“Ain’t shit, I was down this way working. I rode by the beach house first, then figured y’all would be here.”
“Yea, I switched my schedule to match theirs. We not at the house yet though. But I thought you worked for the cuddle buddy lady? What happened to that? I still can’t believe that’s a real thing. Who pays someone to cuddle them?” I laughed every time I said that shit aloud.
“Haha, man, I told you about calling her that. She’s cool people for real and takes pride in helping others. She also has a name, which I told you before.”
I stopped counting as I tried to recall it because he had but it never stuck. I remembered what she did more though. I shrugged and went back to doing what I was doing while the girls began to hang off him.
“Liv.” The name had me stopping dead in my tracks.
What are the chances of this being the same one?
It can’t be. Crescent Falls is too big for it to be that small.
“Ooh, Uncle Tunk, we know Ms. Liv. I’m even best friends with her son Jo-Jo and everything. He goes to my camp,” Ceona boasted. I watched Tunk’s eyes grow big in excitement, confirming what I feared.
It’s the same damn one.
“What a small world, that’s the one I work for. And you said best friends with Jo-Jo? Isn’t he the coolest kid ever?” Tunk asked as he shot a side eye attached to a sly smirk my way.
“Yes, and Ms. Liv. She always brings us snacks. Daddy brought us slushies today though.”
“Aight, Cece, we gotta have some secrets as a family now, dang. How about you and Neela tell Uncle Tunk about the fair that you want to go to.” It was fair and festival time here in Crescent, and between the mainland and the island, the girls had plans to hit them all.
The girls began to bounce and jump all around, talking over each other in a loud tone. I couldn’t make out a word theywere saying, so I knew Tunk didn’t understand shit either, but knowing that the subject was off Olive worked for me.
I went back to minding my business because I couldn’t even explain what the issue was with Tunk knowing that I was instantly attracted to Olive upon meeting her.
Yeah, grow the hell up, Highland. You’re grown and she’s grown.
Ceona calling my name pulled me out my thoughts and my eyes off the last set of life jackets.
“Ooh, yeah, Daddy, can we invite Ms. Liv and Jo-Jo to the fair? We could play all the games together and get on all the rides and eat cotton candy and everything.”
This time when I looked at my brother, he was proudly wearing a sly smirk, letting me know he’d put her up to this.
“Sure, we’ll ask them later,” I said, hoping to end this until my daughter let out another secret I was trying to hold onto a little bit longer.
Why?
“You can call and ask her right now, you have her number. I saw you get it at the park.” Tunk chuckled loudly before he caught himself.
“Later, Cece, I’m still working. How about you and Neela go double check that the knots are secure on the boats so we can go home.” The sound of her kissing her teeth and her little feet stomping off let me know she now had an attitude and had left the ferry with Neela following her.
“You wanna tell me what the issue is with me knowing you met Olive? Is it because you’ve been talking about baby girl’s profession all these years?”
“No issue, I met her. I think I was just shocked that it was the same person. Our kids became friends at camp. Yes, I got her number, but it’s only for the kids to set up playdates. They’vestarted playing together, even after camp. Did Pops mention her to you?”
“Naw, he met her too? Damn, so everybody’s been blessed to meet Olive. She really is cool as hell though. And stop ragging on her job, as weird as it sounds, she helps a lot of people.” I would have to take his word; I still didn’t understand it though.
“Yeah, the girls let that part slip last night. Apparently, all last week, he spent time at the park letting the girls play. Of course Jo-Jo and Olive were there. This is how I even learned she was giving the girls snacks and making sure they were good.” I stared, spaced out for a moment, flashing back to earlier when Neela, my baby girl, ran to Olive for comfort instead of me.
It has only been a couple of weeks since they met her and Olive and her son had already made an impression on my girls.
“Yeah, that’s Olive, she’s one of those PTA moms who goes above and beyond for the kids. Shit for real, for everyone around her. She even brings me breakfast in the morning, shit coffee too sometimes.” I didn’t like the smug grin on his face, almost like he was trying to make a bid on her.
Fuck that, she’s mine.
Yours?
