She leaned back. “Ouuu, I see you took those long ropey things out your head.” She ignored my comment, but she heard what I said.
I released her, giving my brother a quick hug.
“Sam.”
I ran to daddy’s arms.
“Hey, Daddy.”
I melted in his embrace as I inhaled his cologne. He was always inviting and calm. Not like the rest of my family.
When I got to my sister, she acted like it was a disease to touch me. I didn’t even bother as I went in the house. It was always something with her. She always thought I was the black sheep of the family.
Inside my parents’ two-story home there were portraits, trophies, certificates, licenses and more surrounding the walls of the family. When life was good with us.
We all went to the family room. I took a seat on the recliner, seated away from everyone.
“I wasn’t even sure if you’d come down this weekend. I said it to daddy,” my sister Joyce announced.
“Why wouldn’t I come when I told you I would?”
“Sam, don’t start that now. We’re here to celebrate Ma and Pa,” my brother William said.
“It’s Sukiana. Y’all know this.” I exhaled. “Don’t start this alright. We’re here for them, not me.”
“I don’t care what you changed your name to, you’ll always be Sam. Sukiana is so damn ghetto.”
I changed my name the moment I legally could because I fucking hated my original. My parents hated that I did it, but it was the best decision I made with starting my own life. It felt like my original was cursed. Being Suki gave me liberation and got me from under my family’s thumb. I’ve done so much that I wasproud of with my name, and they could never make me feel bad about it.
“It’s Suki. Let’s enjoy her time with us. She doesn’t come home often,” Daddy voiced.
Out of everyone, daddy always had my back. I usually only call him and no one else back home. My life was drama and judgement free without them in it. I’m the only one that makes messes in my life and judge me for it.
“Thank you, daddy,” I mouthed.
He winked at me.
I prayed he stayed by my side and Eris got here soon because this was going to be one-hell of a weekend, and I didn’t feel like going to jail.
“Heyyyy, girl, I’m so glad you’re here.” I hugged Eris the moment she got in the car.
“You know I got you just like you got me.” She paused. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I didn’t even want to relive last night’s bullshit.
It started with me telling my family I got me a hotel room because I didn’t want to stay there. With the house having DJ’s wife and three kids and Joyce’s husband and my nephew, we were on top of each other. Our parents’ house was large, but not big enough to let bullshit slide.
“Girl, that’s so damn crazy. Thankfully, you don’t have long.”
“I’m getting the hell out of here on the first thing smoking. Hell, I might change my flight to get outta here after the party.”
“I’m with you, however you wanna do it.”
“Thank you, girl. Between you and my daddy, that’s the only support I have.”
It was messed up I felt like an outsider with the same people I grew up with. It’s been that way for years. Nothing I ever did made nobody happy, except daddy. That’s why I cut ties and stay away.
When we arrived back at my parents’, everyone was having brunch in the backyard from the caterers I hired. It’s been set up months ago. It was part of my gift to them.
