Dabbling in Danger

In The Kitchen

I wake up to screaming coming from what sounds like directly outside my room door.

"Adeen, are you even are real man?" My sister shouts. "A real man wouldn't be whining about how much his wife drinks."

I'm surprised to hear Tiana's voice. I jump out of bed and hurry over to press my ear to the door.

I don't hear Adeen's response but I hear the bass of his voice.

Tiana starts screaming obscenities, getting real belligerent.

She must be beyond trashed as fuck.

"Fuck you Jean! I mean A- Adleen," Tiana deliriously yells. "I wanna see my sister!"

I crack the door open and peek out.

Moment I see Adeen, my heart drops and my chest starts to hurt. He and Tiana are halfway up the stairs. Tiana's hair is sticking up all over her head and her dress strap is slipped off her shoulder. She starts to sway, Adeen slides his arm around her waist. He doesn't even look mad, she starts stumbling again so he helps her down and out of my view.

Welp, good to know that she really, truly hasn't changed whatsoever.

Being the nosey person I am once again, I quickly get dressed, brush my teeth and quietly sneak downstairs.

I grab a bowl from the cabinet so I'm not standing here with my thumb in my ass if one of them walks back through.

While pouring cereal, I hear Tiana's faint yell.

"Fuck you goin?" Tiana belts from across the house.

Again I don't know what Adeen says. I think about running over there just in case he's pushing her around, but then he appears in the kitchen with me.

He doesn't notice me at first. He's got a puzzled look on his face, he sighs and rubs a hand over his hair, then it trails down to his beard.

Starts to pull on strands, and turns towards me. His eyes enlarge when he sees I'm already looking at him.

I quickly look away and put the cereal back into the cabinet and grab the milk. Adeen doesn't say anything, not that, that's anything new. He walks toward me but stops at a separate cabinet and pulls down a glass.

I get out of his way and go to the island table and start quietly crunching on fruity pebbles. Adeen fills his glass with water from the refrigerator's dispenser and stands there for a minute facing away from me.

I keep my eyes on him, study how the muscles in his back slightly imprint to his fitting shirt. I wonder how often he works out, I need to jump in there with him.

He finally turns and faces me, I look away before he sees me this time.

I continue to chew feeling awkward because I can feel his eyes on me now.

He clears his throat and speaks.

"Were you drunk yesterday?"

I burn with embarrassment. I haven't forgotten the little incident in the hall due to my newfound ballsiness.

I nod and keep munching.

"Do you remember what you did?"

I flit my eyes to his, he looks genuinely curious.

I remove the spoon from my mouth and watch him as I nod. His mouth twists to the side then he faces the counter again and drinks more water.

I wish I knew what he was thinking.

Adeen

If only she knew. If only she fucking knew...

I bring my glass back to my lips and swallow more water, turning back to look at her.

I watch as milk dribbles from her mouth and down her chin. She doesn't wipe it away, I wonder if she's noticed.

Malina sits up and tilts her head slightly to the side.

Is she analyzing me?

"Can I ask what that was all about?"

She points her spoon in the direction of the other side of my house, where my wife lays drunkenly sprawled across the bed.

I sigh and shake my head, "she gets mad if I ask her to slow on the drinking."

Malina nods slowly, "sounds about right."

I don't like the way she says that. Makes it seem that, this is all Tiana's amounted to.

Malina goes back to the cereal, staring at the countertop.

Tell me what you're thinking, I want to ask, but I only stare.

I can't shake how she made me feel yesterday. I suppose I was frustrated with her, and I honestly probably would've pinched or squeezed her arm or shoulder. But I didn't like how she made me out to be some monster.
I wouldn't beat on her, not if it wasnt necessary, precisely why I haven't.

But then she tried getting in my head and I don't know how I feel about that.

I may need a new approach. What that is, I'm going to have to figure her out, to figure that out.

Without realizing I've drawn near her, now standing in front of her across the island table.

Malina

I feel Adeen getting closer to me, but I don't look up at him. That is until his hand is resting under my chin and his thumb runs along my jawline.

My heart pounding, I sit frozen under his touch as our eyes lock onto each other. His eyebrows pull together as his other features stay softened. His light eyes hold mine, then he retracts his hand and steps away.

"You had some milk running down your face," is all he says.

I watch him rub the dribble of liquid into his fingers and then he walks away.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
YOOO! LET A GIRL KNOW WHAT YOU  THINK SO FAR.

Also, thank you amarisokotete for following the story!😊