Cherry - part 18

Zia

Dances

It's late and she should be sleeping. She is tired but she is much too entertained by looking out her window. She has had an eye on Perry since he entered the street. It's not too dark for her to see him. Just barely she spots his wide smile and how he almost dances instead of just walking on the sidewalk. She admits to herself how well he pulls off that fine blazer, black pants and white shirt. He's born to wear nice things.

She wonders when she last saw Perry that happy, and she cannot think of a single time she'd seen him smile or walk like that.

A part of her wants to be the annoying sister and go down in the main hall to greet him and give him the whole third degree.

But Zia was never annoying. Never has been. Probably never will be, not that much, at least. So she watches him from afar, his dances, hops and skips across the sidewalk.

She knows how she cannot help him. She can never get through to their dad in that way. She cannot say to him; 'Love your son more! Divide your love equally between us.' and if she would, he'd never understand.

Maybe, she thought, I can help him some other way.

And Zia hear his mumbling and humming and the strange sounds of his footsteps. She smiles and feels a happiness she hasn’t felt in a long time.

The door closed on the other side, and she starts to sing. But then there's a knock on her door and she stops her song mid-sentence. Perry is on the other side, still with that grin on his face.

“Hey little brother.” She smiles. Every tension they had because of their father was suddenly on pause. He just stood there and smiled.

“Hi, Zia... I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Sure, what would that be?”

“How come you never introduced me to Cherry when you were babysitting her?” She didn't see that coming.

“I don't really know why. It was a job. Why bring it home?”

“Oh, I don't know. Because she's amazing.”

“So that's what you've been doing all night. Thinking about Cherry?”

“She invited me to accompany her to dinner, as a matter of fact.” The third degree came to her, and she didn't even have to do anything herself.

“Uuh, what happened?” She smiles. The atmosphere is just so happy, she can't help herself. Young love. He leans forward and looks straight into her eyes.

“I hugged her.” He smiled again. Hugged her? He's high over hugging her? He must be lovestruck then, she thought.

“Wow.” She could feel how her eyes rolled. She didn't mean to do that, but he didn't notice.

“Zia, why is she so wonderful?”

“Because you've got no experience or anything with anyone.”

“Nah, that's not why... She's just...” And he smiles again.

“I think you should get to sleep.” Zia says, and Perry looks at her apologetic. She smiles to let him know that she's not mad at him for knocking on her door this late. She pulls him close to her, almost like a hug, and whisper into his ear: “Don't drown, Perry. I cannot save you from drowning. So don't.” Only she smiles when she says it, and she can hear it in her own voice.

She can hear the smile.