No Sister Of Mine

Chapter Ten: Family Reunion

Barbie’s day is already a long one and it’s barely noon. She starts the morning by visiting her nephew’s grave to make sure the headstone she purchased is installed properly. That is followed by a meeting with her sister’s lawyer to discuss the charges brought up against her. Now, she is leaving an uncomfortable visit with Redd at the Justice Center. The have her on psych watch because she’s been mentally unstable since the day she found her son drowned to death in the bathtub. She tried to kill herself the first night she spent in jail. 

Redd swears that she didn’t kill her baby boy. In fact, she blames his accident on Barbie claiming her desperation for a child of her own caused her to kill the toddler in a jealous rage. This hurts Barbie to the bone but she doesn’t take it personally. She can’t imagine the pain that her sister is going through.

When she arrives at home Barbie heads straight to the in-house gym to find Felipe. He is running on the treadmill while listening to his iPod. She studies his reflection in the wall mirror before him. His muscular body is covered in sweat and his face is twisted in a mean snarl. He hasn’t said much to her since their last blow out about Redd and it’s driving her crazy. She goes up to him and taps his shoulder.

 Felipe pulls one of his earpods from his ear. “What,” he growls at her.

“Can we talk?”

“About what?”

“Us, Felipe. Everything.” Barbie looks at him with pleading eyes.

He presses the button to bring the treadmill to a stop then steps down. “Talk.”

~

You would think that Felipe would want to comfort his grieving fiancee at such a tragic time instead of being an asshole. It looks like Barbie is under the spell of a master manipulator. While she searches for the perfect way to save her relationship he already has a plan to do just that and it’s nothing nice.

~

“Let’s go sit down.”

“No, Barbie. I got to finish my workout so say what you have to say.” He takes a swig from the water bottle sitting on the treadmill.

She scoffs taken aback. “Well, damn… Okay. I just wanted to see if you’re still in this or not. You act like you hate me and I don’t know why. My sister and the kids are gone and you still seem upset with me. Do you even care what I’m going through? I mean, my nephew died in our house, Felipe!”

“And that’s your stupid ass sister’s fault. What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to be my man! Act like a future fucking husband! Be there for me!” Tears form in the corner of her eyes. 

Felipe hates seeing Barbie cry. His face softens and he pulls Barbie into a tight hug. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry, babe. Don’t cry.”

“I’m trying my best, Felipe. My whole life is falling apart and I don’t know how to stop it.”

“I know, I know.” He rubs her back. “And I want you to know that I feel fucked up about what happened to the baby, man.”

“Redd thinks I had something to do with it!”

“You know Redd ain’t got ‘em all. She knows that she hasn’t been handling her business. None of this is your fault. All you ever tried to do was help her.”

Barbie looks up into his pretty brown eyes. “Thank you, baby. I really needed to hear that.”

“All this shit is going to stop. I promise. I’m here for you, babe.”