1 DAY BEFORE FLIGHT

Veronica is helping Delores pack her clothes. "¿Cómo se dice... you brought too much junk?" Veronica asks her, waving an article of clothing in her face.

"You talk shit?" Delores' English speaking always makes Veronica laugh. The doorbell rings before Delores tells Veronica to "shut off", which makes Veronica laugh even harder.

Delores smirks, throwing a sock at her just as Veronica turns to leave. Veronica makes it to the hallway untouched, yelling out, "I'll get it!"

She makes it downstairs and opens the door for Sam. He nods at her before she sticks her head outside, squinting at Sam's rental car.

"Where's Yemi?" She asks as she closes the front door.

"In the hotel."

Veronica pokes her bottom lip out, confused on why Yemi didn't come.

"We didn't get in until around 6 this morning. Her ass is stuck in that bed."

"Where'd y'all go?"

"We left Empire about 2, and then went to Russ' party until 5."

"Russ had a party?! Where was my invite?"

"I'm not fuckin' with you, V," Sam tells her, chuckling.

"Whyyyy? Y'all leave tomorrow, and I haven't seen y'all in like three days."

"Whose fault is that?" He asks rhetorically.

"I only canceled Friday. After that, you told me twice: let's shoot for tomorrow. And why isn't Yemi answering her phone? I texted and called her, too."

"Correction... you canceled all day Friday, and half of Saturday. And I don't think Yemi has charged her phone since we've been out here."

"She really took this vacation mode serious, huh?" They both laugh. "And okay... half of Saturday, but I was ready to hang out after that."

"You should talk to Yemi about that." Sam looks at his Rolex, and then kisses his teeth. "Abue better hurry up before she misses her flight."

"Abuela!"

"¡Ya voy!"

"What's your hotel room number? I'm gonna pop up on her."

"1420."

Veronica nods. Delores appears at the top of the stairs, dragging her large suitcase before Sam jogs up to her, taking it from her. She kisses her grandson on the cheek before following him downstairs.

Larry and Liliana suddenly appear at the top of the stairs, and walk down to say their goodbyes.

"Hi my baby," Liliana says to Sam. "Thanks for taking her to the airport."

"No problem, Ma." He turns around and kisses his mother's cheek before rushing out the door with his grandma's luggage.

Liliana and Larry give Delores hugs before Veronica pulls Delores away for herself. "Bye abuela. See you later."

"Ok, mi amor. Recuerda lo que te dije...Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr." She kisses Veronica on the cheek and Liliana laughs.

"Bye Mai." Liliana hugs her one last time before Delores vacates.

"You understood her, V?" Larry inquires.

"Yeah, she always tells me that."

"Well, tell me what it means then?"

"It's not important," she responds before walking up the stairs. "I'm gonna hang out with Yemi. Call me if you need anything from the Bodega."

"Alright." He turns to his wife. "What did your momma say to my niece?" He asks jokingly.

"It's just a proverb, telling her to stop being so nosy all the time."

Larry chuckles. "Well... she is nosy."

"Whatever!" Veronica shouts out from her room.

They laugh. "Honey, let's go out for a walk while my body is being good to me."

"You got it."

___

"I've been missing you!" Veronica sings to Yemi as she enters the hotel, following her to the living area. Yemi gives Veronica a tight lipped smile, and Veronica is not feeling it.

"Okay, real talk. What's up with you?"

"Nothing is up with me."

"You're acting mad different, and I would think you'd be happy to chill with me before you leave tomorrow."

Yemi shakes her head, avoiding the conversation, so Veronica tries to lighten the mood.

"Are we having our first disagreement?" Veronica questions, jokingly.

Yemi shakes her head, hiding the smile she's fighting back.

"Yeah, I see it. The cheek bones give it away."

Moments later, Yemi caves in before walking to the other side of the room.

"Alright, so should I just ask Sam then?"

Yemi slowly sits down on the desk chair. "... I decided it's probably best if I kept my distance from you."

Veronica's eyes grow big. "What the fuck?"

"I think that would prevent any more disappointments."

"Are you being serious, right now?"

"Yes I am. I didn't want to tell you at first, because I didn't want to seem selfish or inconsiderate."

"Of what? Yemi, just be straightforward with me."

"... You flaked out twice knowing that I was going back home soon."

"Okay, this is kind of selfish. You act like I didn't have a good reason."

"And this is why I didn't want to say anything."

"No Yemi, we should definitely talk about it. I thought we were best friends?"

"Maybe we claimed that title a little too fast."

Veronica gasps. "Word?"

"I'm not trying to be rude. It's just that... my mother used to always tell me... the way you start off your New Year sets the tone for how your whole year will be. And so far, that's been very accurate for me."

"Yemi-"

"I'm for real Veronica. What does that say about our friendship in the future? It doesn't help that we're going to be on opposite sides of the country either."

"Well my mother once told me that friendships take just as much work as relationships. So don't expect shit to be peachy keen."

Yemi does a double-take, remembering what the counselor had told her.

"So are you going to run away when Sam does something you don't like?"

"Of course not."

"Okay, so why would you do it to me? I get he's your man, but we're friends. Shit, family now. Why not tell me your problem, so we can fix the shit? You were really just gonna leave New York avoiding me?"

"Okay... fine."

Veronica nods before sitting up straight to hear what Yemi has to say.

"Judging from that picture you took with Lily, the food-poisoning didn't look life threatening. And then the next day, you said you were up all night, so you were too tired to hang with us. You're not going to see me and Sam often like you're able to see the people who live here in New York. But I guess that didn't matter to you. So what's the real reason you canceled our New Year's plans?"

"What other reason would I have?" Veronica asks impatiently.

"It really seems like you're hiding something, Veronica. Larry and your grandmother could've stayed with Lily. If you really needed to stay there with them, then that would mean that it's life threatening. But if that's the case, why wouldn't Sam know that? So, what is it... did you have a guy over or something?"

Veronica looks away before shaking her head in disbelief. "I think you're thinking too deep, Yemi."

"Well, I don't do well with women putting men, they barely know, before their family or close friends," Yemi admits in one breath.

Veronica is taken aback by her bluntness.

"You told me on Friday that you were able to get info on that guy that showed up at Stephen's house on Christmas."

Veronica sighs. "...Yemi, I am not your cousin. I would never put a man before you," she states empathetically. "I found Darrell's work number on a directory print-out on top of Stephen's desk. They're all out on vacation, so I haven't even reached out to him."

"...Oh."

Veronica breathes deeply.

They share an awkward silence. They're looking at each other, trying to figure out what to say without saying the wrong thing.

"I know this is new for the both of us. So...I apologize... for not- being honest with you. I should've communicated all of this to you from the jump," Yemi confesses.

Veronica is still trying to find the right words to say.

"...I'll be right back."

Veronica nods as Yemi walks to the bathroom. Veronica takes her cell phone out and texts Liliana.

The front door opens, causing Veronica to quickly lock her phone.

Sam comes in with a concerned look on his face.

"Why do you look like that?"

"Something that Will told me."

"Will! How is he?"

"He's straight. He called to tell me some shit that has my mind going, right now."

"What happened?"

TO BE CONTINUED...