Mila

The driver glided into a parallel spot just before it could get cold. A car literally had just swooped out.

Ice crystals clung to Lido’s shoulders and her hair. The sight of her made her oldest and youngest sisters gasp. Before the driver came around to open the door, Mila was already shrugging out of her jacket and pulling off her leather gloves for her sister. A chill instantly took hold of her, and that happened within the few seconds the door was open. She scooted over to the middle seat.

“Hey.” Lido slid in next to her baby sister.

“Hey,” Yasmin smirked, trying on the same blasé response. “What do you mean ‘Hey?’ It’s negative degrees outside! You tricked us into coming to get you, and then you signed yourself out.”

“Didn’t think you’d come.” Lido shrugged.

The hairs on Mila’s arms stood on end. She bit her lip. She had words for her sister, but at this moment, she didn’t think she’d be able to stop herself once she started. Mila knew that wouldn’t be conducive to Lido’s mental health, and she had made the trip for her sister’s welfare. She had wanted to communicate with the doctors who had been in charge of Lido for those few short days. And that part of the plan had gone out the window when she and Yasmin arrived at the hospital. When they were told that Lido checked herself out, the secretary indicated that any further information was confidential without Lido’s consent. Mila had wanted to corner Lido there, smack dab in the middle of the hospital. With a highly trained mental health staff around, they should’ve been able to get a resolution, something! That was the point of the trip. Now . . . now Mila wasn’t sure how to proceed.

With a huff, Mila asked, “So where are you staying, Lido? You moved from the home you and Veronica have here and never gave us an address.”

“Park Avenue.” Lido began and then she gave the driver the address.

“Lido, we came. How can we help you?” Mila asked, handing the jacket over.

Yasmin cut her eyes. Mila softly squeezed Yasmin’s arm. I’ll get there. Mila tried to say with her look.

Yasmin understood, and the daggers in her gaze told Mila to do it already.

“I just didn’t think you’d come, and I couldn’t stand being in that place a moment longer,” Lido said again. This time she burst into tears. “I was freezing outside and . . . and some cars drove by, disgusting motherfuckers tried to offer me to—”

Mila looked at Yasmin. The look on her oldest sister’s face read: What do you expect?

When Yasmin spoke, her tone offered no mercy. “Aren’t these the clothes you had on before going to jail—ahem—the psych ward?”

“Yes, Yasmin.”

“Then that is your fault, Lido.”

“Yas,” Mila chided.

“A fact is a fact,” Yasmin replied.

Before Mila could turn back to Lido and inquire more about the psychiatric facility, her sister’s arms were around her in a hug. She was grateful that Lido smelled of strong, clean soap, which masked the funk of her dress.

“Thank you for coming,” Lido said, and her tone sounded genuine for the first time in forever.

***

Lido now owned a penthouse, which luckily had a five-star hotel next door. Hensley chose to spend the night, so he would not have to drive home to the Bronx with the snow falling faster.

Lido’s place dripped with the trappings of success. Rainbows reflected from chandeliers. There was an extensive number of fireplaces throughout. Expensive pieces of art adorned the walls. Not one single item signified that she cared for true friends or family. There were no personal mementos throughout the expansive home.

The three sisters were cozied up at the fire when Lido mentioned wine and headed down the hall toward the kitchen.

“I should be mad at you right now,” Yasmin whispered to Mila while the blaze crackled nearby. “We’re stuck here with this psycho overnight!”

“Lido is playing nice. Tomorrow morning, we will try to get her to introduce us to her therapist, something. The entire reason for this trip is to see to it that she’s receiving appropriate care. Nevertheless, I have faith that Faaid is more than capable of caring for the boys tonight. I hope Blake is half the father he is.” Mila added the last part under her breath. 

“He is a good father.” Yasmin broke out into a beam; the first one that day.

Lido returned with the bottle of wine that she had been raving about. While eyeing Lido pop the top off the bottle, Yasmin slouched over near Mila and asked, “Should that bitch be drinking?”

“Probably not.” Mila eyed Lido as she poured the wine. Though she had workout attire that she had offered and had been accepted by her baby and oldest sister, the diva was damn near dressed in a negligee. Her tiny nipples played peekaboo.

Mila took measured steps when asking her next question. “Were you released with any sort of—”

“Medication? Drugs?” Yasmin spoke up.

“Nope.” Lido held three wine glasses by the stems and handed two of them over.

“Any therapeutic recommendations? Or referrals?” Mila held out her glass for Lido to fill it.

“I had a heat stroke.”

Yasmin scoffed. “It’s January.”

“My blood runs hot,” Lido replied, fanning herself. “See, I’m hot now.”

“So, as opposed to acting a plum fool,” Yasmin began, “you were having . . .”

“A heat stroke.” Lido nodded. Her entire façade appeared very serious.

Mila sighed heavily. The Lido in their presence was vastly different than the one they’d grown accustomed to. Maybe the supermodel just needed time to recuperate, and the involuntary hold allowed her the much-needed time to relax? Their middle sister always had this sort of anger that you could feel just being in the same room with her. She made people uncomfortable. Now, though, Mila didn’t catch any vibes from Lido. It was just a shame that they hadn’t caught up with Lido while she was still in the hospital to confirm everything . . . for sure.

They chatted for a while then Yasmin held up Mila’s finger. “While you were burning up in New York—in January—our baby sister got engaged.”

A long moment passed. Lido took hold of Mila’s hand and gasped. Her gorgeous face brightening. “Waan jeclahay—I like!”

