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“You’ll find out when you bite into it,” Aunt Jen said as she came from the back with another pan of chicken.
I gave her a smirk as I made my way to the table. After setting my food down, I went back to get something to drink. My eyes met Aunt Syn’s, and she smiled then headed my way. She and I had a unique relationship. She was my aunt because she married Uncle Marcus, but she was also my aunt because she was my dad’s adopted sister and the first little girl he molested. I’d known her for my entire life as my aunt.
I was the only family that knew how she got down back in the day. While I didn’t know my dad had been molesting her, I’d witnessed the real her on several occasions. One time she’d shown up at an Alpha party at Lamar and ended up sleeping with my frat brother the same day she met him. I actually walked in on it and was ready to throw hands.
That was when she had to tell me more about herself… things that no one else knew. She didn’t divulge that my father was the one who introduced her to sex, but she’d insinuated that she’d been touched inappropriately as a kid. I was sworn to secrecy so I didn’t dare betray her trust by telling anyone. At that point, she was grown so it didn’t matter. We were close in age, and I considered her like more of a sister than my aunt. She used to insist that I called her aunt when we were little, so she could have a title to boss me around.
I chuckled at the memory. After finding out about my dad, just like I checked on Nesha and had her back when she didn’t realize it, I did the same for Aunt Syn. I knew about her fucking around, so I would always text her when she went somewhere with a man or to someone’s house. She would always respond that she was good and to live my life without worrying about her.
“So how have you been, nephew?” she asked when she got to the table.
“I’ve been okay,” I said as I stood to help her in her seat.
She gave me a soft smile. “Thank you.”
I nodded then reclaimed my seat. When I sat, she asked, “So, are you dating the young lady you were here with last week?”
“No. We’re just cool.”
“Nephew, look at me.”
I looked up at her from my food and could see she was about to say something heavy. Her face was serious, not a hint of a smile in sight. “Don’t be like me. Admit that there is a problem and get help. You were trying to be there for me, and I ran every chance I got, knowing that I could have used someone to talk to, someone who knew the real me. Talk to someone. I don’t mind listening.”
I bit my bottom lip and nodded then continued eating my food. Before she could say anything else, Uncle Storm got cranked up all over again. “They didn’t look like that when they left the house.”
“How did you even get the pictures?” Uncle Jasper asked.
“One of their friend’s parents that I’m friends with on Facebook posted pictures of her daughter and all her friends. I’m gon’ charge her ass up too for posting pictures of my kids without my permission, especially wearing this shit.”
Aunt Syn rolled her eyes playfully while I chuckled. Noni and Bali had fucked up this time. I was sure I would hear those cat five winds howling as soon as they got home from school. Poor Aunt Aspen was gon’ get the business too. Hopefully, she didn’t know about it either. I was almost sure she probably did though. I supposed as an overprotective big cousin, although Bali and Noni got on my last fucking nerve sometimes, I could see a problem with their attire. I didn’t find it appropriate for a school-aged girl either. My experience with that underaged girl didn’t help matters.
He and Uncle Jasper continued going back and forth as I remembered that Yendi had texted me. I pulled my phone from my pocket and messaged her back.Hey, gorgeous. My day has been interesting. I hope yours has been good so far.
I looked up to find Aunt Syn staring at me. I gave her a slight smile and went back to my food. She was wanting me to talk about my issues with Avery Bolton. That shit wasn’t going to happen, especially not here in the diner with all these fools. Thankfully, Uncle Marcus walked in, and Aunt Syn’s attention was totally redirected on her political thug. I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling.
That nigga went from being a fucking stick-up kid to halfway running Nome. He kissed Aunt Syn, then said, “Storm, we’re getting complaints about that game room they’re running out of Nome Drive-In.”
“What are they complaining about? Those people ain’t bothering nobody. People are just haters. I don’t give a shit about no fucking game room. I need to know why these fucking roads ain’t getting fixed and why the county ain’t digging out these ditches. A game room is the least of my worries.”
“What you want me to tell them then?”
“Tell their asses we’ll check into it. Fuck them people.”
Everybody laughed. Uncle Storm had only been mayor for a little over a week, and he was already with the shits. Aunt Jen slowly shook her head as she fixed Mr. Tony’s plate. As we ate, Uncle Ryder walked in with another nigga behind him. He looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure where I knew him from. They went to the counter and ordered food as I shook Uncle Marcus’s hand. Once they placed their orders, he introduced him as his new protégé, Darius Gilbert. He was working in his shop in Baytown, but he was from Nome. That was probably why he looked familiar.
When he made his way to me, he extended his hand. “What’s up, Jakari?”
I frowned slightly as he chuckled. “I went to school with Rylan. I have a twin brother named Jarius. Dana is our mom.”
“Oh shit. What’s up, man?”
“Not much. Just trying to make an honest living.”
“I feel that. How’s your brother?”
“He’s good. Just working.”
“That’s what’s up. Well, you hooked up with the right nigga to elevate your game.”
