Page 59 of Me For You
Ryland frowned slightly.“Right, shit. Okay, shoes then. If she has to wear them ugly ass uniforms, we’re gonna make sure her shoe game is on point.”
Chandler had adorably fashionable uniforms. Plaid green and blue skirts, cardigans and blazers with their logo embroidered or patched on and polos but still uniforms. I wouldn’t argue that I thought they were cute.
I smiled, shaking my head.“Is this for you or her?”
“Both. She’s representing me and you see how I get down.”He motioned to his clothes—sweats, a hoodie, and a puffer vest. Nothing over the top but the OG Retro 1s on his feet set the look off.“And this is light work,”he signed and winked.
“She wears a thirteen, but let her pick. Don’t try to turn her into your mini me,”I warned and he grinned before signing to Rylee.
“We have to get you some shoes to match your book bag. Go pick something and let me see your style.”
“My style?”
“What you like?”he explained, then added.“My sister has to match my fly.”
Her little nose wrinkled before she signed,“You can’t fly.”
Ryland laughed before his hands were moving.“My fly means my style. My clothes, what I wear and how I wear it.”
“My clothes don’t match your fly?”she signed and looked down at the jeans, purple hoodie, and purple parka she was in.
He placed his hand at his chin and stepped back, taking her in. She waited impatiently, eager for his approval, and it was the cutest thing. After a minute of inspection, he smiled and extended a closed fist.
She giddily tapped it with hers, bouncing on her toes when he responded,“You definitely match my fly.”
Rylee’s smile expanded and she turned toward me with her hands moving. “Somee too. Does she match your fly?”
“Yeah, she does.”The smugness in his expression at what he was insinuating went way over Rylee’s head but landed directly where it needed with me.
By the time they were done, they’d secured two pairs of sneakers. Canvas ones with purple butterflies all over and a gray pair. While Ryland spoke with the sales associate to get her size so she could try them on, Rylee occupied herself with the tic-tac-toe game painted on the floor in the kids’ section. The X and Os were replaced by a K and T for the designer’s initials, which was super cute.
I was on my way to play with her when I noticed a little girl come over to join her. I smiled when she stopped at the game, saying something to Rylee that she couldn’t hear, of course.
When the girl reached down and snatched the K from Rylee’s hands, I was in motion again. Rylee stood and her hands were moving, signing for the girl to give it back. The girl frowned at her and shook her head, saying something I couldn’t make outbecause I couldn’t see her clearly from my angle. Based on the tension in both of their bodies, I was about to shut this down, but the girl’s mother stepped up, speaking and motioning to Rylee.
After whatever she said, the little girl threw the letter at Rylee’s feet, stomped off, then things went left.
Ryland stepped up with his mouth moving, but I couldn’t catch what he said because he was speaking too quickly. He and the woman went back and forth until I stepped in front of him.
“Let it go.”
“The fuck you mean let it go? She’s not going to talk slick to Rylee and not get checked for it.”
“You checking her like this makes Rylee think she’s done something wrong or that there is something wrong with her if you have to step in to defend her. Even if she doesn’t know why you’re reacting, she knows what you’re defending.”
His jaw locked tightly and he glared at me for a minute before he glanced at Rylee, watching us with a pout, clearly upset. She walked over to the bench and sat, dropping her head.
Ryland glared at the woman before speaking and signing,“Teach your kid some fucking manners and you need to learn some too.”
He turned and walked over to Rylee, kneeling in front of her. He signed something I missed then tipped her chin so he could see her face. After a minute, she smiled and nodded.
When Ryland was standing again, the sales associate approached and the two of them had a brief exchange before she walked off and returned a few minutes later with two boxes of shoes. She stopped and said something else to Ryland before the two of them walked to the counter to pay, carrying the shoes along with the bookbag Rylee wanted.
I walked over and sat next to Rylee.
“You okay?”
She nodded and signed,“Can we go home?”
