Chapter 8
Is It Crazy That I Want Them to Like Her?
Double (Jinx)
I heard the distinctive swish of her slippers against the hardwood flooring before I saw her.
When she stepped into the living room, our eyes met before I broke the gaze to let my eyes sweep over her body.
She was wearing light jeans with modest rips at the knees.
I didn’t give a shit about those rips. I was too focused on the way the material rode her curvy hips and thighs.
On top, she wore a pink and white striped collared blouse with a cropped, pink sweater on top of it.
“You look good, but I don’t know about that sweater, Sweetheart.”
Her face fell. “Does it look like I’m trying too hard?”
“Nah, it looks like you’re gonna be hot.
My mother routinely keeps her heat on hell.
Plus, she’s been cooking for the last few hours.
It’s about to be like standin’ on the sun in that motherfucka.
” I gestured up and down myself. “That’s why I have on this t-shirt.
If I could get away with wearing shorts, I would.
Put on a short-sleeved top. You’ll thank me later. ”
She was hesitant. “Are you sure? I spent over an hour putting this look together. I even video called Lyric. She likes this look.” She was cute as hell when she pouted.
“Yo, call Lyric back and ask her how hot my mom’s crib be. She’ll tell you. She probably forgot.”
“I’ll just deal with the heat.” She gave a sigh. “I’m from a tropical locale. Maybe I’ll feel at home.”
That made me chuckle. “Okay. Let’s ride out.”
“More Black American slang. Let’s ride out. Does that mean, let’s go?”
“Look at you, picking up the language.” I stood from the sofa, walked over to her, and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “You’re about to be bilingual in a minute.”
I watched her slip into fitted, thigh-high, camel-colored boots that hugged her thighs the way I wanted to. Then I helped her into the matching plaid trench coat she’d selected. I didn’t give a damn what anybody said; my wife had style. She could dress her ass off.
We left the house and climbed into my truck. My parents lived about twenty-five minutes away, and we spent the ride in companionable silence. When we pulled into their driveway, I turned to face her.
“You ready?” I asked.
“I’m kind of nervous,” she admitted.
“I wanna tell you not to be, but I know that’s hard. My moms is cool as hell, though. If you’re nervous about how they’re gonna treat you, . . . they’re gonna be cool.”
My mom, Passion Hill-Waters, answered the door for us. I may as well have been invisible because once she spotted Tinsley, it was up.
“Are you her? Are you my new daughter-in-law?” My mother’s volume was way louder than it needed to be as she pulled Tinsley into an impromptu hug.
“I am,” Tinsley admitted as Passion led us into the house. She stopped right inside the foyer and looked Tinsley up and down.
“You are gorgeous. Your aunt was as wrong as two left shoes to try to sell you to that creepy, old man, but I can’t pretend like I don’t see why she tried it.
Come on, beautiful.” She grabbed Tinsley’s free hand, the one I wasn’t holding, and started walking.
“Of course, I’m Double’s mother. You can call me Passion if you’re comfortable with that.
I’m from a different generation, so I was never comfortable calling my elders by their first names. ”
“Is it all right if I call you Mama Passion?”
My mother gave her the brightest smile. “It is. Now, let me introduce you to your father-in-law and your sister-in-law. I’ve heard your story.
I know that the way you came to be here was unconventional and not what you would’ve chosen for yourself.
But let me assure you, you are with family now.
We’re ready to welcome you, get to know you, and love on you. ”
In that moment, I loved my mother one hundred times more than I already did.
We stopped walking when we made it to the family room.
My father was in his recliner. Justus and the girl he messed around with most frequently were on the sofa.
Her name was Sharla, but since she claimed to originally be from California, she liked to be called Compton.
“Sis-in-law.” Justus stood from the sofa, crossed the room, and caught Tinsley up in a side hug. “You good? The Chi treatin’ you all right? This nigga makin’ sure you’re comfortable over there at Casa de Double?”
“I’m good. And yes, he is.”
“Since you’ve never been formally introduced, this is Justus. We call him Just,” I told her. “And since he’s too rude to introduce her, that’s his—”
“Friend,” he cut me off. He turned Tinsley toward the sofa so that she and Compton were facing one another. “This is my homegirl, Compton.”
“Hi.” Compton all but turned her nose up at Tinsley as her eyes slow dragged over my girl. “Where’s ya ring? If y’all are married, and J is claiming you as a sister-in-law, where’s ya ring?”
“Sharla . . .” my mother began. Passion didn’t play about disrespect.
“It’s cool, Ma,” I said easily. I turned to my brother. “Get yo’ girl.”
He nodded, his face morphing into a frown that he aimed at her.
“Journey!” my mom called. “Come meet your new”— she threw a glance at Compton —“sister-in-law!”
Two seconds later, Journey Waters bounded into the family room with a bright smile on her face.
“Where’s she at?” she questioned before her gaze fell on Tinsley.
“Girl, those boots and that coat!” Journey tapped her pointer finger and thumb together while gesturing up and down Tinsley’s frame with her other hand. “Come through, baby girl.”
“Double, you forgot to take her coat,” Passion accused me.
“Ma, you’re the one who dragged her in here to meet the family.” I helped Tinsley slide out of her coat.
