“We’re out back, Ma! Come outside!” Brooklyn shouted.
“Okay, baby, here I come,” Ellie called back. It was the most innocent she had heard her teenage daughter sound in months and Ellie loved it.
“Oh, if I’m going outside, I’m definitely taking a shot first,”Shy said.
“Did you bring anything besides those high-heeledboots?” Sloan asked, frowning.
“No, but I’ma just sit on the patio. These are Fendi. Besides, I’m not trudging up that hill to play with them kids,” Shy answered.
Ellie snickered as Shy found red cups and set up six shots. There were three of them, and their routine was to always run it back. They each grabbed a cup and held it up.
“To us being together again. Y’all bitches mean everything to me. I’m so glad you came home, Ellie. ToFriendsmas,” Shy toasted.
“ToFriendsmas!” they all joined in. They tapped the cup on the edge of the counter before taking it, then picked up the second cup and took that round to the head, too. Ellie grimaced, and Sloan frowned in disgust.
“My shot days are few and far between. This is terrible,” Sloan complained.
“Who are y’all?” Shy laughed.“Y’all know the rules. See a shot, take a shot. This is the energy I need all week.” As if she had jogged her own memory, she held up a finger to get them to wait.“Oooh, speaking of, you know we must start the festivities off in a benevolent spirit, so we’re going to choose a charity and volunteer at one of their events tomorrow. I didn’t want to choose the charity by myself, so I sent a list to your emails,”Shy said.
Cassidy walked back in the front door carrying two large brown paper bags. The family that was gathered in the living room all stopped him along his way to the kitchen.
“But wait, Cass is hosting a toy drive at his cigar lounge. Can we just support that?” Ellie asked.
“Sounds good to me,”Shy said.
“You good with that, Sloan?” Shy asked.
Sloan’s eyes followed Cassidy through the house.
“Nigga fine as fuck,ain’t he?” Shy asked, snickering. Ellie shook her head. She remembered her friends and their crushes on her brother back in the day.
“Don’t start, y’all,” Ellie warned, gagging playfully.“Hey, Cass! Come here for a second!”
Ellie poured a hefty shot for Cassidy and handed it to him.
“You remember Sloan,” Ellie said. It had been 23 years since he had seen her, but there was no way he couldn’t remember her.
“Of course; how you doing?” Cassidy greeted.
“I’m good,” Sloan replied with a short smile.“It’s good to see you.” Ellie frowned because she knew her friend. She was always pretty demure with men, but she couldn’t even look Cassidy in the eyes.
“So, you know we have a week ofFriendsmas events planned, and one of the tasks includes supporting a local charity event. We want to pull up to yours tomorrow. How can we help? You need toys? Need us to serve food? Like, what you need? We got you.”
“That’s love,” Cassidy replied.“I appreciate you ladies. I think we’re set on the donations but just come by. We could always use the extra hands on deck. I’m sure I can put you to work somehow.”
“It’sa date,” Sloan replied. She grimaced and then tried to correct herself.“I mean, not a date. I don’t know why I said that. I meant…”
“It’sa date,” Cassidy confirmed, smiling graciously, relieving the foot from her mouth.“Here are your bottles. Y’all don’t get too tore up, a’ight?”
“Nigga, youain’t nobody daddy, go’n about your business,” Ellie dismissed, waving him off and pushing him out the back door.“Go check on your nieces and make sure Tessa keeps her hat and gloves on, please!”
“I got you. Have fun with your girls,” he said.
“Bitch, not jail did a body fucking good! They don’t even make niggas like that on the outside!” Shy hissed.
“Eww, stop,” Ellie groaned.“Help me with this food and pour some more shots.”
“You and my mommy were best friends in high school?” Tessa asked.
