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Her long legs covered under selvedge jeans propelled towards in quick strides towards her ringing phone. She held her son carefully in just his new diaper since he was in the process of getting dressed. Lifting her phone, the contact flashing on her screen was unexpected but she press to answer rather quickly.
"What's up, Lotus?" she answered for her ex, at least for now, boyfriend sister.
"Hey. I was calling to see if you've seen Troy? He was supposed to pick up the boys the other day and never did. We haven't heard from him since." she said, just for it to worry Courtney as she went over to her bed to finish dressing her son for the visitor coming soon.
"Uhm, no; not since the other day myself." She responded, putting her cell on speaker, sitting it on the bed to begin dressing her baby son.
"Did he... Was he different—"
"Stop beatin' around the bush, Lo." Tyson's voice came in at a distance in the background. "Was he high Courtney?"
Easing the black t-shirt over Valero's head, her eyebrows pull in confusion and wondered why that would be what was asked. "Uhm.. no." she responded with hesitance, "I don't believe so. He came in, took a shower, and fell asleep."
"We are just asking because every single time he goes silent it's never good."
"How was he acting?" Tyson asked after Lotus, his voice appearing closer to the phone.
Courtney's mind goes back to the night Troy popped up. He was talkative and stumbling with glassy eyes; sweaty and hot. The clear signs and at that very second while pulling up the tan pants on Valero, she realized he relapsed and she let him walk out. She knew if his family found out they would cut him off and she didn't want him to be iced out.
"He was normal..." Courtney lied, choosing to protect Troy; going to figure it all out herself. "We actually broke up.. so we haven't been communicating either."
"Aight. If you hear from him, call us. Don't tell him to call because he won't."
Courtney assured she would and promising to see the two at their baby cousin's birthday party in just a week and a half before hanging up. She tried Troy's number twice just to get his voicemail. "I don't know what's going on."
Valero yawned, and Courtney chuckle softly. "I guess you don't care."
Again, her phone rung, and a part of her hoped it was Troy. But as she placed the soothie pacifier in her sleepy baby's mouth, she saw it was her community's security. "Hello?" she answered.
"There's a Mason at the gate."
Courtney recognized the driver's name, letting security grant entry and hung up. She grabbed his diaper bag, heading to the bottom level, and placed Valero in his baby swing. She buckled him in, placing it at the second motion that kept him asleep. Then, the doorbell rung and she stood up fully. The singer pulled at the hem of her sweatshirt with Cocoa logo across the front. She walked towards the front door in her Nikes, and unlock the door. She took another deep breath before pulling it open and she comes face to face with him.
