Dabbling in Danger

Her Sister

Adeen

Call me if you can, I need to ask a huge favor.

The text is from Tiana. I sigh and rub my hand over my face.

I wonder what she wants this time. It could be a number of things. A new dress she saw online, or maybe just money flat out to go out again.

"I don't know..."

My thoughts slip out of my mouth in a whisper.

She normally would ask via text if it were something trivial like that.

I lean back in my office chair, press her contact and put the phone to my ear.

It rings a couple times then she answers.

She sounds like she's walking, "hey I'm at my sister's school."

"Sister?" I ask, thrown off.

Sister, what sister?

"Malina! You know, I've told you about my younger sister," she sounds annoyed.

She sighs and continues, "anyway, they're saying she got into trouble... I dont know what happened and frankly I don't care. What I do care about is, they're saying I'll have to take her in or she'll go to some fosters located who knows where... I can't take more of that guilt Adeen."

Her voice quivers and I imagine her big eyes pooling with water. I couldn't deny a girl anything that looked like that when she was hurting.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"Baby, don't get yourself worked up... If your sister has nowhere else to go, I dont mind allowing her to stay for a little while."

She sighs with relief but I continue.

"I need to tell you this though, if she stirs up trouble here, I won't stand for it."

"I know baby, thank you, she needs this. If she gives you any problems, you have my permission to do whatever you want. It's not like she won't deserve it."

On her end is a man's voice yelling. Tiana sighs and announces quickly her love for me and that she has to go.

The phone now sitting on my desk I swivel around in my chair observing the open space.

"I suppose I can move some of those boxes into here for now," I mutter.

I'm shuffling things around in the gym when I see Tiana's car pull up to the gate. I debate whether I want to meet the girl now or wait until later.

I watch the car slowly get closer and then they stop up near the house. I watch as Tiana quickly gets out and adjusts her shoe, the passenger door slowly opens and and I see the infamous Malina.

She's taller than I expected, I can tell from here the two girls have the same round face. Malina looks like she's questioning Tiana.

I finally decide that I'll meet her later and scoop up my cat, Gonzo on the way downstairs. He leaps out of my arms just before I shut the room door and makes his escape.

"Guess he wants to meet her," I say to myself.

●●●

Last night Tiana mentioned that Malina got expelled and I dont know why but it irritated me. She also mentioned that the two of them haven't been on the best of terms in years so she doesn't know how to interact. I couldn't give much insight, I don't have siblings.

I imagined she figured something out because when I woke up this morning shewasn't next to me.

I took it slow getting out of bed and getting ready for the day. When it got close to 2:45 I got bored and decided to move some more boxes.

I got the gym practically cleared out, balancing three semi-full boxes. They're mostly weighed down with papers so when I find a clear space I drop them to the floor.

I notice I'm not alone, there she stands, my wife's sister.

She stammers, "Uhh... H- hel-"

Unable to understand her sudden sputtering, I interject, "I didn't know you were still here." I look at my watch, 2:55, "it's going on three o' clock."

She says something incoherent and I pull my eyebrows together in confusion.

"I hope I didn't wake you," I say feeling bad for not checking first.

Malina hikes a hand on her hip, "Well you did," her voice clips.

I see what Tiana meant about her sister catching an attitude out of nowhere. I'd imagine she can read the displeasure on my face.

I turn away from her and squat down in front of an open box. Not wanting to give her a hard time just yet, I hope she just gets the point and excuses herself.

"Um... where's my sister?" She sounds hesitant.

Why's she suddenly timid?

"Went out," the words rush out, I'm eager to hear the reason behind the sudden nervousness.

"What is with all the boxes?" She asks.

All signs of hesitation erase so I turn back to my busy work.

**
The past few days have been odd. I feel bad because I've roughed up Malina twice now.

I hold my head in my hands as I sit at the edge or my bed.

She gets that same look in her eyes the way Tiana does. I instantly regret trying to control the poor thing because she looks at me like an abused puppy.

"Fuck," I spit to myself.

I really hope I didnt bruise her... What if she starts to hate me? I don't want her to hate me, I just need her to get in line.

I grumble, why do I even care? I hardly know her!

Her round face comes to mind, I picture her plump lips.

Shes the only woman I've found more attractive than her sister. I've finally allowed myself to admit it. Yes, it's in her looks, but it's also the way she tests me. At first it pisses me off and all I want to do is strike her in the moment. But then later I realize I like how she doesn't just take it. She doesn't act like a puppet because I can give her a few things, not like Tiana does.

"Or maybe she does..." I muse.

I stare at the newest Samsung galaxy sitting face up, tucked cozily in it's box next to me.

I stopped by the mall and got this when Malina told me she didn't have a phone. I press and hold a button on the side, it powers on.

All the while it's setting up I go back and forth on if I should put my number in the phone.

Flipping through several new phone user tips, a page opens to add new contacts, it taunts me.

I put the phone down for a second and gnaw at my lip.

I should do this because in case of emergencies I'm the only that can be of any help if her sister can't.

There, it's justified. I release a sigh of relief and pick up the phone entering my digits and my name, now I'm stuck on if I should put, 'Mr. Hutchinson or Adeen.'

I shake my head, "I'll give it to her tomorrow," I grumble to myself.