Page 65 of Matteo

“Oh, okay,” I remarked. “I’m gonna go say hi.”

They nodded and everyone began to shuffle around, getting to the tasks that my mother had set for us.

The spring air seemed to calm me the second I stepped outside, and relief flooded me. The girls were on the trampolinebouncing away. For a moment, I watched them. They had no idea that a fucking predator was mere inches from them.

You should tell T.J.,I thought but shame washed over me.

If I’d told all those years ago…

Taking a deep breath, I walked down the newly rebuilt steps of the back deck.

“Hey girls!” I called.

“Auntie Rain!” Anna called.

“Hey Auntie Rain, where’s Auntie Nora?” Alice asked.

I studied their hair and noticed Dione had pulled both girl’s tresses into afro puffs and it looked dry.

“Auntie Nora is inside,” I smiled as both leaned over to hug me. "You girls having fun?”

“Yes, Pop Pop and Grammy got us this cool trampoline…wanna get on this with us?” Anna smiled sweetly.

“No thanks, I’d break this thing, I’m too big,” I grinned teasingly.

“Auntie Rainnnnn” Alice exaggerated my name.

Behind me, I heard the door open, and my mother called us in for the food. “Hey y’all, Pop Pop is about to say the prayer. Come on!”

The girls scrambled off the trampoline and I slowly walked in behind them and joined my sister and Mason on the other side of the dining area. Before my father could start the prayer, my mother stopped him.

“Before we start, you all know that Pastor Justin is a guest. I know you’ve all briefly met but Pastor,” my mother smiled. “Would you mind blessing this food.”

Glancing at my father, I saw him take a deep breath as the Pastor offered a smile. He looked around the room and his eyes finally landed on me. “If everyone would bow their heads…”

As we sat down to finally eat, I felt more secure with my grandmother beside me on the left and Nora to my right. Mostly, I picked at my food until my grandmother touched my hand.

“Is something wrong?” she leaned over and whispered.

I shook my head softly. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” she patted my hand again.

“What?” I whispered back thinking she was about to say I smelled or something off the wall.

“That man has not taken his eyes off you all night,” she offered me a gentle smile.

“Yeah, well…”

She patted my hand again. “I don’t like him.”

“He knows mom,” I shrugged.

“Mmmmhmmm,” she sighed glancing in my parents direction.

Leaning over, I taped Mason behind Nora’s back. “Please tell me you have a cigarette?”

Nora shook her head. “He’s supposed to be quitting.”

---