“Hey, Mama. You got it smelling good as hell up in here. Is that some fried cabbage I smell?”
“You know it. The cornbread is almost done, and we’ll be ready to eat. Come on. Your father and sister are in the kitchen.”
Mahari trailed behind his mother, observing the old pictures of him and Mahaley on the walls. He found it funny how his parents had kept every picture of them and still had their school pictures hanging on the walls.
About a year or two after Mahari started seeing some real money, he had offered to buy his parents a new house. They declined, explaining they didn’t need anything extravagant. Thehome they’d created over the years was more than enough for them, so Mahari paid it off for them instead. It freed up a lot for his father, which helped him retire early. Mason always said he’d pay Mahari back, but Mahari assured him that he was the one needing to pay his parents back for all they’d done for him.
“If it isn’t May May!” Mahaley teased. She walked over to Mahari with her arms out. He dodged her love, and they ran around the kitchen table until Mahari let Mahaley catch him.
“What I tell y’all about playing in my kitchen?” Jaxen fussed with one hand on her hip.
“Sorry,” Mahari and Mahaley said in unison.
Mason leaned back in his seat and chuckled. “She’ll never stop fussing about that. What you been up to today, Son?”
Pulling a chair out, Mahari sat down with his hands clasped together on the table. He glanced around at his family, trying to find a way to break the news to them.
Since he and Aspen had the conversation about the twins possibly being his, it’d been weighing heavily on him. It was constantly on his mind, and he was positive it would be that way until he found out the truth. From the way Aspen had been a little distant, he could sense it was the same for her.
“What’s on your mind?” Mason questioned with a raised brow. “You got that look on your face like you need to talk about something.”
“I do,” Mahari admitted, sliding his hands down his face. “I just don’t know how to say it.”
Jaxen took the cornbread out of the oven and walked over to the table. “This sounds serious, Mahari. Do I need to fix our plates first?”
“Please.”
The family held hands while Mason said a quick prayer over the food. Mahari piled his plate, making a mental note to fix one for Aspen to take to her when he left. She wasn’t feeling the best,so he needed to go check on her. Before he dug into his plate, he sent her a text to let her know he was thinking about her and would be by soon.
Mahaley was the last one to sit down, and all eyes were on Mahari. He scarfed down a few bites of food, washed it down with some water, and gave them his undivided attention.
“Dad, remember when you asked me if there was anything going on between me and Aspen on my birthday?” Mahari started.
“Yeah.”
A sharp gasp filled Mahaley’s lungs. “There is, isn’t there?”
“Now? Yes. It wasn’t when Dad asked, but there is now.”
Jaxen snickered. “Oh, Son. We could see that coming from a mile away. I’m honestly shocked it didn’t happen before now.”
“I am too,” Mason cosigned. “I’ve peeped the way you two have looked at one another all these years. It’s been brewing for the longest. You do know this is going to get messy, right?”
“Messier than what y’all think,” Mahari muttered.
Mahaley set her fork down and scowled. “What’s that supposed to . . . Oh, shit.”
“Watch your mouth, girl,” Jaxen chastised. “What are you saying, Mahari?”
Mahari didn’t answer right away. He stared at Mahaley who had put two and two together that quick. It wasn’t until Mason cleared his throat did Mahari look away.
Mason demanded, “Spit it out.”
“Let me just say there’s a possibility y’all will be grandparents.”
It took a few seconds for Mahari’s words to sink in, but when they did, Mason and Jaxen glared at him. If Mahari could shrink into the floor, he would have. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been lectured by his parents, but it was coming, so he started back eating.
“Mahari Grayson Creed.” Jaxen was the first to speak.
