She wasn’t used to surrender…wasn’t used to receiving anything without fighting for it, but Zaire’s voice, his heat, his certainty…it tugged something loose inside her.
“…Fine,” she surrendered.
Zaire’s grin was slow, dangerous, and satisfied. “Good girl.”
Ray had already set the table when Meadow and Zaire finally walked in. Magnolia sat in her usual chair with a blanket over her lap, humming some old song only she and God remembered.
The house smelled like baked chicken, garlic rice, and green beans. Zaire paused at the doorway, taking in the warmth of it, the family of it, the comfort he didn’t get often. He closed his eyes briefly, letting the scents fill a space inside him that was usually empty.
He didn’t have a big family. Once his father was sent to prison, it was just him and Lesha and although she made their small house feel grand with her love it wasn’t that small town warmth he witnessed with Meadow and her family.
“Y’all took y’all sweet time,” Ray said, glancing up from the pot he was stirring. “Food been done.”
Meadow dropped her eyes to her plate, hiding the last of her blush. “We was outside talking.”
Ray wiped his hands on a towel. “Mmhmm, I bet.”
Zaire smothered a smirk and pushed Magnolia’s chair closer to the table.
“Thank you, baby,” Magnolia said, patting his hand like she’d known him forever.
Meadow watched that little tenderness hit Zaire right in the chest. Something about Magnolia trusting him made his shoulders settle.
Ray sat down with a grunt. “Say grace, Meadow.”
Meadow grabbed their hands, including Zaire’s. The moment her fingers brushed his, her pulse jumped. Zaire felt it. She knew he did because he squeezed lightly, his thumb brushing across her knuckles.
Meadow cleared her throat and prayed the prayer she’d been saying since she was old enough to recite it.
“Amen,” everyone said in unison.
They ate for a few minutes. It was quiet and peaceful. Magnolia tapped her spoon against her bowl every few seconds. Ray chewed loud like he always did.
Then Ray spoke from nowhere. “How Tia doin’?”
Meadow perked up. “She’s good. Well…she’s okay.”
Ray glanced sideways. “Why just okay?”
Meadow poked at her rice. “She think she might be pregnant.”
Tia had sent her a text a few days ago saying she missed her period. Meadow would’ve brought it up on their FaceTime had Zaire not caught her dry humping the ground.
Ray’s brows shot up. “Oh damn. Already?”
“She’s married!” Meadow laughed lightly.
“That don’t mean nothin’… Me and your Mama waited a while to have you.”
Zaire snorted but kept eating, just minding his business.
Ray leaned back in his seat. “You gon’ go see her?”
Meadow paused, chewing her chicken slowly. “I mean…I want to.”
“Then go,” Ray said plainly, like life was that simple. “Ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ you.”
Meadow’s fork froze mid-air. There was always something slick on the tip of her tongue but she’d been raised to always honor her parents and show respect. Like always, she swallowed it down.
