Peppermint Omega

22

--- AN: Bold is a different language ---

Kim called me on the way to Pirates' Booty. It was a pirate themed ice cream/sweets shop we passed on the walk over. It used to be a ColdStone Creamery, but it didn't do well in this location apparently, and that closed before I left.

'How was it?' she probed immediately after I answered. Sounds of a busy kitchen in the background.

'Fantastic! Moonie did so good, and she wasn't even nervous!'

'You were, huh? Probably bit all your nails off!'

'Shut it, Xing'er.' 

She laughed at me then yelled in Spanish to someone else. 'When are you coming over?'

'I think Moon and the old man are trying to set up a plan where I let her stay a couple days with you guys,' I said kind of loud and watched the two of them react. They were so easy to read. Like two peas they were. 'I'm thinking about saying yes, but they didn't want to tell me what they were planning so Imma have to say--'

'Mama! No, I wanna goooo! Please!'

'Ba, you are not a child anymore. Why do you still have to play like one?' Kim snapped playfully, over speaker phone.

'Paaaa! You the parent now. My turn to be fun!' He chuckled putting an arm around Moonie and squeezing.

Fa had always said that once his children were grown, his job was done. Since I was the first to have a grandchild, he spoiled Moonie. Kim had her son later, three years ago, and she is pregnant again. She had a tough time conceiving since her partner is an omega and she's a beta. It's not impossible, just hard.

'Ahh, Ba,' Kim groaned, adding, 'A'Qin, just send them both home. You deserve a break, yea?'

I could hear there was something up by her tone. 'What are you planning, Kimbo?'

'Nada. Nothing. Not a single thing,' she clicked her tongue after every statement. I narrowed my eyes at the phone on the table. Looking back up at the two seemingly innocent faces, I conceded.

'Fine. Please keep them out of trouble. You know the three of them are the worst.'

She gasped. 'Don't include your nephew in this. He is a precious angel. Most precious indeed.'

'You said the same thing about Moonie,' I said and looked at her as she shoved more waffle cone into her mouth. The weirdest thing, this child. She would eat all of the cone first before eating the ice cream. 'And look at her now. Spoiled by you all.'

'Moonie! Don't -- Moreno, don't put that that there [huge crash] -- I gotta go!'

The line disconnected. I would have thought the old man wanted to go to see what was going on, but he sat relaxed with his arm still around Moonie's shoulders. 'Are you..'

'Nuhuh,' he held up a couple fingers to me, stopping me from finishing. 'My favorite granddaughter say me something very important, Qin. Shoo.'

I grumbled under my breath, 'A few hours and instantly kicked to the curb.'

I slipped money to Moonie, under Fa's very watchful eye. 'Get home safely. Promise?'

*--*

I was alone, truly alone for the first time in six years. And I didn't know what the hell to do with myself. It was evening time, I thought as I looked at the sky. Sun was starting to make its descent from the sky. I used to watch it disappear from the living room window of my apartment behind the other taller buildings, casting the windows of that building in a golden light. It would be so beautiful.

Thinking of the old times, I thought, let's see if that old building is still around. After a couple bus exchanges, I was there. The old brick 6 floor building was still there, with newer and remodeled additions around it. I snickered. It was worth way less than what I had paid in rent all that time. Stupid in youth.. But I stayed there way beyond what I needed to. It was easy just to keep doing the same things over and over. It became easily, mindless.

I don't have that now. Even though everyday was on a schedule, nothing was truly the same. I never had the same interactions with Moonie or her little friends and their parents. Things were always happening and when something was too quiet or too routine, it ruffled my anxiety. I had come to crave the little hick ups.

I stepped up to the main entrance of the apartment and saw the old keypad was still there. I chuckled, 'HAHA. Some things never change.'

042114. Click. The door popped open. Damn, how did I have access still?

With a shrug, I walked into the building and felt a sense of nostalgia as I began to stroll down the hall to the stairwell. I remembered the first day moving in. I had three suitcases and a backpack, trying to lug all of it, at the same time, up the stairs.

The image of myself, drenched in sweat, flashed before my eyes and made me shiver. Woo, I was something ugly, like a wet Pekingese. It made me laugh. I had made it up 2 floors without breathing hard.

That stopped me in my tracks. I didn't pant or wheeze, feel tired or need to take a mini break. It had been so long that I didn't feel winded after doing such a little task. By the time I had gotten to my old floor, a light sweat had formed on my brow and my body was starting to warm up. These little differences made me really realize how much time I had wasted just living a shell of myself.

Rounding the familiar corner to get to the end of the hall, I slowed my pace upon hearing voices. I stayed at the partial wall, debating on what to do. It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop on their conversation, but they weren't being quiet either. All I wanted to do was walk past my old door and head out. But I wasn't going to be completing that little task either.

'How long are you going to continue to be childish?' a woman questioned with an annoyed tinge to her voice. She sounded very nasal as if her nose was stopped up.

'I thought I told you to get lost.' The male's voice was very gravelly and clipped.

'We are engaged! Of course, I want to be with my fiancé, but I can't if the bastard is being a child!' she snapped. I could hear the sound of bangles jingling.

Ooh wee. This was not something I wanted to be in the middle of, but I couldn't make myself step away. With nothing much better to do, I had become a glutton for other's drama - mainly fictional, but I couldn't pass up a front row seat. 

'I don't want you.' His cold voice made a shiver run down my spine. I could just imagine the look that he was giving her at this point.

'Ha. Lies,' she chuckled. 'You weren't saying that two weeks ago.'

My eyes widened. This was like a damned drama! I wanted to poke my head around the corner and see if the person was in my old apartment or if they were in the neighbors across the hall. Either way, they wouldn't have known me and 6 years was enough time for new people to move into this cheap building.

'You were easy. Someone I didn't have to try for. Like a loyal dog. When the master says come, you --'

SMACK!

'You run,' he finished with a smirk in his voice. 'Who knew a heartless bitch had feelings?'

'You --'

She breathed out slowly and added, 'This was arranged by our families. If you want to be a disgrace be my guest.. but waiting for someone who abandoned you is.. utterly pathetic and stupid.'

More silence hung between them. 'Ha. You know I am right. Get your head out of your ass, Lucy.'

'Why are you still here?' he growled, and I jumped. She couldn't mean.. Oh, no.

Slowly, very slowly, I backed away down the hall until I got to the stairwell. I grabbed onto the railing and took a step back, missing it and yelping as I scared myself while tripping down a couple steps before catching myself again. Footsteps followed my shaken scream, and I was met with the towering form of Lucian and his lover.