A Sister's Power. Cydney Rax

feels so strange. I got to get used to this.”

      “It’s alright. We all have to get used to me not being Baby Sis anymore.”

      “Except Burgundy still doesn’t know about you being Alita’s daughter, and she still doesn’t know about me and her husband, and that’s what scaring me to death,” Coco admitted.

      “When you think you gonna tell B about you and Nate?”

      “Girl, please. I have worse things to think about than that.”

      “But you can’t keep this a secret forever, Coco.”

      “Why can’t I?”

      “Because,” Elyse said in a stubborn tone. “It wouldn’t be right.”

      “I’m sorry. I just can’t tell her. I just can’t. It would kill her. Burgundy would hate me even though it was just one little stupid mistake. Plus, I’m still on her payroll. She would probably fire me. Then what would I do for extra money? Noooo, Elyse. I want to take this secret to my grave.” Coco walked over to Elyse and pointed a stiff finger. “And I’m telling you right now, you’d better not say anything to B, either. Ever! If I find out she knows something, I’m blaming you. And it’s going to be ugly from then on,” Coco resumed her pace. “I’ve let you come live with me. And it’s been cool so far and I want things to stay that way. And I let your little military man come over here and chill with you all the time. I know how much you love Gamba and he ain’t in no position to take you in since he’s usually on some government assignment; and Alita is still down to one job after losing two damned jobs in the past year. And you forget about Dru. So, looks like you’re stuck with me, Elyse. Stuck with me and my rules, you hear what I’m saying?”

      “I hear you.”

      “You promise me you won’t tell B anything about me and Nate?”

      “I promise.”

      “Pinky swear.” Elyse walked over to Coco. She lifted her delicate slender finger and wrapped it around Coco’s thick one. But Coco was a bigger woman and doing a pinky swear with her was a struggle. Elyse tried but her skinny finger kept slipping off.

      Frustrated, Coco took her other hand and smashed Elyse’s finger hand against hers.

      “Now it’s official. You just gave me your word. I now feel that I won’t have to worry about you or this topic ever again. Right Elyse?”

      The only thing Elyse could do was nod and quickly back away from her Aunt Coco.

      “Now that I’ve sworn to be loyal, does that mean I can trust you to fix me something good to eat?”

      For the first time that day, Coco let out a hearty chuckle. And it was true that under normal circumstances, the woman would have prepared a tasty lunch or supper by then. It was one o’clock in the afternoon. Her daughters, Cadee and Chloe were in class, attending the local elementary school. Cypress, her youngest child, at twenty-eight weeks, was peacefully resting in one of her three bedrooms.

      Three-year-old Chance was hanging out with Q, one of Coco’s past lovers. He also was a former friend of Calhoun. At one time, Coco lied and told Q that he was Chance’s father. Even after he bonded with the little boy just to find out that Chance did not share his DNA, he wanted to be a father figure to Chance. Coco was fine with it.

      “It’s time that I relax and stop worrying so much,” Coco said. “And the one thing that gives me peace is doing the things that I know how to do best.”

      Coco sashayed to her kitchen. In no time at all, the woman was defrosting steaks, slicing up potatoes and onions, and preparing to cook a pot of holiday rice. After they ate a hearty meal, Coco appeared somewhat like her normal self: the joking, happy-go-lucky woman who tried not to let things bother her as long as her man was by her side. But as the giggles subsided and reality settled in, Coco knew she’d have to think like a man. Or at the minimum, she’d be forced to pretend like a man was by her side and that everything would turn out fine concerning all of her latest problems.

      * * *

      A couple of days had passed and now it was early Sunday morning right after the sun had risen.

      Coco had been out in the front yard trying her best to pick up the toys that her kids had forsaken in the driveway. She was squatting and trying to collect all the toys when she heard a car enter her driveway. Coco looked up. It was Burgundy’s big, luxury SUV. The headlights were on and Coco froze solid as she peered into the blinding lights. The car slowly inched forward heading directly at Coco.

      Does my sister even care that she’s about to run over me?

      With the car only inches away, Coco hastily scooted to her feet. Burgundy glanced up, honked, then waved. Coco frowned.

      I know that heifer saw me. But what else does she know?

      Burgundy rolled down her window.

      “Sorry, Coco. I got distracted. I didn’t see you.”

      “I hope you won’t make a habit of popping by here on Sunday mornings. You being a faithful church member and all.”

      “Coco, look, I’m sorry. I know I should have called first. But I’ve been having a tough morning. Natalia and Sidnee have been up since five. They were crawling up the walls, and barely wanted to eat breakfast. And we got dressed and started going for a drive. We took a nice little joy ride and before I knew it, we ended up here.”

      “Oh, I see.” Coco’s face was emotionless. Then she watched the rear window roll all the way down.

      “Hey Auntie Coco.” That was Natalia. At eight years old, she was the oldest. Sid was six.

      Coco waved at both of her nieces.

      Burgundy continued. “I promise this won’t become a habit. But is it okay if I leave my girls right now so they may hang out with their auntie and favorite cousins?”

      “How long we talking?”

      “A couple hours maybe. Three or so?”

      “I guess it’ll be okay. I have nothing special planned. I was just going to cook dinner and—”

      “Yayyy.” Before she knew it, Natalia had popped the locks and was at Coco’s side, and squeezing her hand real tight. “I want some cookies. Remember how you promised me the day my daddy died that you were going to bake me some cookies? But you didn’t. You lied to me. And—”

      Coco yanked her hand from Natalia’s grip.

      “What did you say, Natalia?” Burgundy asked.

      “I was saying—abet Co-cooo, whadda u-doing. Dob it.”

      By then Coco had clamped her hands over her niece’s lips. That’s because Coco knew that Natalia was there in her parents’ house the night before Nate died. Even though Nate wasn’t around to tell his side of the story, in Coco’s mind it seemed like one person’s death could cause more deaths. Hers, or anybody else’s. And she did not want that.

      Burgundy gazed at Coco in wide-eyed confusion. Her daughter was still mumbling and trying to yell through Coco’s hands.

      Natalia’s screams sent tingly vibrations against Coco’s palm.

      “Why are you covering my daughter’s mouth? Can’t she talk?”

      “Of course, she can,” Coco told Burgundy. But her hand remained flatly pressed against Natalia’s moving lips.

      “I’m just playing with her. She talks so much. Always yapping nonstop.”

      “Let me go,” is what Natalia tried to scream, but Coco prevented her from speaking.

      “Sis, you’re too old to be acting like a kid. What’s wrong with you,” Burgundy asked. “Why won’t you let my daughter talk? You trying to hide something?”

      Tears sprang to Coco’s