REINA
Itook in my surroundings of Vasiah’s childhood home and noted how quiet the block was. Ironically, Nana lived on the East Side of Chicago Heights, and Vasiah was from Beacon Hill, but somehow, we never crossed paths. Vasiah came around to my door and opened it, and I placed my hand in his. My palms started sweating, but there was no turning back now. In all my 31 years, I had never met a man’s family before, let alone adad.These niggas don’t be having dads in the first place. I mean, I don’t either, but this ain’t about me right now.
We walked up the short driveway, then entered through the metal gate. The smell of barbecue permeated throughout the air, and a modest-sized group of people was spread out on the deck. A few small children were playing tag in the backyard, and some teens were off to a corner, with their phones propped up, doing what I assumed were TikTok dances. Frankie Beverly & Maze blared through the speakers, and I instantly thought of my Nana and the concert I took her to a couple of years before she passed. She had me dressed in all white, stepping and singing up a storm along with those old heads.
“Okay. It seems like the majority of everybody is here,” Vasiah cut into my walk down memory lane. “That’s my Uncle Victor and his ex-wife turned girlfriend, Auntie Ronnie. At the spades table is my Auntie Veronica and her kids, Scoob, VJ, and VJ’s wife, and they have all these kids you see running around. The only person I don’t see is…”
“I’m right here, son.”
Our heads turned, and there he was, Mister Varnell Hill. He and Vasiah shared the same complexion, same height, yet my father-in-law was more stocky. His hair was closely cropped to the scalp, and he wore khaki shorts, a white shirt, and those sandals that old heads wore when they were on the grill. I found myself grinning, and Mr. Hill grinned too. I’m sure we looked like fools just cheesing at each other, but I was so nervous that I didn’t know what to say.
“Pop! This is –”
“I know who she is, boy.” He sauntered closer and grabbed my hand, shaking it. “And she is beautiful. I’m glad you stopped acting scary and locked her down.” We both chortled, and Vasiah playfully groaned.
“Thank you, Mister Hill,” I cooed. He waved his hand dismissively.
“None of that formal stuff, baby girl. Call me Varnell. Or Pop… whatever suits you,” he winked.
“AYE, NEPHEW! I SEE YOU!” His Uncle Victor yelled out, holding up a Bud Light in the air and cheersing in our direction. I grinned even more. Me and Vasiahhadto get married now; his family basically said they love me.
“Welcome to my home. Vasiah, go see if she wants a drink. Yo auntie spiked the punch, and I’m feeling nice. I wanna talk to her,” he ordered Vasiah.
“Pop, don’t be trying to steal my girl now.”
“Boy, if I were about twenty years younger, you would def have some competition!” he retorted, and we all fell out laughing again. I liked him already, and my nerves were dissipating as the minutes went by. He led me to the spades table, where I greeted his auntie and cousins.
“Can yo pretty self even play?” his auntie asked, eyeing me up and down with curiosity.
“Oh, honey… I’m the spades champ,” I replied and then proceeded to whoop them three times in a row. Vasiah eventually came over and handed me the spiked punch and let me sip from it while his dad and I talked shit.
“Alright, lil mama! I’m not gon’ underestimate you again,” his auntie groaned, pushing away from the table. “Lil Varnell, you make sure you keep her. Keep a woman who knows how to play spades. Means she smart and strategic,” she winked at me and Vasiah. By this time, his dad had leaned back and puffed on a Cuban cigar.
“Miss Reina,” he toked on the cigar and offered it to me. I took a puff, blowing perfect O’s, and handed it back to him. “I’m so happy to meet you in the flesh. You make him smile a lot…and maybe turn his hair grey.”
I beamed. “He makesmesmile. I’m turning your hair grey, babe?”
Vasiah just shyly smiled, then leaned over to kiss my cheek. “Imma go get you a plate before Uncle Victor steals it all.” I watched him bop down the deck and turned back to his father.
“Watchu wanna know about me, Poppa Hill?”
He grinned. “You know, he’s my pride and joy. Always has been. It’s been just me and him since his mama died… We throw this barbecue every year in honor of her birthday…it was my brother Victor’s idea. Anyway, Vasiah is a good man. A lil’ awkward, but I’d like to think that I raised him right. He’s successful, got a good head on his shoulders, and is smarter thananything I’ve ever seen. What I’ve learned throughout my years of being a widower is that you can have everything in the world, but it means nothing if you don’t have anyone to share it with. I’m getting older and just now trying to date again. Now it's hard because I’m an old ass man with patience that’s as thin as the wind, but I don’t want my boy to never experience true love. I have once… and I miss her every day. That being said, I know we don’t know each other well, but something in my gut tells me that you’ll be around for the long haul. I hope I’m right.”
I was floored. I didn’t have a witty comeback or anything, so we just sat in a comfortable silence, passing the Cuban back and forth. I, too, wanted to be around for the long haul; that was for sure. I was also surprised that today was Vasiah’s mom’s birthday. Outside of our initial FaceTime conversations, he didn’t talk about her much, and I made a mental note to check in with him about that. I didn’t talk about my dad much either, but that’s because even while alive, he spent more time with Reign whenever he decided to show his face. My mom didn’t talk about him, and Nana never had anything nice to say whenever I would ask. So now, I wanted to know more about the man who fathered me. I had two phone calls to make this week. My eyes roamed the backyard, searching for Vasiah, and I found him off to the side talking to a petite, sugar cookie colored woman. She had long, black hair in a ponytail, denim shorts that showed off a heart-shaped ass, and a plain white tee with some dirty white Chucks on. I furrowed my brows.
“Who is that?” I nodded my head in their direction. Poppa Hill turned his head and turned back to me, sparking another cigar.
“That ain’t nobody but lil Mykita. She grew up in this neighborhood. She’s had a crush on him forever,” he divulged. My legs had a mind of their own as I quickly stood up. I wasn’t a jealous son of a gun like my brother, but I needed toscope the scenery out. Without another word, I sauntered over to them, and they seemed to be just making small talk. Vasiah’s eyes brightened when he saw me, and he reached for my hand, bringing me closer and dropping an arm around my waist.
“Mykita, this is my lady LaReina,” he announced. I noticed a flicker of hurt flash in her eyes, but kept my face neutral as I extended my hand. She shook it weakly and tried to plaster a fake smile on her face, but I’d already clocked her. She wanted my man, and unfortunately for her, I wasn’t coming up off him.
“LaReina! It's so nice to meet you. We grew up together.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Yeah, I was just telling Siah about the Comic Con event we always go to together. Are you coming? Are you into anime?”
I had never heard of a damn Comic Con, but I didn’t mind going if it was something my man was into.
