Page 37 of Make Me Forget

“See, you always thought you were better than me. You one ungrateful, bougie ass bitch.”

Before I could restrain myself, I punched her right across her face, knocking her to the floor. “A bitch is what you are. I have one misdemeanor, and it won’t mean shit to me to get another. Stay the fuck away from me.”

She stood and balled her fists up like she wanted some smoke, but Aunt Tiff hooked her around her neck. “Come on, bitch. Yo’ time is up.”

She dragged her ass right out of here as she screamed out obscenities.

“Damn! You definitely gotta be our cousin now! Shit!” Noni said.

“Hell yeah, sis. I was stunned,” Bali said.

Kendrall pulled me in his arms and held me close for a minute. I verbalized against his chest my disdain for the whole situation. “Why she wanna fuck with me? Like, what she get out of that shit?”

“I don’t even know, baby.”

I pulled away from him and took a deep breath. Karima approached us and said, “She’s jealous of how you turned out. I’m willing to bet she thought you would be just as miserable as she is.”

I slowly shook my head as I noticed Jacob coming back inside. I didn’t even realize he’d walked out with their aunt and uncles. “You know who you fucking related to?” he asked. “Well, let me rephrase. Do you know who yo’ mama cousin is?”

I shook my head. “No. Who?”

“That bitch that’s been fucking with me and her mama that was in the courtroom after you Friday. The whole fucking family need to be wiped the fuck out.”

So my biological mother was connected to the Hendersons in two ways. Neither of those ways were pleasant ones. What the fuck? I sat back at the table and brought my hands to my forehead. I was so fucking embarrassed. I felt an arm slide around my shoulders. “Don’t worry about that shit, boo. Shit like that happens around here all the time. People always hate what they don’t understand.”

I looked up to see Milana rubbing my back. I nodded and began playing over my food while Kendrall sat next to me, gently rubbing my thigh. My food was cold. “You want me to get you a box?”

“I’ll get it. I need to apologize to your aunts. What’s Jacob’s mother’s name again?”

“Aunt Jen.”

“Okay.”

I was really good with names since I was a teacher. I remembered most of their names, but there were so many of them it was damn near impossible to remember all of them after only one meeting. I remembered most of the aunts and uncles from when I was a kid, but Aunt Jen’s name had gotten by me since I only first met her and Aunt Chrissy at the celebration.

When I got to the counter, Aunt Chrissy smiled at me. “You okay, baby?”

“I’m so sorry for what happened in your place of business. I should have asked her if we could talk outside.”

“Baby, Storm is our brother. You’re fine,” Aunt Jen said when she walked toward us.

I chuckled a bit. “Can I get a box? The food was so good. I can already tell I’m going to gain weight living in Nome.”

“As much as KJ works out at Kenny’s house in that gym, you’ll be fine. He’ll drag you there with him.”

I laughed again as she got a box from the counter behind her. “Here you go, baby.”

I took it from her and thanked her. When I turned around, I almost ran into a man. When I looked up, I saw Uncle WJ. My face heated up as he said, “What’s up, sis?”

I fell into his open arms. It wasn’t that I didn’t love the family I had, but to be able to connect with someone who shared my blood was overwhelming, especially someone as put together as he was. When I pulled away, I smiled at him. He was old enough to be my father. What in the fuck was Shayla thinking, sleeping with a man as old as King? That man was in his eighties when he died. My mama was in her fifties. He was a good thirty years older than her.

“What you say we get this sister brother thing popping? My wife is gonna cook dinner, and I would love for you and KJ to come over.”

“I would love to. I always wanted an older sibling. I never knew I had one. Impossible dreams aren’t so impossible now. Thank you.”

“Welcome to the family.”

He pulled me close to him and kissed my forehead. “I have a daughter older than you. I’m gonna invite her and my other two daughters to come tonight to meet you as well.”

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