“Girl, you’re head over heels about him. I’m glad you’ve come out of denial. When are we gonna meet him?”
“The next time our schedules permit. You know that man went to the powers that be to see if they would switch me to his crew. He said seeing me every few weeks wasn’t enough and did something about it.”
“Okay, Sylas. How do you feel about him doing that? You cool?”
“At first, I was kinda hesitant because missing each other makes the time we spend together that much better. After this weekend, I could barely bring myself to leave him.”
“Aww, that’s so adorable.”
“I met his parents, sister, and brother-in-law last night. His family is so much like ours. If this works out, I think everyone will get along so well. It’s like this man was made for me.”
“Listen to you. I’ve never heard you talk like this about a man, not even Harlan’s lame, raggedy ass.”
I rolled my eyes, even though Yandy couldn’t see me.
“Don’t even bring him up. Being with Sylas has shown me how much I settled when I was with Harlan. He did me a favor by breaking up with me.”
“Amen.”
We talked until I made it to my parents’ house. As soon as I walked in, the delicious aroma of Sunday dinner hit my nostrils, and my stomach growled. Sylas and I made breakfast before I left, but that felt like a long time ago now that I’d gotten a whiff of my mother’s cooking.
“Hey, Ma,” I greeted as I entered the kitchen.
“Hey, sweetheart. You’re glowing.”
“Thank you, but I’m not pregnant, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
She giggled. “That’s not what I’m getting at, girl. You look happy.”
“I can get on board with that. I haven’t been this happy in a long time.”
“That’s great to hear. Did you decide when we’ll get to meet the man you’ve fallen in love with?”
“How do you know I’m in love with him, Ma?”
“Because I carried you in my womb for forty-one weeks. Are you telling me I’m wrong?”
“No, ma’am. You’re spot on, and I can’t even deny it if I wanted to. We have to see when our schedules match up again, but soon. Where’s Daddy?”
“He met Blaine at the cigar lounge.”
A few times a month, my father and brother hung out at a cigar lounge called A Cuban Experience in Downtown Waukegan. My mother and Yandy hated it when they came home smelling like a humidor, but they never fussed about them going.
“Do I have to wait until Daddy gets home to eat?”
“Go wash your hands and make a plate. We’re not waiting for him.”
Her words were music to my ears. I did exactly what she said, and a few minutes later, I was seated at the kitchen table, eating fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread muffins, and fried corn.
My mother joined me, and while we ate, we discussed ideas for Yandy’s baby shower. Yandy’s mother had shared some great ideas with my mother that would be incorporated.
I received a text from Sylas, and I couldn’t stop my mouth from curling into a smile, nor calm the butterflies in my stomach.
Sylas:
I assume you made it safely to your parents’ house.
Me:
