The doorbell buzzes and I take a last quick look around the apartment. It may not be Aunt Viv’s military-standard clean, but I give myself a solid B.
“Wow. You really went out of your way to dress up for me,” Dr. Golden says, giving me a quick bottom-up once-over. I look down at my sweats. Really? He didn’t notice my fabulous outfit at his parent interview, but now he’s become RuPaul onDrag Race?
“I didn’t realize tonight was a formal affair,” I clap back, nodding at Ty’s wool charcoal pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, and magenta-and-navy striped tie. Looking at this man, dressed up in a suit so beautiful there is no way he found it on a sale rack, I can’t decide which Golden Boy is hotter: the athlete, the doctor, or the gentleman.
“Oh this old thing?” Ty gives me a mock look of surprise. “I had two hundred fifty cardiologists to impress at a conference today. I was one of the keynote speakers.”
“I imagine that’s a real fashionista crowd.”
“Not a lot of fashion, but a whole lot of heart.”
“I should shut the door on you for that corny-ass joke. Good thing I’m in a generous mood this evening and wouldn’t mind a little company. Come on in.”
Golden Boy fills out his suit as well from the backside as from the front. DANG! That Daniel is one lucky husband. I decide then and there I’ll stretch waaaaaaaay out of my comfort zone this evening and casually ask Dr. Golden if he has any single, straight friends to set me up with. This is a limb I’m not sure I’m ready to step out onto,but it’s not lost on me that I need to put an end to my celibacy streak and I would prefer to do it with someone as handsome as Dr. Golden.
“I brought a few things to help Aunt Viv start building some more muscle mass and flexibility. You know, start small, ten minutes a day, but even that can do wonders for her physical fitness over time. Then, once she’s more fit, we can bump her up to thirty minutes a day, ideally with it happening in the school gym with real exercise equipment. End goal, we get her to an hour of exercise four to five times a week. Low impact, of course, but an hour is what we’re going for.” Ty pulls out a blue TheraBand and two purple five-pound hand weights from his oversized murse. “A wellness company was giving these away at the conference today and I thought maybe Aunt Viv would love them. Gives her a solid place to start building an honest exercise routine.”
“There are a lot of things Aunt Viv would love,” I barely squeak out, I’m laughing so hard, “but exercise equipment is nowhere on, near, or next to that list.” I pick up the TheraBand and pretend I’m about to slingshot it across the room. Dr. Golden lunges to grab it from me and ends up chest bumping my chin. That man smells good even after a long day of talking to medical nerds.
“Come on, you don’t know that, Josie. When Aunt Viv and I talked about diet and exercise at her follow-up appointment she was noddingyesthe whole time. She told me she absolutely would change her habits, that she understands why it’s necessary moving forward. She promised.”
I wipe the tears of laughter pooled in the outside corners of my eyes. “She may have been shaking her head yes, but trust me, she was thinking no way, no how. How many seventy-year-old Southern black women do you see lifting weights, doing crunches, and munching fennel? I’ll tell you how many, none. And I’ll tell you why, ’cause it’s hot as hell under a perfectly set wig. Aunt Viv’s not buying into your white doctor voodoo woo-woo medicine. Not today, not ever. Inher world there’s nothing gumbo can’t fix. But please, feel free to leave the goodies on the coffee table and I’ll let you know how it all goes down, Boy Scout.” I’m glad Dr. Golden came over tonight, I haven’t had a big belly laugh in a good while. I might have to video Aunt Viv’s reaction to her hand-delivered home gym equipment and send it to Dr. Golden for proof of non-compliance. Oh, I’m gonna have so much fun with this...
“I think you’re underestimating your aunt Viv. She seems committed to me.”
“Oh, she’s definitely committed to you. That woman’s got a mad teenage love crush on you, Golden Boy, that’s for sure.”
“The woman’s got good taste in men, what can I say. And don’t underestimate the power of love. She may be running with me on Chrissy Field before you know it.”
“She don’t love you that much,” I assure Ty. I’m definitely sending his cocky self a video of Aunt Viv passing by her gifted home gym, paying it no mind.
“Speaking of love, what about you? I’m assuming no husband if you and Etta live with Aunt Viv. Do you have a fiancé or boyfriend or something?” Dr. Golden is looking around the room like I might be hiding a lover in the drapes.
“You assume right.” Ohhhhh, here goes nothing. I’m stepping into the deep end. “I do a lot of things well, but my history shows dating is not one of them. And, um, you remember my friend, Lola? From the hospital?”
“Yeah.” Ty is looking confused. I’m not sure I’m wading into this conversation quite right so screw it, I’m diving right in.
“Lola thought maybe you might know of a single doctor, or, I guess, really any colleague or friend you could set me up with.” Now it’s out there. And the world didn’t end. I cringe in mock pain waiting for the answer.
“Why do you look like you’re smelling expired milk?” I relax myface and open my eyes as my body temperature rises in embarrassment. I don’t care how brave this is, it’s beyond humiliating.
“I’m cringing that at my age my love life is so pathetic that I’m asking my aunt’s cardiologist if he knows anyone he can set me up with. Since Michael, that’s my ex, it’s been me, Etta, and Aunt Viv—and our tight threesome has been enough. But Etta will be off to college in six months and Aunt Viv is getting older and her recent heart attack and...” What were tears of laughter two minutes ago morph into rolling tears of fear out of nowhere. Or really from somewhere buried deep where I haven’t been willing to go since I first saw Aunt Viv in the hospital bed. I’m pretty sure Dr. Golden is getting ready to run for the door.
“I think these tears call for alcohol. Can I check your fridge?”
“I don’t really feel like a drink, thanks though.” I push the heels of my hands against my eyes and breathe deep as I plop down on the couch.
“Okay, but is it alright if I grab one? Two hundred fifty cardiologists and one hot mess of a woman is a lot for a guy to take on in one day. Give me two gulps and then we’re going to get down to business talking about your future.”
“Help yourself.” While Dr. Golden’s getting a beer I try to wipe my raccoon eyes off on my sweater. Turns out my mascara is waterproof. Score one for Revlon.
“Who’s Michael?” is the first question Ty asks after downing half a beer in one gulp.
“I’m in tears because my aunt Viv could drop dead any moment, leaving me alone in this world—or at least alone in California—and you want the dirt on my ex-boyfriend? Good thing you didn’t become a shrink, your priorities are whack.”
“Josie.” Golden Boy sets his beer down on the side table, unbuttons his suit jacket, and sits down next to me on the couch. He picks up my hands and examines them for a moment before speaking.“Aunt Viv is not dropping dead. If I have anything to say about it the only thing she’ll be dropping is about twenty to twenty-five pounds.”
“She’ll definitely be dead before she does that. Tough to lose weight when you fry everything in lard and soak your Cheerios in buttermilk.”
