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"Wanna spend the day with your favourite doctor?" I asked Cheyenne as we bounded the stairs to her place, my eyes begging for a yes.
Her sister's trial was taking a toll on not only Latoya, who was having trouble sleeping and had been isolating herself in her room or leaving their place for most of the day, but also on Cheyenne, who was spending every waking moment of the day worried about her sister. The last few days in court had been brutal and I was trying to take the weight off her shoulders, but I highly doubted she'd let me take up her entire day without putting up a fight. Still, it was worth a try.
"Alex," Cheyenne said as she opened the door, "I don't know. I want to be here when Latoya gets back. She might need a shoulder."
"Or... she might need her space, which could be the reason she left around seven a.m. on a Saturday morning in the first place."
"Valid, but what if she needs me?"
"What if I need you?"
"You've been with me all morning."
"Is this what our relationship has become?" I said with dramatically narrowed eyes. "Dates to the grocery store? Come on, Chey. I'm sure Latoya herself doesn't want you depriving yourself like this."
She sighed deeply and just watched me silently as I packed away the groceries we'd just brought up the stairs. "Alex, this is a very difficult time for her. I just want her to know I'm here."
"Baby, believe me when I say I'm aware. I know what she's going through can't be easy," I sympathised, "but she's not the only one going through stuff, you're carrying a lot on your shoulders trying to be here for her. And I get it, you're her big sister and you really want to play the part, but you can't pour from an empty cup. This is me offering to fill it up as much as I possibly can."
"You know what, baby? You're right about the pouring from an empty cup thing. I'm definitely struggling." she conceded and snuck up behind me, the back hug she gave me putting an easy smile on my face.
"So, since I'm right," I mumbled as I clutched her hands to my chest, "can I have you today? Promise it will be worth it."
Cheyenne gave in and made a quick call to Latoya to inform her of her whereabouts, her shoulders relaxing when Latoya encouraged her to go ahead and spend some time with her man. A grin grew on my face as she went to her room to freshen up for our date.
"Pack an overnight bag." I called out as I pulled out my phone to finalise the plans I'd made for this date.
"Overnight?" Cheyenne called back. "You're not fetching Rufaro later today?"
"Nope. What started off as a play date at Nella and Hasani's place turned into a sleepover. I'm fetching her tomorrow afternoon." I revealed, appearing in her bedroom doorway and watching as she gathered clothes, underwear and toiletries into a Noire Afrique duffel bag.
