I could tell that Rasheeda was the cool auntie, but then again, you could also tell that she was the one that was going to get in the field, and she didn’t play that shit about the ones she loved.
“Auntie please,” Riot said, leaning back in her chair a little bit, and she folded her arms.
“Bae, it’s cool. She ain’t asking me anything that I wasn’t prepared for,” I let Riot know, placing my hand on her thigh, and squeezing it just a little bit.
“I want everything that comes with being in a relationship with someone. I want this to be something long term. I’ll be lying to you if I told you that I’m ready for marriage. Marriage is the goal one day though. I’ve been around marriage. I know what it looks like. My parents didn’t get it right the first time, but they eventually got married, and they made it work, and that was something good for my brother, and I to witness. I have men in my life that I’m close with that are married, so just from watching them, I feel like when that day ever comes, I’ll make a good husband. I just know it won’t be too soon,” I gave my honest answer.
I knew that Riot wouldn’t feel any kind of way about me saying this because her ass just told me the other day that she didn’t want to be a wife any time soon. She said that she felt like if she became my wife, that I was going to make her sit down from the drug game, and she wasn’t ready for that.
“I like that answer. I know your only twenty- five, right? I don’t expect you to sit here and tell me that you had plans on asking for my nieces hand in marriage tomorrow, so thank you for keeping it real with me,” Rasheeda said.
“Twenty-five is not that young to not want to get married. Me, and your daddy got married when we were both seventeen years old,” Riot’s grandmother turned around from the stove, so that she could get into the conversation too.
“Times were different back then ma,” Riot’s mama jumped in.
I felt movement going on behind me, and that’s when I turned to see what was going on. It was Riot’s grandfather that had stood up from the couch. He was a smooth, handsome old man. That tan linen suit that he was rocking was nice on him.
He walked into the area where all of us were, and out of everyone that he could have gone to, he went for Riot first, standing behind her, and he kissed her on her forehead. You could see the way that she lit up when he did that because she quickly stood up from the chair, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“What’s up young man? How you doing?” he asked, sticking his hand out for me to shake.
“I’m doing alright. How you doing?” I asked, firmly shaking his hand while looking him in his eyes.
“I don’t know yet. What’s this I’m hearing about my grandbaby having a boyfriend? I don’t know how I feel about that,” he said, and I laughed.
He didn’t even have to tell me that he didn’t play that shit when it came to Riot. I saw it in his eyes. I heard it in his tone. Because Riot still had her arms wrapped around his waist, it caused his shirt to rise a little bit on the side, so you could see the Glock that he had resting there. I just knew that that Glock wasn’t there for decoration either. He’ll probably air that shit out when it came to Riot, or any of the women that were in his life.
“You should feel good about it. Your grandbaby in good hands with me. Bae, tell your pop-pop your happy with me,” I said, putting the smoke on her, needing her ass to back me just a little bit for the first time since I’ve been here.
I could handle the ladies. Her grandaddy was the one that I needed to be worried about.
“Pop-pop, I’m good. I’m happy. He makes me so happy. If he ever gets out of line, I’m going to call you so you can get him for me, okay?” she asked him.
This man looked at her, and he smiled, flashing the deep dimples that he had, and that smile told me everything that I needed to know. He would go to hell and back for Riot.
I was glad that she had that though, you know? She missed out on having a father because he was killed when she was just two. Then, she lost her brother. Those were the two men in her life that were obligated to love her and protect her. It made me smile knowing that she had her pop-pop that was still here for her, and she still got the chance to be a daddy’s girl, even if it had to come from her granddaddy.
“We going to talk,” her granddaddy told me, and I was cool with that.
The rest of the evening was smooth. I remember Riot telling me that her mom, aunties, and grandparents could cook, and all I had to say was that she wasn’t lying when she told me that because this food was so good that I fucked around and got seconds. Most people would have probably tried to be modest, and not eat as much, especially since this was my first time around most of her family, but I didn’t give a damn.
I ate like I’ve been a part of the family for a long time. After we ate, I had that alone time with Riot’s grandparents. Both of them wanted to have those side conversations with me. Really just wanting to know what my intentions were with Riot, and telling me the importance of keeping her happy, and safe. Her granddaddy was a little firmer than her grandmother, but it was cool, and I didn’t take anything the wrong way that he said to me.
I met the rest of her cousins, and her best friend Demi that she was even telling me about. Amir was a cool lil dude too. I vibed with him for a little bit. I never really get baby fever, but when I saw Demi’s daughter Daylani, and how cute she was, I got this feeling that I never got before, where for just one second I started picturing what life would be like if I had a daughter of my own.
I noticed that the kids loved Riot. Even during dinner, it was Riot that Daylani wanted to hold and feed her. She was goodwith the kids. Soft with them. Nurturing, showing off that soft side that I feel like I only see.
All her aunties, the kids, and her grandparents were inside the house, so I decided to go outside with Riot, Demi and her cousins. My talk was over with her grandparents, so I could go out back, and see what the vibes were out here.
The second I pulled the patio door back, and I was in Keyshawn’s backyard, I swear this shit just felt like a home. I remember when Riot came to my spot for the first time, and although she complimented it, telling me how nice it was, one of the things that stood out to me was her saying that it didn’t feel like home. Coming out here, seeing these beautiful palm trees, the nice garden, the lake view, and just the outdoor setup that she had going on, this was that home feeling that I’m sure Riot was telling me about.
The vibes were good out here. I could hear the music playing from the portable speaker that they had over there with them. Riot was sitting under the gazebo area, that had patio seating. She was sitting on one of the single chairs, with her back facing me, so she didn’t see when I was walking up. They had multiple hookah’s on the table, music playing, red cups, and a bottle.
I walked up behind Riot, put my hands up under her arms, and I lifted her, picking her up from the couch backwards, and like her best friend, and her cousins weren’t out here, I turned her around in my arms, so that she could wrap her legs around my waist. I thought that she was going to bitch about what I did because she acted like she hated showing me affection in front of people, but she didn’t. She was cool. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and she smiled at me.
“You leaving? I told you that I would leave with you. My bag is in Ari’s car,” she said, looking at me like she would be disappointed if I left without her.
“I’m not leaving bae. I came out here to see what ya’ll had going on,” I replied, and then I kissed her on her lips.
