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“Good.” I give him a curt nod. “Hello, Dad. What game are you watching?”
“Hey, Son.” Dad stands and gives me a hug. “Nothing good. Watching these damn Lakers beat the Clippers. It’s like the Clippers aren’t even playing, it’s so sad.” He tries to look behind me. “Your mother said you were bringing your girlfriend. Where is she?”
“Ah, you know how Mom is. She grabbed her up and stole her from me as soon as we walked through the door.”
He shakes his head, grinning. “My wife. I should have known.”
“Come on in, guys! Dinner is ready,” Mom yells from the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen, Dad goes to the head of the table and Mom sits at the other end. Astalia is seated close to Mom and across from Alpharette. My and Amiri’s plates sit in front of the empty chairs. I take my seat beside Astalia.
Mom has cooked Christmas dinner with all of the traditional trimmings—turkey, ham, mac and cheese, collard greens, dressing, sweet potato soufflé, corn bread, you name it, and it was there.
Astalia looks as if she’s afraid to eat, so I spoon a scoop of Mom’s mac and cheese and reach it out to her. “You’re going to love Mom’s mac and cheese, taste this.”
When she eats a bite, Alpharette speaks, “Oh, my God. Omega, you’re spoon feeding her. You’re in love!” She looks genuinely shocked.
“So what if I am?” I reply. Watching for Astalia’s reaction, I hope she knows I would never deny the way I feel about her.
“I’m in love with him too,” she speaks up, and her tender smile is enough to make me want to cut this dinner short and get her back to my bed.
“Aw,” Mom says. “I think you’re good for my son.”
“She is, Mom. Astalia has been my holiday blessing. The time we have spent together is priceless.”
“Aw,” Mom says again, “You two are going to make me cry.”
Alpharette rolls her eyes at me. She has never been one to show her affections, which is the reason I don’t understand what’s going on with her and Amiri. He has been awfully quiet since dinner started an hour ago.
“So where do you work, Amiri?” Dad asks as if he’s thinking the same thing I am.
“I’m an operations director at Lexington Enterprises.”
“Oh, so you have a good job?” Mom interjects, then winks at Alpharette.
“Yes, he does have a good job, but I have one too,” Alpharette butts in. She is resistant to almost anything Mom says. While Dad was a military man who wanted both of his children to grow up to be strong and independent, Mom would love it if Alpharette follows in her footsteps as a homemaker. “I didn’t hear anyone drilling Astalia about her job. Why is it that my man is the only one getting drilled? Where do you work, Astalia?” she asks.
“I work in the sports management department at Clark University. I am a project manager.”
“A working woman, huh?” Alpharette glares at Mom and then back to Astalia. “I’m beginning to like you already.”
With that, Dad starts talking about the game with Amiri and me, and the mood lightens. Mom continues to gush over Astalia, while also commending Alpharette on anything from her Christmas sweater to her hair. At about three o’clock, everyone is sitting around in the living room talking. It’s time for Astalia and I to leave so we can make it to her mother’s house in Alabama by six p.m.
“So, did you like meeting my parents?” I ask once we are in the car.
“Your parents are lovely people, but your sister, she is something else—in a good way.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you. They love you just the way you are, you know?” That statement is a reminder for her to stand up for herself once we make it to her mother’s house. I intend to keep my composure, but I do know one thing. I’m not here for anyone disrespecting my lady today.
Chapter 13
Astalia
Souls on Fire
