Chapter 7
Thanksgiving Dinner
Dinner time had finally rolled around, and my nerves were all over the place.
By the time Truce and I made it back downstairs, the dining room table had been set up, and my holiday glass warming dishes were filled.
I walked into the kitchen to see what else needed to be done, and everything stopped moving.
Mommy looked at my mother-in-law out of the corner of her eye and smirked.
Slowly, they turned toward me, smiled, and I squinted.
“What happened? The mac and cheese burned or something?”
I stepped toward my oven, but the only thing different was the foil had been removed, and the mac and cheese looked fine.
“Nothing happened. You been glued to this kitchen for over twenty-four hours, then you disappeared. Everything okay?” Mommy looked me up and down then cut her eyes at Mama Constance. “You look refreshed, too, so I can guess the answer is yes.”
I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t blush.
“Yes, everything is okay. I apologize for being snappy earlier, and thank you two for being by my side since getting here.”
Mommy opened her arms, and I stepped into them.
This was the first holiday without her mother, so I knew it was hard on her too, but my grandmother was my best friend.
Doing this without her, when it was supposed to be me and her, had me emotionally all over the place.
I’d talked to my mother in a way that I would have never, and I felt like shit.
Hell, I yelled at my husband, and that wasn’t something I ever wanted to do again.
Now that he had helped me calm down, I was ready to act like I had some sense.
“No need to apologize. I been yo’ mama all your life.
You’re stressed because your girl is in Heaven kicking up her feet when she was supposed to be here, helping you cook.
When you’re emotionally overwhelmed, you lock up and are short.
There is only one person who can recenter you, and I’m glad Truce had a chance to . . . talk to you.”
They both cackled like old hens, and I wanted to bolt from the kitchen.
“You’re fine. The firsts are the toughest, and after that, you learn to manage. You’ll be okay. Plus, my son wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“You really did raise a good man.” I smiled, squeezed my mama, then let her go. “I am starving, so let’s get to the table before the game starts and we lose the men.”
I pulled the mac from the oven and put the rolls in.
By the time I had the family gathered, they would be ready to come out of the oven, and we could eat.
Now that everything was done, I was petrified to have everyone taste the food I had prepared.
I heard Truce when he said that no matter what, it would be good, but that calm I felt earlier had flown out of the window.
Once I set out the mac, I went looking for my husband.
All the men had migrated to the living room, so I went in there first.
Truce sat on one of the many folding chairs set out for the family, with TJ in his lap.
“What’s up?” he asked as soon as I was in front of him.
“Dinner is technically ready. Just waiting for the rolls to warm . . .”
Truce’s eyes had been on the game, but my true feelings must have been in my tone because he looked at me.
“You good? I told you, Sweets, the food will be fine. Get out yo’ head.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my cheek on the top of his head.
It was crazy how just feeling him could settle me. I hated that I was this emotional about the whole dinner. This wasn’t the first time my family would eat something I made.
If I kept it up, I’d drive myself insane.
“Don’t you think y’all two got enough of touching each other earlier?” My body stilled, hearing my aunt’s words.
“Excuse me?” I asked and slowly removed my arms from Truce.
“Relax, Sweets.”
Truce set TJ on his feet and told him to go to the playroom.
TJ opened his mouth to complain, but his daddy gave him a look, then he was on his way.
Truce stood to his full height, kissed my forehead, then turned to my aunt.
His body blocked mine slightly, and I prayed that he didn’t hurt this lady’s feelings on this holiday.
Daddy moved toward the kitchen, and seconds later, my mother walked toward us.
My husband already didn’t like my aunt, and she had just made things worse.
“Agnes, you are in my home. We welcomed you here with open arms, and since stepping foot into our home, you have had your ass on your shoulders—sorry, Ma. What goes on between me and my wife in our home is no one else’s business.
The room you are staying in is on this floor, so you had no business being near our bedroom.
Whatever comments you have about us touching each other need to stay inside your head.
This is our space, and you are a guest.”
“If you have a problem with me being here, I can go. I just find it disrespectful to have sex in a house full of people, especially your elders. You need to be mindful that there is a time and a place for such things. Every time you two are near each other, it’s like watching porn and—”
“Now, hold on, Aggie. You will not disrespect Truce and Billie’s marriage like that.
There is nothing inappropriate about how they interact.
The same way you see them is exactly how Senior and I were around our parents.
And if memory serves me correctly, you were the same way with your husbands.
A man is allowed to love on his woman when he wants to.
Also, their bedroom is on the opposite side of the house.
How are you so sure that when they disappeared, they hadn’t gone to take a nap? ”
I side-eyed my mama because really?
She didn’t have a better example than a damn nap?
Aunt Agnes looked at my mother and chuckled.
I hated that she outed us because now I felt like I’d done something dirty when I had only shared an intimate moment with my husband.
I had enough on my mind, and now I had to worry about if my aunt had pressed her ear against the door while my husband and I fucked. I was disgusted at the thought.
Every part of me wanted her out of my house now, but I wouldn’t kick her out, because Nannie would have slapped her then made her a plate.
“Listen. This is not a conversation I am interested in having in front of my daddy and my brothers. What Truce and I do in our home as a married couple should not be announced to a room full of people. If we wanted everyone to know what we were doing, we would have put on a show in the middle of the dinner room table.”
“Thank God you didn’t.”
“Shut up, Carter.” I rolled my eyes, and he laughed.
Truce grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the living room.
I was so pissed, I was shaking. We made it to the dining room, and Truce wrapped me into his arms. He pressed his lips to my ear and told me to breathe. I hadn’t even realized I was even holding my breath.
