Habibet Albi (Incomplete)

Chapter 9: Coming Home

WHEN PHOENIX RAN downstairs to warm up some coffee to pour almond joy flavored creamer into it, she stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared. On the brown sofa Hakeem was asleep on his back with his jaw hanging wide open. Loud snores escaped his lips.

Snapping out of her trance she ran to the sofa and jumped on top of him. Wrapped her arms around him and began attacking him with a million kisses. He put his hands up trying to deflect her mouth from his temple. "Alright, alright I'm up." He groaned in a hoarse voice.

Phoenix climbed off of him and sat beside him cross-legged. She didn't think he'd come back. Seeing him made her more excited than she'd been in what seemed like ages. All the hollowness that swelled in her chest vanished.

"Don't you ever scare me again like that. Do you even realize how worried I was about you?" She said in a motherly voice, unintentionally it was something she had adapted to after Mom died.

Hakeem sat upright and wiped the sleep away from his eyes. "I know Nix, I'm sorry for all the messed up things I said. I didn't mean it, I was just pissed. You embarassed me coming unannounced like that." He explained, keeping his gaze fixed on the television that wasn't on.

Phoenix didn't have any drop of spite about what had happened. However that didn't mean she was automatically going to let what happen slide. "It's all good now. But you're not getting off that easy. You know if ma were still here you'd get the belt or her shoe. My punishment is that you cannot go out this week and you have to do the dishes." She informed.

Hakeem sighed but shrugged his shoulders. "I mean it could be worse. I won't leave like that anymore ok? I didn't think you cared that much about me." He couldn't look her in the eye. Talking about how he felt was difficult for him. He was so reserved and never spoke to her about it.

Phoenix leaned her head onto his shoulder. "Of course I care about you dummy. You're my little brother. I'll never stop caring." She reassured him, undoubtedly. She lifted her head to peer up at him. "Why would you think I don't care about you?"

He chewed on his bottom lip. "You're always so busy with Josiah or Jose or with that new fuck buddy of yours. I mean I'm happy you finally don't got cobwebs collecting down there. Just you never have time for me." He explained.

Her eyes widened in horror. "Fuck buddy? No, no, no he's just a boy space friend. No fornication involved. I'm sorry I didn't even realize you liked me that much. Thought you wanted to be left alone on your PlayStation or out with yah boys."

Hakeem rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Yeah and Giselle and I were just playing hide and go seek under the covers." Sarcasm dripped from his words.

She shot him a disapproving look. "Yeah well I know, I found a condom wrapper a month ago. It's different with Malik though. We don't do anything in order to have a good time. We just talk." She truthfully recounted.

"Shit! I knew I forgot to throw it out. It was in the heat of the moment I was distracted. Pfft, if he hasn't fucked you yet trust me that's his motive for "talking". He mocked.

Phoenix sighed in exasperation. "How come you and Jose keep saying that?" She asked, suddenly irritated.

"We're guys, we know how they think and act." He stated as if that made all the sense in the world.

"What have you been doing these past two weeks?" Phoenix asked, changing the topic.

He shrugged. "Nothing much, smoking bud, drinking, fucking. Bumping to music, driving to the court to shoot some hoops. There was a drive by and we all fell to the ground. Only Reggie got a graze on his arm." He told her in the most nonchalant voice ever.