Page 46 of Always There Bayou
“You know it, Nanny,” I laugh. “I may be getting up there in age, but I can still hold my own.”
“Up there in age, my ass,” she mumbles, and I laugh harder. “You still a child, baby.”
“Nanny, I’ll be 35 this year,” I say, and she scoffs playfully.
“And I still got 45 years on you, love. So, yes, you are still a child.”
“You’re right. My bad,” I smile.
“Anyway, what brings you over here? You must be here with my Denny,” she smiles lovingly, and I nod.
“Yeah, it’s that time of the month, and you know how rough it gets,” I reply. She nods, an empathetic expression on her face. “They were tired of being cooped up inside the apartment, so I brought them over here. Auntie agreed to make her famous gumbo.”
“You’re always taking such good care of them. Thank you so much, love.”
“You know it’s nothing,” I shrug. “So, you here alone, or did Grumpy come too?”
“Don’t be talking bout me like I’m deaf or something, na,” I hear a deep voice say, and a smirk graces my lips. I turned to lay eyes on one of my favorite guys in the world. “I knew I heard a sapsucker moving its beak. Come on over and give your Parrain some love.”
“You always on ten, old man,” I chuckle, but walk over to wrap my arms around him. I pull back and am instantly warmed by a smile reserved only for his grandkids. It filled my heart with joy to know that he considered me one of them as well. “How you been, Parrain?”
“Well, that ole Arthur is acting up again,” he sighs, referring to the chronic arthritis in his knee. He steadied himself on his cane. “But I’m getting around. What you doing on this side of town? You must be here with Den.”
“You know me so well.”
“Mmhm, so, are y’all dating yet, or are y’all still acting like y’all aren’t in love with each other?”
“How…”
“I keep telling you, Coraline,” Lilah interjects after walking over to where we are. She drapes her arm over my shoulder and looks up at mewith a devious smile. “Everyone and they mama could see that shit.Youwere the only one who was oblivious. Dumb ass…”
“Lilah, stop playing with me, girl.” I roll my eyes, using my hand to mush her face away from me. She giggles and skips over to the fridge. I turn my attention back to the others with a smile. “Yeah, we’re dating now. Honestly, I love them.”
They both smile widely like they’ve just been gifted with the best news in the world before pulling me in for another round of hugs. My mind, body, and soul were at peace as I was surrounded by their warmth. It reminded me that even though I didn’t have grandparents of my own, they’d always been around to fill that void. It felt so damn good.
After a while of catching up, Denny came down, and they were welcomed with hugs and kisses before we all settled down to devour Auntie’s delicious gumbo. I think I got through about two and a half bowls before I called it quits. One of the ways to my heart would always be a good meal made with love.
I was a sucker for home-cooked meals.
After everyone had gotten their fill, we moved the gathering over to the den, where we decided to relax and watch a movie together. Denny and I claimed one side of the large U-shaped sectional and got comfortable as Lilah picked out a movie we’d all enjoy.
Halfway through, Unc got up to let in the plumbers who were coming to fix the toilet in the bathroom located in the back hallway. I didn’t pay any attention as he greeted them and escorted them back, but maybe I should have. If I’d paid attention, I could’ve avoided running into a man I never wanted to see again – Trevor, my mom’s ex-boyfriend.
The same boyfriend who put his hands on me when I was eleven, shoving me into a glass table and causing a lifetime of scarring and back pain.
The same boyfriend who hated any mention of my mom getting help.
The same boyfriend who kicked me out of their apartment a few days before my mom passed.
As I looked up at him, I could feel my entire body heating up. My fists clenched, and it took the strength of all the gods in the universe to stop me from knocking that sickening smirk off his face. He looked almost amused to see me standing there, practically steaming. He crossed his arms over his chest in a lackadaisical manner, as if he wasn’t fazed one bit by the hatred rolling off me in waves.
“What the FUCK are you doing here?” I snap.
“My job,” he shrugs. “What areyoudoing here?”
“This is my partner’s family’s house,” I reply, and his eyebrow raises in amusement.
“Partner, huh? Yeah, that makes sense,” he snorts, his amusement quickly turning into disgust. It made my stomach turn. “I should’ve known you were gonna turn out to be a little gay ass bi-”
