I took the scenic route to Grandma Lettie’s just so I could shake off any remnants of an attitude I now had thanks to Mehki. I knew she wouldn’t let me in her house with no bad energy, and I didn’t want to be the center of any questions today. I just wanted to let my hair down, have a few drinks, and eat until I had to roll my pants down to digest all of the food I planned to consume. The music could be heard as I turned onto Grandma Lettie’s street and drove down to her house.
The block was already lined with familiar cars, and I could already smell the charcoal, jerk chicken, and barbeque as it filled the air. I couldn’t get out of my car fast enough to get inside. I double parked in front of Jay’s car, and as soon as I closed my door, the kids in the front yard bum rushed me.
“Key!”
“Key!
“Aunty Key!”
“Heyyy, y’all,” I greeted, trying my best to hug everyone that latched onto me.
“Come get these Icees.” Jay said from the door where he had Baby Jay strapped to him, eating an Icee of his own.
“Hey, big man.” I pulled him into a hug.
“Keka!” He jumped up and down.
“Wassup, Key?” Jay spoke.
“Hey. Where you get this from?” I asked, pointing to the apparatus that wrapped around him and Baby Jay.
“His ABA teacher ordered it for me. This shit cool. It gives him room to move but stay close at the same time.”
I nodded, agreeing that it looked easy to function with. “Everybody inside?”
“Yep,” he replied, focusing on Icee distribution.
“Okay. Let me know when it’s my turn,” I said, referring to looking after Baby Jay.
“Good lookin’ out,” he replied with a nod.
I hit his shoulder and proceeded inside the house. In the kitchen, there was an assembly line, just like my mother said over the phone. Only now, it looked like most of the cooking was done, and they were just preparing everything to go outside.
“Heyyy, Key.” A few of my aunts and cousins spoke, and I went around giving hugs and kisses.
“Wassup, y’all? Y’all need…”
“Nothing.” I turned to see Grandma Lettie standing in the entryway in a pair of joggers and a shirt that said Fuck Around and Find Out. “They don’t need nothing. Go sit down and enjoy.”
“Alright, Grandma.” I walked over and hugged her around her neck and made my way out to the backyard.
The place looked like someone was throwing a family reunion instead of a cookout. There were white cabanas set up, long tables with food waiting to be uncovered, and a whole dessert table. They even had a steel drum set up for the real jerk chicken. The bar had to be the star of the show though. I could tell it was fully stocked with nothing but the good shit.
“She pulled it off without you,” Amil said, walking up next to me. “G did a hell of a job.”
“She did.” I had to admit I was impressed.
“Aunty Key!” EJ ran up to me with a Super Soaker.
“Wait,” I put my hands up on instinct, “don’t wet me, EJ.”
He looked at Amil, then at the gun, then back to me.
“To the water area please, EJ,” Thyri spoke sweetly, appearing out of nowhere.
“Okay, Mommy.” Turning, he ran back the way he came.
“Hey, boo,” she spoke, hugging me.
