The high and the high roller

4

*Beyoncé*

Five days had passed and the pretty lady still hadn't come back yet.

During those few days I had worked tirelessly all day -well, I'm being a bit dramatic but you see what I mean- and treated myself to pastries at Starbucks in the evening. And when I got home I just settled down on the balcony to smoke and drink.

Last night I hardly slept and it was showing all over my face. I think it was because of the alcohol and the pills I took to sleep more. But that shit didn't even work since I slept for only an hour and a half, at best.

I really didn't feel like going to this family dinner but I had to because I wanted to avoid my mom from being on my back for months. She can be clingy sometimes, she loves her children way too much.

After finishing getting ready I took an aspirin to ease my headache, put on my coat and shoes, grabbed my keys and my phone and left my apartment. I went down to the underground parking to get my car.

The weather was shit today, the sky was grey, indicating that it was likely to rain. My mom lived in a large house in the Manhattan neighborhood, about thirty minutes from my place. I would arrive at their house by noon at the latest.

I struggled for over five minutes to find a spot to park. I finally parked not far from the family house.

I took a moment before getting out. I lowered the car's sun visor and observed myself in the small mirror. I had tried my best to hide my dark circles and now all I needed to do was to faked a smile and everything would be fine I guess.

Once I got out of the car, I walked towards the small fence I know my mom always left open during the day, climbed the stairs leading to the front door and rang the doorbell. I only waited a few minutes before the door opened, not on my mom as I had expected, but on my sister.

"Look who we've got here, I thought you were dead." Here she goes.

"Damn we don't say hi anymore ?"

She rolled her eyes and hugged me "Hi, Bey."

"Hi, Solo."

We hugged for a couple seconds and then she closed the door and led me to the living room where everyone else was.

My brother, my two other sisters and all their kids were sitting on the couch or on the carpet, talking and playing. I smiled, I was genuinely happy to see them all.

I was somewhat a family girl even though I wasn't acting like it.

"Look who's here !" Solo yelled so everyone could hear.

They all turned their heads towards us and the kids quickly stood up and ran to me. I kneeled down and opened my arms so I could hug them all.

I was the favorite aunt, kids loved me.

"Aunty Bey, where have you been ?" Julez, Solo's son, asked me.

"We missed you." Sienna and Davon added.

"My mom said you were on drugs and that's why we didn't see you in weeks, is that true ?" Huh ?

I looked up at my sister Andy and she quickly left the living room with a smile on her face. She knows she was wrong for telling my niece this. I didn't even do drugs.

"Your mom is just saying anything, I was just busy." I really was.

"So you're not a drug addict ?"

I chuckled "No, I'm not."

She seemed relieved "Thank God. Because otherwise I would've had to stop talking to you, I don't deal with drug addicts. They are crazy and they smell bad."