Over a cup of Coffee

Everyone seemed to be so cheery. Mina was feeling very lonely.

"Who's up for coffee?" Someone asked out loud.

Just as Mina was about to leave, she was intercepted by Gabe (The guy who shared earlier).

"Wanna join us for coffee?"

She didn't feel up to it as she just wanted to go out of here.

"No, I have somewhere to be and I've got work later, maybe some other time"

"Hope I get to see you at the next meeting"

"Sure." She really was contemplating coming back though she felt very releived after the meeting.

Mami was waiting outside for her younger sister. She couldn't even imagine what she was going through. How can men be so cruel? She always thought that he was a nice guy. Mina never said anything about it in the past even though they suspected something was wrong after she was admitted in the hospital. When she was asked what happened, Mina simply said she fell from the stairs. How can someone have burn scars falling down the stairs.

Mami felt like teaching him lesson. She left a mental note to herself to do just that.

"I thought you had left already" She realized she had been daydreaming how to revenge her sister's mistreatment.

"Ready to go?" asked Mami

"Sure"

As they were leaving towards Mami's car, Gabe couldn't help but stare at this beautiful woman. He couldn't help but relate to how she was feeling in the meeting. He actually believed she was strong, for her to come to a meeting when she was even still amidst a crisis.

He silently vowed to always be there for this woman, that was the type of support he never got. Maybe he wouldn't have gone through half of the hell he went through.

"Guys, wait up." He started sprinting towards the group leaving the gates already.

Meanwhile on the freeway, Mami was overtaking a few cars while she was wondering what was going through her sister's mind. Mina was resting on the window as she was lost In thought.

She was thinking deeply on how she could get over this pain in her heart. She needed something to clear her head.

"Mami, can you drop me off at the bar?" She asked gloomily without even turning.

"Are you sure that's what you need right now?"

She remembered how she got a call from a hospital that her sister was found almost dead at a bar, she remembered how she dreaded the worst had happened to her sister. She came into the room as her sister was just staring into space. All efforts at that time to open up about what was happening with her, proved fruitless. She never spoke about anything and that was what everyone was worried about. She secretly feared that her sister might even take her own life.

"I just need a drink right now."

"I'll come with you." She replied as she wanted to be there for her all the way.

"Don't you have work or something?" She turned to look at mami now.

"I took a week off so I can take care of you" she replied smiling genuinely.

"I don't need a babysitter." She laughed wildly.

"My services are just $50 an hour." She also laughed at this comment.

They arrived at Club 28 twenty minutes later. They parked their Honda in the lot as they saw a group of guys smoking pot outside. The guys were drinking and smoking like life wasn't hard at all. Mina wished she could be happy as they were.

As they entered the bar, the scene was looking vibrant as always with afro beats playing on the speakers. Everyone was vibing and dancing on the floor. They went straight to two sofas as a waiter came to attend to them.

"I'm having whatever she is having" Mami was trying to show her that she wasn't going to be left behind.

"Vodka on ice then for two" Mina instantly replied. She was eager to feel the buzz, while Mami was staring at her

"Stop looking at me like that." she shot at her

"What way?" Mami felt she probably should stop staring.

"I'm not going to off myself if that's what you are thinking."

"It would only mean that he has won the battle." She was now smiling sheepishly. This made Mami think maybe she had even planned something sinister for Malcom.

She needed a plan, they needed a plan as she now smiled to Mina.

"He will never win." Now she looked like the devil.