“Pass it right on over here.” Journey jokingly motioned with her hand for Tinsley to hand her the coat.
“Sorry. It’s the only trench coat I have. It’s too hot in . . . where I’m from, for trench coats, so I was super excited when Lyric pulled it off the rack.”
“You got it from Lyric?”
“Yes.” Tinsley turned to me with unsure eyes. I nodded my head that I was cool with her sharing that information with Journey. “Um, Double had her bring some things by the house since I didn’t have any clothes.”
My mother pulled a face. “You poor thing.”
Tinsley gave her a small smile. “It’s been tough. But between Double and Lyric, I have a very fashionable new wardrobe.”
“I can’t believe he hired Lyric to dress her. I’ve asked you a thousand times to hook me up with your cousin, and you ain’t did it yet,” Compton muttered.
“That’s his wife. You’re my homegirl.”
Compton looked pissed.
Journey broke the silence of the awkward encounter. “I’m Journey.”
“I’m Tinsley. It’s nice to meet you.”
My father took that moment to cross the room and join us. My mother met him halfway. He wrapped his arm around her waist while she laid her head on his chest. “This is my husband.”
My dad held out his hand toward Tinsley. “It’s good to meet you, Tinsley. I’m sorry the circumstances aren’t the best, but it’s still a pleasure.”
Tinsley smiled brightly at my dad. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Waters.”
“Nah. Please, call me Jinx.”
“No, thank you.” She shook her head.
Everybody laughed.
“We’ll have to come up with something else,” she told him.
“Dinner’s ready. Let’s go to the table,” my mother told us before she and my dad headed for the dining room.
“Can I help?” Tinsley offered as we walked into the dining room.
The house was open concept, so the kitchen was visible.
“You’re company.” Passion waved her off playfully with her hand.
“I’m family, Mama Passion. Please, let me help.”
A grin cracked my mother’s face. Tinsley was winning her over without really even trying. “Okay. Come on into the kitchen with Journey and me.”
The ladies brought the food to the table: seafood jambalaya; a huge garden salad; hush puppies; fried green tomatoes; collard greens; and deviled eggs. Everybody filled their plates and began eating.
“What have you been doing since you’ve been here?” Journey asked Tinsley.
“Not much.” Tinsley giggled self-consciously. “I’ve mostly been at Double’s house. Yesterday was the first time I left his house.”
“She’s only been here four days,” I added.
“And I just got clothes yesterday. But Double’s been encouraging me.” She bumped her shoulder lightly against mine. “He offered to take me on a honeymoon.”
“You didn’t want a honeymoon?” Compton’s face was a mask of incredulity.
“What kinda marriage do y’all have? What are you, in the witness protection program or something?
You have an accent. Are y’all on some passport bro sh—stuff?
” She corrected herself, turning to me. “What? Let me find out that you went to the islands to find you a little wifey to help you get over Erica.”
“Is you coo?” Justus asked her with a look of disgust.
“My brother’s not thinking about Erica.” Journey rolled her eyes before mumbling low enough for only me to hear, “With her ho-hoppin’ ass.”
“I was just wonderin’. If it’s none of my business, just say that.”
“It’s none of your business,” we all chorused.
“What kind of work do you do, Tinsley?” my mother asked.
“I co-owned an event design business with my best friend. Weddings. Milestone birthdays. Anniversaries. Retirements.” She had a faraway look in her eyes. “I loved helping people celebrate their big moments in life.”
“That’s what you do, right, Compton?” my mother asked.
“Uh.” Compton’s nose was turned up once again. “I plan events. I don’t know nothin’ about designin’ them. That sounds kinda pretentious to me.”
“Whatever, man.” Justus waved her off. “Could you use help, or nah?”
“I guess.” Her face remained frowned. “I mean, maybe as an assistant. I’m not lookin’ for a business partner or anything.”
“Well, keep me in mind.” Tinsley smiled graciously, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“My family likes you,” I said to Tinsley as the two of us walked into the house several hours later. After dinner, there was talking, a spades tournament, more eating, and more talking.
“I liked them, too. Especially your mom and Journey. They’re very warm and welcoming, and I like your dad and your brother, too. I could’ve done without meeting his girl, though. She didn’t like me at all.”
“Erica, my ex, is her cousin. She’s probably already reported back about you by now.”
“Does that make you feel a way?”
“Not at all.” I helped her out of her coat then shrugged out of mine. We both took off our shoes and placed them on the wooden rack that sat by the door. “Let me walk you to your room.”
She cut her eyes up at me. “Every time you do that, it feels like the ending of a date. It’s like you’re walking me to my front door or something.”
“That’s what it’s supposed to feel like.”
“Like a date?”
“Like a date.” At her bedroom door, I gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m taking you to breakfast in the morning and to do some running around. Can you be ready by 8:00 a.m.?”
“Okay,” she responded breathily like my kiss had actually affected her.
I kissed her again, this time on the cheek because I liked the way her skin felt under my lips. “Good night. Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay.”
Her inexperience was cute to me. Refreshing. I wanted to take my time with her to court her and actually date her. But if she kept looking at me the way she was looking at me, that entire idea was going out the window.