Page 104 of Justice II

But then he would know I was watching.

So I smiled when Grandma asked if I was hungry and told her I could eat.

She went into the kitchen. Granddad took Justice upstairs with Dream to put her things away, and the dog stayed behind.

For a minute, I listened to them overhead. Dream was talking so loudly I could hear her through the ceiling.

I remembered how Ms. Lisbon had looked when the principal came to get her. I had thought about that face for days afterward. It had helped whenever Justice got on my nerves.

It wasn’t helping enough now.

The dog came over when I took the chocolate out of my purse.

I looked toward the stairs, then down at him.

She stood beside my knee, waiting. Grandma had probably spoiled her as badly as everybody spoiled Dream.

I fed her some of the chocolate. She ate it from my hand and stayed close, watching me.

I didn’t pet her. Fuck that mutt.

Grandma came back with a plate of smothered turkey wings, wild rice, and cabbage and set it on the table beside me.

“Here, sweetheart. Tell me if you want something else.”

“Thank you, Grandma.”

The dog followed her into the kitchen.

I ate while Justice came downstairs and started talking about leaving. Grandma wanted us to stay longer, but he said we needed to get back before it got too late. It was a four-hour drive. He could’ve left me at home but I knew he still didn’t trust me.

Grandma slowed his roll when she served him a plate of food. He couldn’t resist her cooking. I couldn’t lie, those turkey wings hit.

“Ma Neasy, this is real good. You did your thang,” he complimented.

“Uh huh. And you were trying to rush out of here without eating. What you gotta get home so quickly for? You know y’all can stay the night,” Grandma tried to convince him.

“I can’t. I got so much work to do,” he replied.

“You work too hard,” she said as she shook her head and pulled out a pan of cornbread.

I ate in silence but deep inside I was seething. After we ate and talked a bit more, we left. We had been at their house for about two hours. Dream cried when he hugged her goodbye.

I waited beside the door with my purse over my shoulder. He promised to call her when we got home, then kissed her forehead again.

Finally, I had him to myself.

I should’ve enjoyed the ride back. There was nobody kicking my seat or asking him questions every five minutes. I could’ve talked about whatever I wanted.

Justice barely said anything.

I asked whether he was tired. He said a little. I asked if we could stop for dessert, and he said he wanted to get home.

I watched him drive, trying to decide whether he was thinking about Dream or waiting until he could call Melody.

I could’ve told him about school. He hadn’t asked. I could’ve reminded him that I was still sitting there, but I refused to beg for attention when I had been looking forward to this all day.

“You good?” he asked eventually.