Screwdrivers for Breakfast

Brandi sat in the kitchen, staring at the back of the cereal box as she sipped what appeared to be orange juice. Jinx was nowhere to be seen and Mary was still in the shower. Brandi let out a sigh as her phone began to vibrate along the center island. She knew the number by heart even before it flashed on the small screen. She tried to ignore it. She didn’t want to talk to him. She was still regretting going back for the suitcase. She’d thought she was over Chuck. He’d used her in their relationship and he was still exploiting that power he held over her.

“Hey Squish.” Brandi looked up to see Mary walk in and head for the coffee pot.

“Huh?”

“Nothing, just saying morning.”

“Oh…yeah…morning.&rd quo; Mary poured herself a cup of coffee, sniffing it before taking a sip. She gagged.

“Ok, who left two day old coffee in the pot?” She continued to gag as she reached Brandi’s glass of juice. Before Brandi could stop her, Mary had taken a swig. She looked just as surprised by the taste of the juice as she had been by the coffee.

“Are you drinking screwdrivers with breakfast?” Brandi just shrugged, looking away from her older sister.

“God, you’re as bad as Mom.”

“Someone mention me?” Jinx appeared in the doorway, smiling at her girls.

“Nothing. I’ve got to get to work.” Mary fixed Brandi with a displeased look as she grabbed her keys and stormed out. Jinx moved to stand next o Brandi.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“Nothing.” Brandi tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear and put her dishes in the sink, making sure to rinse out the glass thoroughly.

“I’m going out,” she announced as she too grabbed her purse and keys and headed outside.

“Why don’t you stop by the restaurant later. We can have lunch. Family discount remember!” Brandi just waved at her mother as she climbed into her car and sped off.

She drove for a while, just cruising the city. She had nothing better to do. Still, she couldn’t keep her mind from flitting back to the water soaked suitcase that was now hidden in her closet. She knew she shouldn’t have gone back for it. Maybe if she’d thrown it harder, she wouldn’t have been able to find it again. Brandi was so caught up in her own thoughts that she sat idling at a now green light. She received honks from drivers behind her.

“Ok, ok, I’m going. God.” She floored the gas pedal and made a hard left. As she slowed down, her phone began to ring in her purse. She tried to ignore it but it kept ringing. She let out a groan and pulled the car over in an alley.

“Hello?”

“Hey babe.”

“Chuck…what is it?”

“Just checking up on you.”

“Oh….that’s nice.” She knew he could feel the tension between, even on the other side of the country.

“So what are you doing, beautiful?”

“Uh you know just taking drive.”

“We’ve got the deal almost set.”

“Good.”

“So you need to come back in the next few days to make the drop. Don’t forget the suitcase.”

“I…I don’t have a lot of money right now. I don’t think I could afford a plane ticket.”

“Ask your sister…just get the money and get on a plane and get here.”

“Ok…sure.” She ended the call, tossing her phone back in her purse and rested her head on the steering wheel. What was she doing? She couldn’t fly back to New Jersey with the drugs. She couldn’t ask Mary for the money. She’d ask too many questions.

“Think, Brandi, think.” She hit her head against the steering wheel a few times, trying to figure out what to do. After a minute or two of contemplating her situation, she put the car back in drive and sped off back onto the main road. She weaved through the morning traffic until she reached a familiar house. She took a minute to check herself in the rearview mirror before climbing out and walking up to the front door. She knocked twice and waited for a response. She could see movement through the windows as Raphael moved towards her. He pulled the door open and just stood there in his workout clothes, staring at her.

“What do you want, Brandi?”

“Can we talk?” Raphael nodded, taking a step back to let her enter. She sat down on the couch and looked around, suddenly full of nervous energy.

“Brandi, are you ok?”

“Yeah, Chico, I’m fine.”

“What do you want to talk about because I think Mary made it clear that…”

“God not that. I told you there’s no way we’d ever do that, ever.” Raph cleared his throat and nodded.