Page 151 of Clean Slade
“Oh, don’t worry. I love it,” King reassured him.
Why was everyone acting as if this was normal? Where had they come from? And why?
“Will someone tell me what’s happening?” I asked, feeling exasperated by the lack of answers.
“Your family is paying you a visit,” King said. “What does it look like?”
“You’re smart cookie too. Double catch,” Mom said, and King blushed.
“I like you,” he told her.
“Sorry to spring up on you like this, but we missed you,” Rhett said. “So since you wouldn’t come to us, we came to you.”
“We? I hope you don’t mean you brought everyone?” I looked from him to Mom.
“Well, no, but they miss you too,” Mom said.
“Who’s we?” Mac asked.
“My brothers.”
Mac looked at me and then at Rhett and frowned.
“How many brothers do you have?”
“A whole football team. But they were busy with school and work and stuff, so it’s just us. For now, anyway,” Rhett answered her.
“Wow. I can’t wait to meet them all.”
“They can’t wait to meet you either,” Mom said. “We can call them later. But now, who’s hungry? I’ve got a mountain of Jamaican food for lunch. Jerk chicken anyone?”
Mac’s eyes brightened, and she raised her hand.
“I’ve never had Jamaican food.”
“Don’t worry, honey. You’re about to have a life-altering experience.” Mom pinched Mac’s cheek and grabbed the bags from the table.
“Can I help?” Mac asked her.
“Of course!”
Mac jumped off and followed Mom to the kitchen counter.
“Rhett, do you want to help too?” Mac turned to ask. “You can make the sweet tea. I’ll show you how.”
“Duty calls, I guess.” Rhett winked at me and joined the rest of them.
King glanced at me, and his smile deepened.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” I whispered.
He closed the distance between us and took hold of my hands.
“I’m not entirely sure, but I think—I think—we’re becoming a family?” He grimaced. “I don’t know. You’ve had a normal family for longer. Is this normal?”
I laughed.
“Nothing about us is normal.”
