more life / b.simmons (2)

24

adrian helps kyra load her canvases into the trunk of the car, along with some other pieces. "be careful with those," kyra instructs, nervously wiping her hands on her slacks.

"i am," adrian says, slamming the trunk closed. the twins walk back into the house and wait on the stairs for their mother.

"do you think dad is going to be there?" kyra asks, looking up at her brother with wide eyes and a nervous expression.

"did he say he was going to be there?"

"yes."

"then he'll be there," adrian states simply, shrugging his shoulders and pulling out his phone and airpods. kyra sighs and slumps against the wall and waits for amari to come down.

pacing back and forth, amari rubs her forehead with the pads of her fingers. "i'm going to be there, amari. the game just went longer than expected," ben sighs, as they board the jet from wisconsin to go back home.

"she's expecting you, ben," amari says, cracking her knuckles against her thigh. kyra has an art show that she's been looking forward to all year. if she gets in the top three, she can earn a scholarship.

"and i said i'd be there, amari." ben says, irritation evident in his voice. everyone in the house has been reminding him for the last two weeks that the art show is at their high school and starts at 7, and the real show starts at 8.

"we just don't want you to miss this, ben. you missed her first game," amari points out. ben sighs, guilt washing over him. kyras season started a week earlier than adrians, and it was conflicting with bens schedule, so he missed her first game and hasn't not felt bad about it since. and then he was able to make it adrians game the following week and basically rubbed salt in the wound.

"i said i'd be there, okay? the longer we sit on this phone, the longer i hold up the plane and won't be able to make it," he says. amari runs her tongue over her top row of teeth, ready to say something slick but thinks better of it.

"aight, then. we'll see you later," she hangs up and sighs, not feeling confident that he'll make it on time. she knows ben will be there, but there's a chance that it'll be too late for kyra.

grabbing her purse, she puts her phone in it and grabs her keys, along with a fendi shawl for over her blazer, and heads downstairs. "'scuse me, kids," she says. the twins get up and let amari walk down. "ready?"

kyra nods and grabs her winter jacket off of the hook and slides it on over her denim jacket. "you sure you're going to be warm enough, girl?" amari asks, looking at kyras outfit.

"we'll be indoors," kyra says, shrugging on the giant parka and heading outside. "damn." she mumbles as goosebumps arise on her expose legs. amari shakes her head at kyra and quickly jumps into the drivers seat.

"dre, i should have you driving," amari says, looking at him.

adrian shrugs. "i can," he says. amari jumps out of the drivers seat and tells kyra to get in the back. adrian takes amaris spot and slowly backs them out of the driveway. he has his license, and both ben and amari forget, only because they haven't gotten him his own car yet.

"when are you going to get your license?" amari asks kyra.

"never."

amari chuckles and sighs. "what are we going to do with you?" she asks. kyra shrugs and bites the inside of her cheek as she stares out the window. "he'll be there, kyra." amari says, looking at her through the rear view. kyra doesn't answer but continues staring out the window.

-

kyra stands with her fingers intertwined behind her back and she gives nervous smiles to people who walk by. amari shoots her thumbs up from her position on the floor every few minutes, trying to ease her.