The tension between the siblings dissipates long enough for us to get back to work, until Micah picks up the painting. The painting he finished for Tanya on the day she introduced us. The day that changed our lives forever.
“Ooh, she’s wearing teal and gold. We should hang that at the entrance,” Bailey offers, not realizing what memories she just stumbled into.
Chapter Seven
Dani
SPENDING THE MORNING AT THE FARMER’S MARKETwith my mom used to be one of my favorite weekend activities as a kid, so when she asked me to go with her today, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
After setting Micah’s portrait of Tanya to the side yesterday, I was able to steer the conversation away from the realm of anything personal and focus on throwing out other ideas for the gala. I’ve officially tagged Nisha in to help as well because she insisted she had capacity for it on top of everything else she does for me, so the four of us are meeting again at Tanya’s to get organized. Micah has things to do today concerning the Baltimore Collective, the foundation he runs with Rome, Christian, and Arnold, so that meeting isn’t happening until tomorrow.
Today, I’m allowing myself a day of joy and no complications.
Mom shakes the cup of iced coffee she just got from our favorite local vendor before stopping to grab some apples. “Don’t let me forget your father asked me to get him some hot sauce from Corey’s stall,” she says as she puts another apple in her roller bag.
That man needs a hot sauce intervention. I have no doubt he has about five bottles of the stuff sitting in their pantry right now, but of course, he wants more. We’ll make sure he gets it, though, because it’s all he ever asks for.
“I got you. How’s he doing? I meant to return his call yesterday but I was so tired.”
“Mhm, he told me not to buy you any truffle oil today since you didn’t call him back.” She shrugs as if either one of them would actually stand by that. Every time we come to a farmer’s market, Mom insists on buying everything. I’m not mad at it. You never get too old or too successful to let your parents treat you.
“That don’t sound like my daddy. He’s not that petty.”
She sucks her teeth. “That man is King Petty.” She points to herself. “And I’m Queen Petty.”
I point to myself. “But I’m the princess and that treatment is reserved for peasants.”
She shoves my arm. “Be quiet, girl.”
We move to the vendor who sells a few different types of truffle oils, and like I suspected, she puts a few bottles in her roller bag for me.
“Not a word to your daddy,” she threatens.
I chuckle into my hand, silently agreeing. “Anyway, I’m thinking about getting Evie’s car detailed for her birthday, so how many bottles of hot sauce you think I gotta get your husband for him to fit me in the schedule?” Dad’s car detailing business is always booked.
Mom takes the last sip of her iced coffee and throws it in the nearby trash can. “Now, you tell me how it’s supposed to be a gift from you when you’re using your dad’s services?”
“BecauseI’mthe one bringing the car to him.”
She rolls her eyes with a laugh.
I stop to look at some waist beads I think Nelle would like while Mom grabs us a couple of donuts from a pastry stall.
“Do you want to come over tomorrow night to make some recipes I found on Pinterest?” she asks.
“I can’t. I gotta go to Tanya’s for a planning meeting.”
“How’s that going?”
I can tell from her tone that this conversation could take a turn quickly. Would it be too much to ask for my truffle oils so I can go?
“It’s fine,” I say.
She waits until I have a mouth full of a cinnamon sugar donut to tell me what’s on her mind. “I’m worried about you.”
I cough around my bite, a cloud of cinnamon escaping my lips. Here we go. “Why are you worried?”
She bites into her jelly donut, using the time it takes her to chew to consider her next words. “We haven’t talked about Tanya since she passed. I know you’re planning her homegoing, but you haven’t told me much about that. You haven’t said much of anything. You haven’t even cried—not that I’m saying you have to—I just wanna make sure you’re coping with her death.”
