Q is in the office/music studio when I make it back to the house. I’m not sure if it’s the best time to try and talk to him, but I go for it anyway.
I sit down next to the window and listen as he works on his newest beat. It doesn’t seem that our argument earlier has impacted his ability to focus on his music. I doubt that I’d be able to work on any coding with the heaviness of our disagreement still weighing me down.
He can’t ignore my presence for very long. He eventually shuts down his equipment and comes over to sit next to me. I begin…
Alida: I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about the diet drink.
Quincy: That’s okay. I had no idea that you were struggling so much with your weight. You should have talked to me about it. We could have continued working out together…like we did in Sulani.
Alida: Maybe, but I’m not sure that working out together would have made much of a difference. I was working out every day…with little results.
Quincy: Yeah, but sometimes having someone there…you know – to push you to go that extra mile…it might have helped.
Alida: Are you listening Q? I was doing everything I was supposed to do. Working out with you wasn’t going to fix it. The weight wasn’t coming off fast enough.
Quincy: So you were looking to do it the easy way then?
Alida: The easy way?! Maybe I was because nothing’s ever been easy for me!
Quincy: *raises arms in frustration* Here we go again!
Alida: It hasn’t Q! I didn’t grow up like you…a rich boy taking vacations to Sulani every year.
Quincy: What does that – ? You know what…I’m not gonna listen to this again.
Q stands up…
Alida: Don’t you dare walk away.
Quincy: *walks towards the door* You think my life was easy? Money doesn’t equal an easy life Alida! Get that through your head. My life wasn’t easy…I just don’t use that as a crutch every chance I get.
Alida: Q…wait! Don’t just leave…
Quincy: Why not? We’re doing whatever the hell we wanna do now, right?
Q walks out the door and leaves me sitting there alone. I can hear him go into the bathroom next door, then curse loudly to himself when the broken toilet begins to overflow. I can hear him struggling to fix it, but his efforts are interrupted by a phone call.
Quincy: *on the phone* Hey pop!
Peri returns home from a not so great day at school. She expected more excitement since it’s Ancestor Day, but it didn’t happen. The only thing they did that made the day feel like a holiday was to create tissue paper flowers. Peri planned on bringing hers home for her mom, but she ended up giving hers away to a little girl after school. That made her feel pretty good, but not good enough to make up for the rest of the drab-colored day.
She goes straight to her bedroom and tries to apply what her dad suggested the other day…using her emotions to guide her art. It helps a lot more than she expected.
I sit in the office until I get a text from Michelle. Since it’s Ancestor Day, she thinks it’ll be a good idea for Mama Nadine’s former group home kids to get together at a Karaoke Bar in San Myshuno in remembrance of her. I immediately agree…anything to get out of the house for a bit.
I look for Q and find him in the photography studio. I’m sure he’s still mad at me, but I’d still like to let him know that I’ll be going out for the evening…
Alida: Hey…Michelle and I will be meeting up with our foster siblings tonight in San Myshuno. You wanna come?
Q turns the page of the book he’s reading and responds without even bothering to look up.
Quincy: Nope.
Alida: Um…okay. So, you’ll stay here with Peri then?
Quincy: That’s the plan.
Alida: Alright…I’ll go tell Peri now. See you tonight…
Q’s response is the turning of another page.
I find Peri in her bedroom, working on her homework…
Alida: You know it’s Friday right? You don’t have school for two whole days.
Prosperity: I know…
Alida: You’re a much better student than I ever was. *pause* I’m going out tonight with Auntie Michelle. You remember her, right?
Prosperity: A little…
Alida: She’s the one that designed your bedroom.
Prosperity: Oh…well tell her thanks!
Alida: I will. You’ll probably be in bed when I get back…okay? But daddy is here. He’s in the studio.
Prosperity: Okay mommy!
Peri continues working on her homework.
Alida: Do you need help with that before I leave?
Peri: No…it’s easy.
I’d like to give Peri a hug before I go, but she seems focused so I leave it at that. I can’t help but feel a bit not needed right now.
I go upstairs, to the bedroom, and change for my night out…secretly happy to get away from all the tension in the air here at home. I call up a rideshare and arrive at Planet Honey Pop in San Myshuno (heavily renovated version) an hour or so later.
(Generation 1a Chapter Summaries)
