“Then, you just have to take each discovery as it comes. Most people take their secrets with them to the grave. She’s trusting you to care for them the way you cared for her. Take solace in that.”
I nod along with her. I pull into my parents’ driveway, throwing the car in park before turning to face her. “Thanks, Mom.”
She pats my cheek. “Anytime, Mi. And for the record, when I die I want a parade.”
A shocked laugh escapes me. “Are we talking Macy’s level or the fairgrounds?”
She purses her lips and tilts her head. “Macy’s, of course.” Without another word, she slips out of the car and up to the front door.
Shaking my head, I grab the boxes from the back before heading inside, where I follow the sound of raised voices down the hallway and stumble upon one hell of a scene.
My cousins, Paris and Penelope, are in the living room. Penelope has Paris pinned to the ground with her leg in the air, while Bailey slams her palm on the ground.
Right before her palm hits the carpet a third time, Paris kicks her leg up and swings her body to the side.
“Bullshit!” Penelope screams out.
My dad’s eyes go wide as he looks on from the couch.
Paris sticks her tongue out and her middle finger up. “Told you you couldn’t pin me, bitch.”
“I did pin you, dumb hoe. You just got away,” Penelope chastises.
The shouts from all three ladies increase until Mom shows them she can shout the loudest. “Why are y’all always tearing my house up?!” she demands. “Old as you are,” she mumbles under her breath.
Paris moves to stand, but Penelope swipes Paris’s legs from under her and pushes her shoulder before jumping up.
Dad snorts as he gets up from the couch and wraps me up in a hug and then kisses Mom.
“Gigi, you know I can’t let her show me up,” Penelope says, donning an innocent voice.
They’re only a year apart, and while they’re the very best of friends, they always find something to compete over. Chi Chi always said they got that from their dad, because it definitely didn’t come from her.
Mom turns her nose up and smacks both Penelope and Paris on the butts as she walks past them. Bailey slips her hand in Mom’s and trails behind her to the kitchen.
“What up, Mikey?” Paris greets me.
“Hey, Pee Pee Girls.”
Paris’s nostrils flare and Penelope’s lips turn to a sneer at the childhood nickname they’ve always hated. It’s not my fault their mother gave them bothPnames. It was too easy.
“And to think, we came over to check on your ass,” Penelope jeers.
I pull her into a bear hug, smacking a kiss on her forehead that she wipes off. “Oh, I thought you came over to fight for your championship.”
She presses her index and middle fingers against my forehead. “My championship ain’t ever been in danger.”
Paris snaps her neck in Penelope’s direction, lips primed to fire back an insult, but the scent of Mom’s leftover homemade cinnamon rolls fill the air. Her nose practically lifts her off the ground.
She rushes over for a quick hug before turning to the kitchen. “Gigi, my neck hurts from that beating I took, I think some dessert would help heal me,” she calls out as she goes.
“This bitch,” Penelope mutters to herself.
“You know she don’t care about shit once she smells my mom’s cooking.”
“True. How are you holding up?” she asks, looping her arm around my waist.
“Uh, you know, I’ve been better, but I’ll be okay.” Tanya said not to feel sad for her, because she was ready to go. But she didn’t say not to be sad for myself, so I’m going to sit in this feeling for a little while longer.
