“Figure out your next steps.” She shifted again, and Diego wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Offering her a biscuit, he turned his attention to me, and suddenly I was stage shy as I realized they were all staring at me.
“Actually, yeah. I’m going to apply to UGA.”
Dalton threw his hands in the air. “Oh yeah! Roomies! Go Dawgs! Uga, Uga!”
We all stared at him, and he gave an abashed grin. Mac shook his head before asking, “What major?”
“Business. I want to open one when I graduate.” I wasn’t ready to tell them my plans yet. Maybe Maria. Maybe later.
Maria squealed and clapped her hands together. “That’s so cool. Will you be able to start with Dalton?”
Dalton had already been to Athens and back a few times, knee deep in football and team bonding shit. I looked over at him and he mouthed, “Uga, Uga!”
I rolled my eyes and reached for another biscuit. “I doubt it. Spring, if I get in.”
“Oh, you’ll get in.” Diego gave me a friendly grin, and I surprised myself when I returned it. Just then, Momma made her way over with a tray laden with food. She laid out the feast, Dalton eyeing it like a man half starved, and winked at me.
“Hey, honey. Haven’t seen you in a hot minute. I’ve missed that pretty face. How’s my girl?”
“What about my pretty face?” Dalton said around a mouthful of fries, earning a grimace from the table and a stern look from Momma. He resumed attacking his burger like it owed him lunch money.
“Hey Momma, looking good!”
“Don’t I know it.” She winked at me and sashayed her more than ample hips. “Now before we were interrupted, you were fixing to tell me what was on that big, beautiful brain.”
“Actually, I was just telling them that I’m going to apply to UGA. Business school.”
“Go Dawgs! Sic ’Em! Woof! Woof! Woof!” This time, Mac threw a piece of fried okra at Dalton’s head and frowned at him.
“Oh, that’s right. Get it, girl!” She beamed at me. “You are going to go far, sweetie.” She turned her attention to Maria. “Hey there little mama, how are we feeling?”
“I need a good lawyer so I can serve up an eviction notice.” Diego handed her a glass of water, and she took a sip before saying, “I love her, but I need her out.”
“You have a name yet?”
“No ma’am, just waiting till I hold her. See what feels right.”
“That’s a good plan, baby. Good plan. It’ll be here before ya know it. Yall enjoy your food, if you haven’t already inhaled it.” She ruffled Dalton’s hair before heading back to the kitchen.
I eyed my chicken fried steak eagerly and tucked into the deliciousness that was Momma Laverne’s cooking. A comfortable silence settled over the table. My mind was still racing, going over a list of things I needed to do to get in to UGA. But this kind of racing was more peaceful, less hectic.
“It’s nice having the gang back together. Look at us. Adults and shit.” Dalton stretched in his chair, having demolished his cheeseburger.
Mac rolled his eyes. “Y’all are not nearly old enough to be called adults.”
Dalton frowned at him. “Oh, but you are old man?”
Mac flipped him off, and Maria laughed. An easy banter started up, and I half listened as I ate. Until a certain name was brought up. My traitorous ears perked up and I looked up, reaching for my tea.
“Yeah, I haven’t heard from him but that’s typical, I think?”
“I got a letter, like once. Letting me know he wasn’t dead but kinda wished he was.”
“He should be back towards the end of September, right? October, at the latest?”
“Pretty sure.”
“Gawd, I miss his ornery ass. Nobody tell him I said that shit, though.” Dalton fixed the table with a glare and Diego chortled.
