I noticed a syringe sitting on the counter next to the sink. I remembered earlier that Frank had mentioned he injected his medicine. Perhaps he’d left it behind. However, I didn’t want to touch it, for fear of getting pricked. Busying myself with a stack of bills in my kitchen drawer, I ordered them by their due date and priority.
Moments later, Lily and Frank walked into the kitchen.
We said our hellos.
Lily scanned the room, then shouted, “Oh no, Frank, you left your things on the counter. I told you to be more careful.” Lily grabbed a paper towel and picked up the syringe.
Frank’s eyes slit as he looked at me.
“Here, put this with the rest in your duffel bag.” Lily handed the paper towel to Frank. Lily then said to me, “He keeps them until he gets a chance to dispose of them in one of those hazardous material containers they have at South University. Oh, and I will clean that up over there.” She pointed to the cutting board, which had some sliced lemons on top. Next to that was a protein powder drink. “I made some fresh coffee, too.”
I wanted to ask more questions about the needle but thought I had better not. It would seem like prying into their personal lives. The coffeemaker gurgled, announcing that it finished brewing. “It’s so nice to see both of you. I am sorry about all that has taken place. Sweet Mr. Phong.”
“I know. It’s just awful.” Lily hugged me tightly. “I’m so glad that you’re out of jail. Did you have to wear a horrid orange jumpsuit? It’s so not your color.”
While in the embrace, I patted her back the same way Hattie used to comfort me. Lily was so sweet worrying about me. “Lily, I wasn’t arrested.”
“But the policeman took you away in his squad car.” Lily pushed back from me.
“I just had to answer some questions, that’s all,” I reassured her.
“So you’re okay then?” Lily asked.
“Yes. You don’t have to fuss about me one more second.” I flicked my hand as if I were wiping away her worry about me.
“Fine.” Lily scooped some powder mix into a cup, filled it with water, dropped a lemon slice in, and then screwed a top on. She shook it and then handed it to Frank.
“Thanks, babe.” Frank kissed Lily. “We’ve got to get going. Have to move our things to my buddy’s house.”
“I’m so sorry about all of this. You don’t need to move out.” I shut off the coffeemaker. “However, if you do, I will refund this month’s rent money.”
Frank huffed. “Good. We’ll need it to find another place.”
Lily said, “Oh no, Frank. I love it here. I want to stay as long as we can.”
“It’s up to y’all. You’re welcome to stay.” I’d miss Lily but not Frank. “But if you leave, I’d understand as well.”
“Miss Bezu, I couldn’t leave you. Not now.” Lily held my hand.
Frank said, “Now is the perfect time to leave her. Remember, she may’ve killed a guy?”
Lily let go of me and glared at Frank. “She did not. And she’s like our family. We need to stick together.”
“I just need to stick with you, babe.” Frank chugged his drink.
“Don’t you have any loyalty, Frank?” Lily asked.
“To you.” Frank washed his cup.
“I know.” Lily ran her hand on his back. “But we need to keep together— all of us here in this house.”
“You’re so adorable how you take care of everyone.” Frank’s face filled with a big grin as he looked at Lily.
“We need to protect Miss Bezu. Like you protect me,” Lily said to Frank. “I love you, so please do this for me. Be sweet, okay?”
“Sorry. It’s been weird lately.” He took a finger and ran it along her cheek. “I haven’t been sleeping well, and all the stress of school and the contest, and, well, you know I get irritable.”
“I know you do. Maybe you also need to cut back on your medication.” Lily glanced at me. “And regardless of what anyone may think, there’s no way that Miss Bezu could even harm a fly.”
Frank blurted
Moments later, Lily and Frank walked into the kitchen.
We said our hellos.
Lily scanned the room, then shouted, “Oh no, Frank, you left your things on the counter. I told you to be more careful.” Lily grabbed a paper towel and picked up the syringe.
Frank’s eyes slit as he looked at me.
“Here, put this with the rest in your duffel bag.” Lily handed the paper towel to Frank. Lily then said to me, “He keeps them until he gets a chance to dispose of them in one of those hazardous material containers they have at South University. Oh, and I will clean that up over there.” She pointed to the cutting board, which had some sliced lemons on top. Next to that was a protein powder drink. “I made some fresh coffee, too.”
I wanted to ask more questions about the needle but thought I had better not. It would seem like prying into their personal lives. The coffeemaker gurgled, announcing that it finished brewing. “It’s so nice to see both of you. I am sorry about all that has taken place. Sweet Mr. Phong.”
“I know. It’s just awful.” Lily hugged me tightly. “I’m so glad that you’re out of jail. Did you have to wear a horrid orange jumpsuit? It’s so not your color.”
While in the embrace, I patted her back the same way Hattie used to comfort me. Lily was so sweet worrying about me. “Lily, I wasn’t arrested.”
“But the policeman took you away in his squad car.” Lily pushed back from me.
“I just had to answer some questions, that’s all,” I reassured her.
“So you’re okay then?” Lily asked.
“Yes. You don’t have to fuss about me one more second.” I flicked my hand as if I were wiping away her worry about me.
“Fine.” Lily scooped some powder mix into a cup, filled it with water, dropped a lemon slice in, and then screwed a top on. She shook it and then handed it to Frank.
“Thanks, babe.” Frank kissed Lily. “We’ve got to get going. Have to move our things to my buddy’s house.”
“I’m so sorry about all of this. You don’t need to move out.” I shut off the coffeemaker. “However, if you do, I will refund this month’s rent money.”
Frank huffed. “Good. We’ll need it to find another place.”
Lily said, “Oh no, Frank. I love it here. I want to stay as long as we can.”
“It’s up to y’all. You’re welcome to stay.” I’d miss Lily but not Frank. “But if you leave, I’d understand as well.”
“Miss Bezu, I couldn’t leave you. Not now.” Lily held my hand.
Frank said, “Now is the perfect time to leave her. Remember, she may’ve killed a guy?”
Lily let go of me and glared at Frank. “She did not. And she’s like our family. We need to stick together.”
“I just need to stick with you, babe.” Frank chugged his drink.
“Don’t you have any loyalty, Frank?” Lily asked.
“To you.” Frank washed his cup.
“I know.” Lily ran her hand on his back. “But we need to keep together— all of us here in this house.”
“You’re so adorable how you take care of everyone.” Frank’s face filled with a big grin as he looked at Lily.
“We need to protect Miss Bezu. Like you protect me,” Lily said to Frank. “I love you, so please do this for me. Be sweet, okay?”
“Sorry. It’s been weird lately.” He took a finger and ran it along her cheek. “I haven’t been sleeping well, and all the stress of school and the contest, and, well, you know I get irritable.”
“I know you do. Maybe you also need to cut back on your medication.” Lily glanced at me. “And regardless of what anyone may think, there’s no way that Miss Bezu could even harm a fly.”
Frank blurted
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