“Viola, what are you doing here?” he asks, scowling down at me.
I raise my eyes to his. “Oh. Right. I was asked to drop this off for you. Is everything okay? Are you sick or something?”
I hear someone coughing loudly from inside the house.
“I’m fine,” he says, taking the papers from my hand. “My youngest sisters are sick and my mum has to work, so…” He shrugs it off, but he also avoids eye contact.
His sisters are sick, so he has to miss school to look after them? What kind of bullshit is that? What about his education? Or the fact they aren’t his children? I school my expression, not wanting to show the anger I feel on his behalf.
“I can get something from the pharmacy or get some soup for them if you want me to,” I offer, thinking I could at least do something to help his situation out. A cute dark-haired girl walks to the door and stands next to her brother. She looks to be about nine years old. Her nose is red and her face is pale; she definitely isn’t feeling too well.
“I love chicken soup.” She looks at Dash with baby blue puppy dog eyes. It looks like Dash is the only one with the violet eyes, although there is still one sister I haven’t seen.
“This is Marigold,” Dash says, smiling down at her. “Or Mari, as we call her. Savannah is asleep.”
“Nice to meet you, Mari,” I say to her, grinning. “I can definitely get you some chicken soup. Is there anything else you’d like to make you feel better?”
“You don’t have to—” Dash starts, but is cut off.
“Some candy might make me feel better,” Marigold says with a serious face.
I laugh and stand up straight, looking back to Dash. “I’ll be back with soup and candy, and then I’ll keep the girls occupied while you finish your schoolwork.”
Without waiting for his answer, I turn around and walk back to my car. I can feel his gaze on me, but I ignore it. I get chicken soup, food for Dash, medicine, and candy, spending my weekly allowance from my parents, and then head back to his house with all the goods. Mari opens the door for me, and I walk inside their house and into the living room, where Dash is sitting with who has to be Savannah.
“Hey,” I say, putting all the bags down on the coffee table in front of him, and I notice he’s put on a blue t-shirt. “Go and take a break. I’ve got this.”
“Are you sure?” he asks, looking uncertain. “Jasmine and Sierra will be home soon, after their dance class. They can—”
“Dash,” I say, grabbing his burger and fries and giving them to him. “Eat and study. Go.”
He looks in the bag then back at me, an odd expression on his face. I ignore him and pull out the two bowls of soup with two plastic spoons then set the candy and medicine out on the table. Dash takes the hint and leaves the room, while I get the girls to finish their soup, take the medicine, and then, last of all, eat their candy as a reward.
“I like the name Viola,” Savannah tells me. “It’s pretty.”
“Thank you,” I tell her. “You all have beautiful names too. Are you feeling any better now?”
“A little,” Mari yawns. “I feel sleepy.”
They both end up falling asleep on the couch. I tidy up the living room, knowing I’m surely crossing boundaries but being unable to help myself, and then I go and find Dash, who is doing his work in the kitchen.
“Hey,” I say, approaching him. “The girls are fast asleep, so I’m going to head home.”
He looks tired. I have to wonder where their father is, and why it seems like Dash is the father figure of the house.
“Wait, I want to give you some money for all the stuff you got.”
He stands up, but I wave him off. “Don’t bother. If you need anything else, give me a call. Do you have my number?”
He shakes his head. I hold out my hand, and he places his phone in my palm, our fingers briefly touching. I save my number is his phone under ‘Vi’, flash him a small smile, and then leave his house.
And when I go home, I thank my mum and dad for all they do for me.
*****
Friday morning, I open my locker to find a note and a red rose. I open the note, and two words are scribbled in the middle.
Thank you.
I smile and lift the rose to my nose, smelling the sweet scent. I then put it back in my locker, close it, and walk to my first class, an extra spring in my step.
Chapter Five
I sit down on Max’s couch, eating a popsicle, when I hear him mutter a curse. “What’s wrong?”
“Dash has to bring his sisters to the game today again, which means he’ll be distracted. He has to check on them, of course, so he’s always looking at them instead of focusing.”
I suck on the popsicle then say, “I can look after them. I’m not doing anything.”
Max’s head snaps to me. “Really? You’d do that?”
I nod. “Sure, why not? I can hang out with them at the game, or I can go to his house, or whatever is easiest.”
“I’ll message him and see what he says,” Max tells me, texting furiously. “You’re a lifesaver, Vi.”
“Well I can’t have my best friend lose his game, now can I?”
Max grins and lies back on me, resting his head on my stomach. “Yeah, you’re the one who would have to hear me complain about it for the next month.”
“Don’t I know it,” I grumble. “Also, Dash should be able to enjoy a little without always having to worry about his sisters.”
“Agree completely,” Max says, lifting his phone when it beeps. “Dash said he would owe you one if you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on them while he plays.”
“Tell him it’s no problem. You’ve been trying to get me at a game for ages now anyway.”
Max chuckles as he texts Dash back. “Yeah, because you’re good luck. I’ve never lost a game when you’re there.”
“Well, if you lose tomorrow, don’t try and bring me into it,” I say, gently tugging on his hair. “Blame your team.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, putting his phone down. “We won’t lose. Not with Dash being focused and you there as my good luck charm.”
“If Dash ever needs me to look after the twins, tell him to just message me, all right?” I tell Max. “I don’t mind amusing them for every game you guys have to play. Just remember me when you’re playing for the NBA.”
“Remember you? You’ll be right by my side, Vi,” Max says softly, closing his eyes. “I’ll buy you a house right next to mine. A huge one. You won’t have to work or anything.”
“I want to work,” I tell him, smiling at his kindness. “But I won’t say no to living next to you, growing old together. My kids playing with yours.”
“Your son better keep his hands off my daughter,” he jokes, making me laugh.
“Your son is going to be a player, just like his dad.”
Max scoffs and lifts his head back to look at me, eyes opening. “I’m not a player. In fact, I’ve been extremely good this year.”
“It’s the start of the year, Max,” I point out, smirking. “Like, the very start.”
“And this is why you’re single, Vi. All you do is nag.”
I pinch his arm and he laughs.
We watch TV like that, him lying on me, until it’s time for us to go to basketball. Dash and his sisters are waiting for us when we get there, and Dash comes up to me straight away and pulls me into his arms. “I seriously don’t know how I can thank you enough.”
“I’m just sitting here with your sisters,” I say against his chest. “You’re not asking for much.”
I enjoy the feeling of being pressed up against him a little more than I should. He moves back first, but stares down at me with a look of gratefulness. “Where the hell did you come from, Viola?”
Max calls Dash’s name, and he hesitantly leaves my side. I sit down next to the twins, who already look bored, but luckily, I came prepared. I pull out my arsenal, a CD Walkman, some colouring books and markers, and a book of crossword puzzles.