25. Support

                                    

                                          
I just wrapped up my first meeting and was now in my office going over some paperwork and trying to debug a few sites at the same time. In my opinion, my first meeting went well, maybe a little too well. Rose insisted that I went over the facility policies and have everyone sign them, even those that had been here for years--so, that's exactly what I did. I assume most didn't take it too well, especially with a fresh face doing what others had been wanting to for years, but no one gave me shit about it. 
"Asghedom, you have a visitor on the main floor," The PA, Gilda, mumbled over the phone.
"Did they say who?"
Shuffling through some papers, Gilda finally says, "She said she was your sister."
Frowning, I closed my laptop and told Gilda I would be down in a few. It was going on 9 in the morning. Why the hell was Nasheema here?
"Hey bro," Sheema smiled as I stepped off the elevator, wearing a plain white tea and grey sweat shorts. I gave her a hug but stood silent as I looked her up and down.
"I figured you would do me like that," She looked at the walls, "Nice suit."
I stuffed my hands in my pockets, "What you doin' here Sheema?"
"I came to see you, mama said you had a good job and I wanted to see it...and to make amends."
Deciding not to let Gilda have an earful of my business, I pulled Sheema outside and decided to take a walk towards her car so we could "make amends".
"You a lil late ain't it?" I leaned up against her car.
"I needed to get my mind right." She rolled her eyes, "You know I wasn't trying to fight nobody."
"I know you," I chuckled, "You was." 
She folded her arms and blew her breath.
"Look, I ain't even tryna argue, cause I got a long day ahead of me and so far it's been goin' good. I'm cool on it, you my lil sis, but if you could, you need to talk to my girl. We all family Sheema."
"I know."
"So, when you gon' do that? Cause she told me she already tried to reach out to you."
"I don't know,"
Now, it was my turn to fold my arms, "What's your deal with Lira anyway? Why you so pressed about her and my relationship with Ariana?"
"First off, I'm not pressed.  Lira's my best friend and she's been there for me at my lowest moments."
"Your lowest?" I scrounged my face, "I'm not followin' Nasheema-"
"Look," She cut me off with a wave of her hand, "that's a story for another day, alright? I know you and Lira had y'all problems, but as a friend, she was really good to me. I don't know that Ariana girl outside of you, it's like she doesn't really try to come around unless you around. Lira used to hang with us with and without you."
"Lira had more time on her hands," I shrugged, "And plus, she should, y'all knew each other way before I got involved anyway."
Nasheema could only blow her breath at the fact that I was making sense.
"You gotta admit Sheema you not really an invitin' person. You grilled her the moment you saw her and I guess you expected her to not catch all the shade you was throwin' either." I put my hands up, "Look, I get it. When you brought that hot headed ass nappy head boy Fred over, I damn near had a heart attack."
She laughed.
"But that was years ago, and when you was feelin' Eddy, you told me to chill on him because you ain't want me to run him away. And I did, I left him alone. I didn't pry in yo relationships, no matter how much I actually grew to like Fred's dumbass. You had to learn and make yo own decisions."