“Hi, Daddy. Everything okay?”
“Your aunt Missy called me, yelling about you being famous. What’s going on, Lima?”
“I don’t know what Aunt Missy is going on about. I’m not famous.”
“No, Huey, I said she was dating someone famous. You need your damn ears checked, not me. Lima got her a little fine tenderoni.”
“You got me on three-way?”
“Yeah, I need to get to the bottom of this. This old bitty can’t tell her left from right half the time, can’t believe anything she says. Are you okay?”
“Yes, Daddy, I’m fine. I’m at the gym… with my boyfriend.”
DaVinci smiled, and I stuck my tongue out at him.
“You got a boyfriend?” he asked in disbelief.
“Yes, Daddy. His name is DaVinci, and if you ever come to visit, you could meet him.”
“See Huey, that’s what I told you. She got her big-time basketball fella. I seen’t the pictures. I printed them and put them in my bible. Our baby is famous.”
I rolled my eyes because she was doing too much per usual.
“Missy, why would you put those pictures in your bible?” I asked, half laughing, half horrified.
“Because y’all look blessed! And he is fine, a gorgeous little chocolate thing. You can’t tell me that man don’t look like favor walking. We must keep you lifted up and in the good graces of the Lord. Amen and Hallelujah.”
I put my face in my hands. “Lord, Aunt Missy. Watch it talking about my man, now.”
My dad was cracking up on the other end. “See what I deal with, Lima? Between her and your mama’s side, I don’t stand a chance.”
“Daddy, y’all are doing the most,” I said, grinning despite myself.
DaVinci squeezed my thigh and mouthed,favor walking, trying not to laugh out loud. I smacked his hand.
“So when am I meeting this boy?”
“Soon. I promise. Maybe when things settle down a little. But, Daddy, you already know him. It’s DaVinci Byrns of the Pinnacles.”
“What? Say it ain’t so? I’m holding you to that. I need an autograph and a picture.”
“We can make that happen, Daddy.”
“Hot diggity dog. Lo Lo, just be careful. The world sees things differently when a good Black woman starts living out loud. They love you until they don’t.”
“I know, Daddy.”
“Good. Now, I’mma let y’all get back to your date. Don’t let Missy talk your ear off.”
“It’s too late for that,” I said, smiling. We said our goodbyes, and I turned to DaVinci. “You heard them. My aunt got your picture printed and tucked between Psalms and Proverbs. Amen.”
For a moment, the car got quiet, the only sound the low hum of the engine. His hand found mine again, warm and steady, and I let myself sink into it.
I’d spent so much time fighting everything—expectations, rumors, my own fears—but right now sitting next to this man who met my chaos with calm and my fire with patience, it felt easy. Even me answering the phone for my dad was because of DaVinci, well, the space we were in. I was happy. I wasn’t holding anything or focused on anything negative.
“Don’t worry about those comments,” he said finally, eyes still on the road. “We just gon’ keep living loud enough that love drown out all that noise.”
I smiled, preparing to exit the car.