“Thanks.” Mila twisted the ring with her thumb.

“Mila and I will start preparing for her wedding the moment we return,” Yasmin said.

“Just the two of you?” Lido sipped her wine.

“Um . . .” Mila started.

“Unless you’d like to . . .” Yasmin began. “But you’re all the way out here.”

“Let’s do a staycation! Wine country.” Lido held up her drink. “We can plan it. I’m in the wedding, right?”

With not a second to contemplate it, Mila nodded. “That’s a good idea, the mini vacay. But aren’t you always busy? Of course, I want you to be a bridesmaid. I just thought you’d . . .”

“I’ll clear my schedule.” Lido waved her off. “Mila,” she began addressing her eye to eye. “I haven’t always been the best sister . . .”

With Lido’s words caught in her throat, Mila didn’t know how to proceed. She hadn’t expected to be discussing the wedding. She’d expected to speak with a psychiatrist. Lido needed something—drugs or therapy—whatever. Mila had wanted to know what services were available to her sister but from a distance. After picking up Lido, Mila hadn’t been sure what to expect—wasn’t sure what version of Lido she’d be getting, but this? She had never thought she’d see this side of Lido. 

Mila pulled at a coiled tress of hair at the nape of her neck and silently listened as Lido apologized.

“For the last couple of years, we haven’t been the closest, but you have always tried,” Lido said. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to love someone the way you’ve loved me, sis. The rehab group meetings you attended,” she paused, shaking her head. “I have to be honest and say I wouldn’t have done that for you if the situation were reversed. I’m sorry,” Lido croaked, tears slowly began to slither down her cheeks. “I’ve pushed you away, then the heat stroke and exhaustion. It was all so much that I’m realizing what is truly important. My sisters.”

Mila glanced at Yasmin subtly, wondering if this moment was a figment of her imagination. Seeing the befuddled look on their eldest sister’s face, she knew she’d heard correctly.

“You too, Yas. You are the truth. You and Mila are like ying and yang, and exactly what I’ve always needed. I love you both,” Lido said.

Before either the eldest or youngest sister could fully comprehend the moment, Lido was hugging them both.

It took Mila a second.

Honestly, she was at the end of her rope with Lido. Nevertheless, she’d made this trip because of what ifs.

Lido had made the sort of mistakes that seemed more than reckless. She could’ve gotten herself in a fight with someone crazier. The world wasn’t what it used to be—and they’d grown up during the Somali war.

Lido sank back and smiled, wiping away tears. “Mila, I’m part of the wedding, right?”

After a deep breath, Mila nodded. If her sister were discharged from the facility, she had to be of sound mind, right? “Yes. But I’m not having a long engagement.”

“Then I can take time off to help plan the only wedding my baby sister will ever have. I have the perfect wedding designer for you. We can meet next week. We’ll have everything planned then. And for the bachelorette party, we can go to wine country.”

They chatted well into the night. Since Lido had rooms filled with shrines for her great modeling achievements, and she refused to let her sister’s sleep on her expensive couches, they all ended up in her enormous, custom bed. A bed she promised her sisters that no man or woman or any combination of the sort had ever slept.

***

“Ready to finish what we started?” The voice was thick, nasally. Blake had broken Todd’s nose while bashing his face into the ground.

Now, Todd stood before Mila. They were at the glass house. She wore the same panty and bra set as before. Todd had traded in the master bathroom for the bedroom, and he was bruised and swollen from the beating Blake had dished out. She had nowhere to run. He blocked the exit, and there was no way in hell she’d trek back into the bathroom again—that’s where it all began.

“Leave me alone.” Mila spoke in a strong, concise voice. This was a dream. She knew it was only a dream. Yet, Todd reeked of sweat and the coppery scent of—Mila glanced down at his shoes and saw the blood again.

Bile torpedoed up her throat.

“Aren’t you so fucking beautiful, Mila.” Todd reached out and touched her cheek.

She slapped out at him, but her ability to do that was off. It was as if her hands were punching under water. Her fists would not connect with him. Todd plunged his finger into her mouth.

“Yeah, I want to fuck your mouth, Mila.”

With his extremity lodged down her throat, shoving back and forth like a diseased cock, Mila gagged. She bit down. This she could feel. Unlike her attempts to fight back, her teeth seemed to clamp down.

Todd seemed none the wiser as he snarled, “I’m going to cum all over your skin. Face, hair, tits, all over your skin. Taint you for that fuck. Do you like that?”

He removed his finger. There were no ridge marks from her teeth, nothing. He started to unhook his belt, and his zipper went down.

“BLAKE!” Mila pitched into a seated position.

“Mila?” Yasmin sat up instantly, turning on the lamp. Her hand grazed Mila’s cheek. “You are okay. What is the matter, Walaashay yar?”

On the opposite side of Mila, Lido awoke. For a moment, her expression did not come close to the wealth of concern Yasmin’s had. Then her tone warmed with worry. “Bad dream?”

“No, that was a nightmare.” Yasmin spoke for her baby sister.

“Horrible.” Mila finally spoke. A disgusting taste in her mouth made it hard to swallow. The memory of feeling Todd’s finger sliding back and forth across her tongue caused her to gag. If it weren’t for the change Mila saw in Lido—ten times more profound than she’d ever noticed in the past—she would’ve jumped out of the bed and said they had to go now. She missed Blake with a vengeance. He always kept her safe.