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She pulled away from me and grabbed my hands. “I have an appointment at eleven.”
“I’m aware. After that, I want us to go to lunch and enjoy the rest of the day together. What does your schedule look like tomorrow?”
She smiled slightly. “I don’t work on Fridays. I’ve barely been working at all.”
“Well, maybe we can spend the day together tomorrow until I have to leave. My flight leaves out at eight tomorrow night.”
“I would love that. We have so much to learn about each other.”
I smiled then turned toward Keondra. She was sitting on the couch, smiling at us. “I’ll spend time with my sister while the two of you get acquainted.”
“Baby, you can hang with us,” I said as she shook her head.
“Not this trip. I can spend time with you in H-Tine,” she said, copying off Jungle and me.
I chuckled. “A’ight.”
Turning back to my mama, I pulled her in my arms again. I thought this would feel weird. It felt natural. “Keondra, thank you. Because of you, this doesn’t feel weird. You helped bring out my sensitive and emotional side, preparing me for this moment. Had it not been for you, this wouldn’t even be a moment, even if I had somehow found her on my own. You helped me see the beauty life had to offer. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
She stood from her seat, and my mama released me, allowing Kee to hug me. She tilted her head back and puckered her lips. I gladly kissed her, and she left the room, leaving my mom and me a chance to get a little more acquainted.
“Do you have any other kids?”
She smiled slightly. “Yeah. I have another son and a daughter. I got married five years after I moved here. Daniel is thirty-two, and Giselle is thirty.”
“Do they know about me?”
She shook her head then she lowered it. I could imagine her embarrassment about leaving me behind. “My husband would have insisted that we go to Houston and get you. I couldn’t have him putting his life on the line. Joshua would have killed him. One thing I did know was that Joshua loved you and that he would take care of you to the best of his abilities.”
I nodded. “Missus Elaine helped out a lot. I looked at her as my mom until she died when I was six or so.”
“She was a nice lady. I didn’t know she died.”
“Yeah, while giving birth to Fawn… the princess of the Patterson organization.”
“Are you… umm…”
I could see she was struggling with what she wanted to ask me, and I already knew what that question was. “Jungle dismantled all that shit over two years ago. I’m not in the game no more. I’ve been traveling a lot, seeing the world, and chilling with my boy. He’s running around Houston like Rich Uncle Pennybags, buying shit up.”
She chuckled. I was pretty sure she knew I was talking about the mascot of the board game, Monopoly. “So you’re a fan of my favorite boardgame?” she asked.
“Naw. I just know what his name is,” I said then chuckled. “I’m a hustler. I don’t have patience for games like Monopoly. I’m more of a Connect Four type of nigga. Something quick.”
She laughed so hard, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. Once we’d calmed down, she said, “I would love to cook dinner for you and Keondra tonight so you can meet your family. I can tell you want her to be with us, and that’s okay. This is so new for us. While I have dreamed of this moment, I know it might be a little overwhelming for you.”
“Well, you gon’ have to be the one to invite Keondra, or she’s gonna think this was all my idea.”
She chuckled. “Okay.”
She grabbed my hand, leading me out front to where Kee was. The receptionist frowned slightly. Keondra stood from her seat, and my mama informed her of our dinner plans. When Kee tried to protest, my mother said, “We will have alone time at lunch and during the day tomorrow. I want you to be included for dinner, along with my husband, other two kids, and three grandkids.”
“Okay, since the two of you are twisting my arm.”
We laughed at her dramatics. I told my mom that I would meet her here in an hour since her appointment would be here in the next thirty minutes. She still had notes to look over. I hugged her, and Kee and I left.
“Oh, fuck! Yes, Joel! Shit!”
So much for taking things slow. My plan was to see Keondra off to Yunique’s house, then make my way back to my mom’s office. She insisted on coming back to my hotel room to wait for me to get back. We’d kissed before I left, and I’d groped her a little. When I got back, she practically attacked my ass. The minute I walked in the door, she started taking off her clothes. There was no way I could turn her down after that.
