Paths

STILL YOUR BEST

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday my Nai Nai, happy birthday to you!" Sunny obnoxiously as she walked into her daughter's childhood room, a cupcake in hand.

Nairobi groggily rolled over as she groaned from being awakened from her sleep. "Maaaa," she hoarsely complained still not opening her eyes.

Sunny laughed, throwing the covers back in an attempt to get up. "Come on Nairobi get up! Me and Marvin have been waiting for you to wake up all morning."

Nairobi smacked her lips opening her eyes for a second to snatch the cover back, "Ma I been taking finals all week and I was driving all night I can't sleep in on my birthday?"

"You can baby, just come open your gifts and eat breakfast and I promise I'll let you sleep for the rest of the day," her mother pleaded.

Nairobi popped one eye open at the sound of gifts and food, "What did you make?"

Her mother smacked her lips with a laugh, "Get up greedy, and you can see," she spoke pulling the covers away from her again.

Nairobi sighed finally sitting up as she adjusted her pink bonnet on her head. Sunny took a seat on the edge of her bed eyeing her daughter. Like Kaier, she could read Nairobi like a book but she couldn't quite put her finger on what had been bothering her the past few months. Her daughter had already become slightly distant, but after Sunny's birthday party, she could sense that something was wrong.

Nairobi was never the type to be an open book when it came to her feelings, something she acquired from her father. But, usually with a little prying from her mother, she would share something. However, it seemed that no matter how often she asked her daughter she seemed to receive no answers. When she asked her sons, the only response they would offer her was that she needed to speak to Nairobi. She decided to give her daughter space to figure out her problems on her own, understanding that she was getting older. But now that she was officially back home for the summer since her semester had ended, Sunny couldn't help but feel like she needed to get to the bottom of it.

Because of this, she was unsure how Nairobi would react when she told her the news she received that morning, but she figured it was best that she heard it from her.

"Nai?" Her mother spoke in an unsure tone.

"Ma I'm about to get up," Nairobi quickly let out.

"No," Sunny responded putting her hand out to stop her from leaving the bed. "I have something I have to tell you. I don't want to ruin your day but I want you to hear it from me okay?"

Nairobi raised an eyebrow before nodding her head. Sunny let out a breath before continuing, "They found Jacobi's body in an abandoned warehouse downtown."

She slightly let out a breath of relief, already thinking about the worst possible scenario of what her mother could tell her. "Oh," she yawned before she continued. "How did they find him?", she questioned shocking her mother with her calm demeanor.

"Uhh, I'm not sure they haven't said yet," Sunny responded in a confused tone. "Are you okay baby? I know you and Jacobi were dating for a little while?" she questioned trying to feel out her daughter's emotions. Usually, she could tell if she was hiding her thoughts, but it genuinely seemed like she was unmoved by the news she had received. From what she understood the two had decided that they were better off as friends, but Nairobi had assured her that there was no bad blood between the two. Her reaction to his death clearly told a different story.

"Yes, Im fine ma," She spoke grabbing her phone off the charger, before throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

Sunny stopped her again, grabbing her arm before she could get up. "Nairobi you know you can talk to me? What's going on? I know you two weren't dating anymore but he was your brother's best friend they grew up together. I thought y'all two were still friends."