“What had you so distracted?”
“Nothing.” I lied. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about, Kiyan.” She laughed. “You’re always locked in when you’re conducting business.”
“I was just looking over the proposals as they were talking.”
“Kiyan, tell that to someone who doesn’t know you.” She rolled her eyes. “What’s on your mind?”
I went back and forth with myself on whether or not I should tell her what was going on. On one hand, she could help me figure out a way to help Leila and her daughter, but on the other she could call my mom and tell her what was going on. I didn’t want Leila and her baby to still be here when my family came and have them judging her without fully understanding the magnitude of her situation.
Throwing caution to the wind, I gave her the full story on what I was dealing with starting from us leaving the meeting at the university yesterday. Before she got going and giving heropinion, I made her promise not to say anything to my mother or hers.
“Kiyan, I’m low key offended.” She frowned.
“Don’t be, Mel, I’m just saying.”
“Well, you might have tojust sayto, Khalil and Kayla, but not me,” she frowned, referring to my older siblings. “I wouldn’t dare tell anyone what’s going on in your house, nor would I judge that woman and her child. That’s horrible what she’s going through.”
‘”Yeah, it is.” I sighed heavily. “I don’t even know what to do or how to help her other than allowing her to stay here for now.”
“Well, we can definitely help her find a place, but nothing will be ready for move in until after the holidays, I’m sure. Does she work?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I haven’t really had a chance to ask her those kinds of things because they were sleeping last night, and I had to work this morning.”
“Ugh, men.” She shook her head. “Where are they now?”
“Somewhere in the house,” I answered. “I’ve been in my office since the start of the meetings.”
“Okay,” I noticed that she’d gotten up and started to move around her room.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m about to come over there,” she answered. “Do you know how old the baby is?”
My brows furrowed as I recalled Leila’s daughter’s age. “Six I believe.”
“Okay. I’ll bring some of Jazzlyn’s toys,” she said, referring to her niece who spent her summers with Mel. “I know you don’t have shit in there for her to play with.”
“I don’t have kids, Melonie,” I chuckled. “But that’s fine. I don’t know how long they’ll be here, but her having some toys will hopefully make her a little more comfortable,” I added. “Oh,her daughter has Down Syndrome, so don’t come in over doing it Melonie.”
My cousin’s personality was big, and she could be a bit forceful with it sometimes, but she meant well. I just didn’t want Leila to meet her, and feel uncomfortable, or her daughter to feel a way. She’d said it was hard getting her acclimated to new people and places, so I didn’t want to upset them.
“Contrary to what you think of me, Dr. Ward, I know how to conduct myself,” she replied and I laughed.
“I’m not saying you don’t.”
“Oh, but in so many words, you just said I don’t, negro,” she countered playfully. “Anyway, I’m on the way, so I’ll see you soon.”
“Aight.”
After disconnecting the call, my stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything today. I closed my laptop before getting up to leave my office. As I made my way down the hall I was hit with the aroma of food. The savory smell of the homecooked meal had my feet moving even quicker toward the kitchen.
When I rounded the corner, I saw Leila pulling something from the oven and her daughter seated on one of my high back bar stools watching something on her tablet. The moment she noticed me, she hopped down and scurried to her mother, tucking her small body behind her legs while peeking around at me.
“It’s alright, sweetie.” Leila smiled down at her while stroking the top of her head. “She’s shy.”
“It’s fine.” I nodded then looked at the pan she’d pulled from the oven. “You cooked?”
