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I responded without turning around, “She was heartbroken over what you did, but now she is fine.”
“What do you think?” Roc asked after settling in the car.
“I believe him,” I responded.
“I do too, but I wish I didn’t,” Roc said.
Samuel
Family and friends were mingling throughout the main level of my mother’s house. I’d volunteered my house, but Mom wanted it at hers since she was doing it for me. I didn’t argue. I’d learned years ago to leave the party planning to her.
The DJ played a mixture of old school and new school songs while everyone danced, drank and ate. There were games of spades, bid whist, checkers and dominos being played. It reminded me of the graduation party that my mother threw after I finished college. Except this time, I wasn’t trying to bag one of the girls by the end of the night. I’d already found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Averie was currently fluttering around being a great hostess. I hadn’t seen her sit down yet although she stopped by frequently to check on me.
Ray, Xavier and I sat in the living room where I’d found a chair that was easy for me to get up from. My body was healing well, but I still had some pain in my leg with certain movements. I kept my cane nearby just in case. Plus, I was situated close to the front door, giving me the opportunity to greet everyone soon after they entered the house. The muted sports show on TV was showing all the highlights of the baseball games. The Stars had a record-setting season and had advanced to the second round of the playoffs to the chagrin of a lot of sports analysts. Several analysts said that last year’s success was a fluke. Now a lot the naysayers were jumping on the Stars bandwagon.
I’d video chatted with the team before their last game. I thanked them for all their prayers and support of my family. All the guys on the team wore my initials on their uniforms while I was in the hospital and prayed for me before their games. They sent money and gifts to my family during my entire stay in the hospital. I planned on traveling to see them play as soon as I was cleared by the doctors.
“When do you think you are going to go back into the office?” Xavier asked while finishing his second plate of barbecue.
“Doctor McIntyre said give it about two more weeks then I will be back.”
“We are in a good place at the firm, so no need to rush it but I know you are anxious to get back.”
“I am. If I rush things the women in my life are going to try to kill me, so, I’m going to chill until it’s time. When I get back though, I will need to have meetings with all the department heads.”
“I’ve already let them know those meetings were going to happen,” Xavier confidently responded.
“Good, Gretchen can start setting those meetings up now. I’m going to want to see detailed reports over the last month and projections for the future.”
“I will send Gretchen an email on Monday. If I mention that to her while we are here, she is going to punch me,” Ray laughed.
“Yeah, let her enjoy herself.”
Gretchen and her husband had arrived shortly after the party began. Bob, her husband, cooked some of the meat and brought it over. He thought he was a master griller ever since he won a local competition. His grilled meat was delicious, though. He and Gretchen were currently running the spades table as partners. We all thought that they had cheat signals, but we couldn’t prove it. They obliterated anyone that sat down at the table with them.
Roc walked over and sat on the couch next to Xavier.
“Aye man, Momma V is trying to work a nigga to death. I need a break!” he chuckled.
He popped the top on the beer he held in his hand and took a long gulp.
“I have moved tables, lifted pans of food, brought out more chairs, re-lit the grill and re-arranged cars. I ain’t worked this hard since I was a corner boy.”
“Hey, El. Hey Roc,” Keisha and Iesha said in unison.
“We haven’t seen y’all since the last time your mother threw a party for you El,” Keisha the more vocal of the two said.
“What’s up twins. It’s been a very long time,” Roc responded.
The night of my graduation party the twins and their friend invited Roc and I over to their house for a private celebration. Things got pretty wild that night. The twins were down for everything. They were my first experience with more than one woman.
“Yes, since the night after the party,” Iesha said.
“We down for reliving that night if y’all are down,” Keisha winked her eye.
“Incoming,” Xavier said while clearing his throat.
I looked up and saw Coco walking in our direction. She was stopped by my mother who told her something, changing her path.