I rested my forehead against his chest and nodded.
“Let’s get this food on the table, and then I want to take you somewhere.”
“Go where? Can we take the boys? I feel like we haven’t had a family outing in so long.”
Truce chuckled because so long was like three days ago.
“Of course we can take them, but the where is a secret.”
I grinned at my husband and stroked his beard.
We parted when the family came into the dining room. I went to the kitchen to grab the rolls from the oven and put them on the table. While everyone sat, I went to grab my boys so my mother could pray over the food. TJ sat in Truce’s lap while I held Tristian.
Mommy prayed over the food, and by the time she reached Amen, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
“Whew! Let’s eat.” Daddy grabbed his wife, kissed her, and whispered something in her ear.
The grin on her face caused me to frown, and I shared a look with my brothers who showed the same sentiment.
“Y’all, please. We had enough with Puddin’ and Truce. We don’t need any more.”
The whole room laughed at Carter, and I flipped him off.
“Hey!”
At the base in my daddy’s voice, I snatched my hand down and apologized. Laughter flowed around again. Daddy gave me a look, and I smiled because I was just a girl.
“Why is there an extra place setting, Puddin’?”
Emotion clogged my throat, and I blinked rapidly to keep my tears away.
“Nannie.”
Silence fell over the room followed by head nods.
“Perfect.”
Mommy’s voice cracked, and Aunt Agnes sucked her teeth.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Truce kissed my cheek. I chuckled and shook my head. I made room for her mother, to honor her, as it was the first holiday without her, and Agnes still managed to have a stick up her ass.
Instead of staying until Saturday, she was about to get put out as soon as dinner was over.
“The festival of lights? Oh my gosh, baby! This looks so amazing.”
“It came across my social media a few days ago. I would have brought you guys Sunday, but I figured we needed to get away tonight.”
“Well, you figured right. Although everything turned out right, and I had been overreacting, as usual, . . . I’m grateful you kept me centered, but Aunt Agnes had one more time to say something.” I frowned then rolled my eyes over to his.
We stared at one another, wearing smiles that were only broken by TJ asking if we were getting out.
That little boy was really my son because he was like hurry up. I laughed and unbuckled my seat belt. Truce climbed out of the car, walked around to my side to let me out, then to the back seat for the boys. I grabbed Tristian’s carrier and strapped it on.
Truce handed me the baby, and I got him situated.
“Alright, TJ, when we get into the park, stay close to Mommy.”
“Yes, sir.” I smiled at them and led us away from the car.
Whenever we were out with the children, Truce always walked a few steps behind us.
“I know we have desserts at the house, but I’m not leaving here without a funnel cake or some funnel cake fries.”
I licked my lips like the fat girl I was.
For the next three hours, my little family marveled at the many attractions, the pretty lights, and Christmas music.
I was surprised to see so many people, but I remembered that not everyone had someone to spend the holiday with.
It was cool for them to come to a place and not be lonely, even if they were alone.
By the time we made it back to the car, both boys were knocked out, and Truce was responsible for holding up me and carrying TJ.
On the way home, I joined our babies in slumber and felt bad when I woke up to Truce pulling me out of the car.
My feet barely hit the ground before he lifted me up.
“Big ass baby. That’s why she’s so spoiled,” I heard Mommy say from a distance.
I buried my face into Truce’s neck, and he chuckled.
“Wait, what about the boys. Let me help you get them out.”
“I love you, Sweets, but I would have secured them inside before coming to get you. Senior got TJ, and Ma got Tristian. They’re good.”
I nodded and rested my head back on his shoulder.
We’d showered after our session earlier, but since we’d been outside, I needed another one. Truce set me on my feet in the bathroom, and I ran some water in the tub. I was pooped, but I needed to bathe my babies too.
It didn’t take long to get us all clean and climb into bed.
“Are you going back down with everyone?”
“Yeah, for a few hours.”
“Okay, I love you.”
Truce smirked, leaned over me, and kissed my lips.
I watched him walk away, and smiled. Today had been emotionally rough, but I made it through without total fail. This would probably be the last family gathering I’d host because having this many people in our home was overwhelming.
There was a peace that surrounded me, though, so I knew Nannie was smiling down on us.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
“Come in.”
I looked over at TJ to make sure we hadn’t woken him back up.”
“Are these sheets clean?” Mommy asked as she climbed into the bed.
I laughed louder than intended.
“Don’t get put out with your sister, ma’am.”
Mommy scoffed and laid her head on my shoulder.
We sat in silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence. She had managed to convince Daddy to stay over Tuesday and Wednesday, but they were leaving tonight. Now that the production was over, Daddy was over it. She lifted from my shoulder to look at me and moved some of my hair from my face.
I smiled at her but frowned when I saw unshed tears in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“You handled hosting this family so beautifully. Last night and this morning were rough for you, but no one blames you. I appreciate you for making room for Mama at dinner. It hurt to see a picture there instead, but I know I felt her spirit tonight. She’s so proud of you, baby.
The only girl, hell, her only girl. Everything you did, she bragged on and wouldn’t shut up about all your accomplishments.
” We laughed. “You were worried things wouldn’t be right because she wasn’t here physically, but after was all said and done, you had no reason to be. ”
“Thank you, Mommy. I needed to hear that.”
I hugged her tight to my body and cried on her shoulder.
“I know.” She sniffled and pulled back. “Truce has his ways, but so do I.”
I laughed and pinched her elbow. We sat up and reminisced for a while until her husband came looking for her. When Truce finally came to bed, I felt lighter and proud of myself.
With the love of my husband and family, I’d successfully made it through what had to be one of the hardest days.
THE END