How are you?"

"Oh I'm good sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. Is Nic around?"

"Yeah she's home, I'll get her for you. Wait a minute." I could tell she held the phone away from her face before she called for Nic. "Thanks Miss Gwen you have a good day."