Taryn breezed in with Zion, talking a mile a minute about how she hadzero intentionof singing, but she’d probably do it anyway if the liquor was right. Tre brought enough beer to drown an army. “I swear, if y’all make me sing Chris Brown again, we fighting.”
I was halfway unpacking food when I heard her voice.
“Hey.” I turned, and there Alyssa was, Micah at her side, carrying a giant bottle of ginger ale and a smile.
I took it from him and clapped his shoulder. “Thanks, little man. Zhaire is down the hall.”
He nodded, then ran off. I turned back to Alyssa, and for a moment neither of us said anything.
“I was starting to forget what you looked like,” she joked.
I nodded and smiled. “Yeah. It’s been a long week.”
It had been the longest week I could remember, and from the way she was looking at me, it had been for her too. I wasn’t going to be sure until she told me, and she wasn’t going to tell me with my family feet away.
Simone’s voice broke the moment. “Come on, y’all! Warm-up round. Julian, you’re hosting, so you go first!”
“No,” I replied simply.
They booed, loudly and dramatically, while Taryn was already flipping through karaoke songs.
The whole house pulsed with life, laughter, food, kids shrieking, old R&B playing low until the mics took over.
The night got louder in waves, the way karaoke always did. Simone kicked things off with some Ari Lennox, owning every note. Taryn tried to claim she wouldn’t sing but ended up on a Janelle Monáe medley, so off-key the room was in tears laughing.
Tre, Raschad, and Zion all followed, while I stayed back, watching, enjoying the sight of my family enjoying themselves.
Every once in a while I’d catch Alyssa’s eyes, soft across the room, and we’d smile at each other.
When everybody was full on dumplings and sweet-and-sour chicken, Simone clapped her hands like a ringmaster.
“Alright,” she shouted. “Next round. Alyssa, you’re up!”
Alyssa looked startled. “No, no, I’m good!”
Taryn was already shaking her head, waving a hand. “Uh-uh. You in the Wade circle now, sis, that means you sing.”
I watched from my corner, arms folded, heart beating too fast for something so simple. Alyssa rubbed her lips together, then ran her palms down her thighs. She met my eyes then stepped forward, picked up the mic, took a deep breath.
“You got this,” I found myself saying.
She pulled up her song and when the opening notes dropped, the whole room went silent.
India.Arie.Ready for Love.
Taryn blinked, likegirl, you going there?Alyssa closed her eyes, shoulders square, and let it pour out of her.
Her voice wassoft and airy with a slight raspiness to it. She opened her eyes halfway through the first verse, and the moment she found me across the room, everything in me lit up. Like volts of electricity dancing around in my body.
Her voice cut through the house. Even Tre put his hand to his chest, breathing out a “Damn.” Simone was dabbing at tears with a napkin. Taryn was fanning her face, shaking her head. Zion and Raschad just stared, wide-eyed, completely silent.
But Alyssa stayed looking at me, like I was the only one in the room. I stood there, completely still, letting every word sink into places I’d never known were raw. We held each other’s gazes through almost every line, and all I could think, over and over, washow badly I wanted everybody else to get the hell up and out of my house.Immediately.
Ineededher.
The song ended, but nobody moved. It was like we’d all been put under a spell. Alyssa set the mic down, breathing a little shaky, her eyes still never leaving mine. I was rooted to the floor, heart hammering, trying to keep it together.
Simone wiped her eyes, sniffling hard. “Whew, uh…okay.”
