Don't Get Angry

12- Otis: Easy Peasy

By the time we got to Peter's house, it was two in the morning. Peter unlocked the door and we all snuck up the stairs then into his room. Peter shut the door then turned to us. "We need to make a plan."

I felt my lips seal. It was like an unseen entity had covered my mouth for me. I couldn't say a thing. And that idiot Peter better thank that entity, because if I could've, I would've said worse than Dalta did.

"Make a plan!" She shouted.

I quickly "shhh" ed her.

She took a deep breath and clasped her hands, pressing her fingers against her chin. She pointed them at Peter. "Listen...you clown. It's two o' clock in the morning. My phone has been vibrating all night because my parents probably think that I'm buried alive or a part of a drug cartel by now."

I furrowed my brows.

"I threw a vomit-covered church dress in the bushes of a five-star restaurant and YOU...you tried to rob a gas station. Peter," her voice grew calm, "I don't think I care about making any plans with you right now. In fact, I think I'll be finding myself at my house, where I'll probably be until I'm married with my second kid. Now, good-bye." She turned to walk out the door.

"Dee, wait!" I grabbed her wrist.

She looked at it, then squinted at me.

"I can call your mom."

"You?"

I chuckled and shrugged. "Why not? I've met her."

Her eyes grew. "You have?"

"Once...but it was a long time ago. Years ago."

She stared at me waiting for the story.

"We met at this church thing your mom threw. I was..." I paused. I held my breath. My throat went dry. "She helped me through something."

Dalta stared at me. A soft smile hit her face and she nodded. It was as if she had already known what had happened.

My cheeks burned from my embarrassment. "Just hand me the phone so I can call her."

She dug in the pocket of my sweats she wore and handed it to me. "Don't lie to her."

I gulped and nodded. "Of course not...I'll try not to." I searched for her mother's number then called it.

"I'll pretend to cry," she whispered then she began to make crying noises.

I was about to tell her not to do that idiocy, and that that would most definitely be a form of lying, but her mother's voice caught me off guard.

"Hello," her mother answered the phone frantically. "Dalta?"

"Hi, Mrs. Jefferson," I answered clearing my throat.

"Who is this? Why is Dalta crying? Oh God. Is this an officer?"

"No, ma'am," I chuckled. "My voice isn't that deep. Ma'am, I'm a friend of Dalta's... Otis? I'm not sure if you remember me."

"Yes! Of course, I do." Her mother's tone calmed a little.

"Hi. I'm here with Dalta at Penny's house."

"Were you on the date too?"

"I don't want to throw Dalta under the bus here," I lowered my voice, "but the date was not a group date."

Dalta looked at me with wide eyes. She stopped fake crying. She had asked me not to lie. What did she expect?

"Dalta went out of town with a guy from school and got sick from the food. The guy left her in the street because she threw up in his car. I had to drive out of town to get her because she called me..." I suddenly froze. It was late. The time was late. How do I explain that without lying? With a nauseous feeling in my stomach, I opened my mouth to speak. "And my GPS gave me some trouble so I got lost. Then I found her and we still got lost on the way back...into town."

"Oh," her mother replied softly. "Why couldn't she tell me this?"

"She's crying a lot."

Dalta continued to fake weep.

"I think she's ashamed. She told me she doesn't do things like this. I was surprised myself when she told me she lied."

"She doesn't do things like this at all. I'm glad she learned her lesson. I did speak to Penny. And Penny said there was a group date. So, please tell Penny not to try that with me again or Dalta will have to transfer to a boarding school for girls."

"What-" I looked at Dalta feeling a little worried.

"I'm joking, Otis. It was a joke. But tell Dalta we'll be out in the morning. Since she can't speak to me, tell I love her."

"Sure."

"Also, tell her that her father says no movie nights for a month."

"O... kay."

"And that she's grounded until she graduates."

I chuckled.

"Not a joke this time. I'm serious."

My smile fell.

"Thank you for caring for her, Otis. Have a good night."

"You too, Mrs. Jefferson. Bye." I was about to hang up.

"How are you by the way?"

I felt my chest grow tight.

"After we last spoke -years ago- I've thought about you and your family. How are you?"

I looked at Dalta.

Dalta was staring at me.

I looked down. "I'm...I'm doing a lot better... I barely think about him anymore."

Mrs. Jefferson went quiet. "...Like I said years ago, if you ever need an adult to talk to I'm always here. Okay?"

I stared at the floor, feeling my legs go weak and my eyes burn. I hated feeling feelings. I hate feeling anything but neutral. It angered me. "Yes, ma'am," I replied bluntly.

"Okay. Tell your mother, I said hello."

"I will."

She hung up.

I held the phone to my ear, frozen. My jaw clenched. It felt as if everything I'd tried to suppress was now dumped on my shoulders again. My eyes burned from tears welling up in them. I hadn't noticed how much time had gone by with me standing still until Dalta touched my wrist.

"What did she say?"

I flinched then turned to her.

She furrowed her brows. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I handed her the phone. "You're staying here tonight...You should shower. You still smell like vomit."

Her worried like quickly turned to disgust. She glared at me, then rolled her eyes and walked over to the door. I rolled my eyes behind her and mocked her. Then I smiled.