Chapter 11
“Montana?” Iskyiah asked with a frown on her face for the hundredth time.
Moolah flicked her thigh. “Hush up, now.”
She giggled. “You sound country as hell.”
Moolah shook his head and went back to looking out the window. Brooke sat in between them, playing on her iPad.
When Moolah told her last night that he wanted to go somewhere for his birthday, she assumed they would go back to a place like they stayed in Cali. Not to his uncle’s farm in Montana. The same farm he didn’t even want to move to all those years ago.
From what she could see, Montana was a dull ass state, but she wasn’t complaining. Well, maybe a little, but that was mostly because she was grumpy from being hungover.
Iskyiah spotted a farm, and she instantly knew it was Uncle Marlon’s farm. It was bigger than the other farms they’d passed. Moolah didn’t get that ‘being extra’ gene from nobody. His uncle was as extra as they came and never did anything half assed.
The driver—a new one from the night before—pulled up a long, wooded driveway before the car stopped.
Moolah got out first and then went around the car to let Iskyiah and Brooke out while the driver got their bags.
As soon as she was out of the car, Iskyiah took in a deep breath of fresh air and stretched. A yawn quickly followed.
Moolah eyed her.
“What?” she asked.
“Yo’ ass shouldn’t have been drinkin’ so damn much last night.”
Iskyiah punched him on the arm lightly. “Shush. It’s my man’s birthday, which means it’s my birthday. I had every right to turn up.”
Moolah shook his head, but Iskyiah saw a ghost of a smile on his face.
Brooke grabbed Iskyiah’s hand as they walked toward the front door. “Mommy, you’re drunk?”
Brooke looked up at her with wide eyes. Iskyiah snickered. She had put her party hat down once she got pregnant with Brooke, so Iskyiah being hungover was a surprise to the young girl.
“Not no more, baby.”
Brooke opened her mouth to ask more questions, no doubt, but thankfully, the door swung open, and Marlon stepped out onto the long wraparound porch. The last thing Iskyiah wanted to do was talk to her daughter about turning up.
“Iskyiah Nathans,” Marlon said with a wide smile on his face.
She beamed at him. “Uncle Marlon.” The older man held his arms out wide for her.
Iskyiah walked right into them. When she was young, she used to love hanging out at Uncle Marlon’s house.
He treated her like his daughter, and she had always loved him like a father.
They kept in touch over the years through social media, but she hadn’t seen him in two decades.
When she stepped back from the embrace, she held his arms out and said, “You look good, old man.”
“Don’t I though? And who’s this?” he asked. His eyes found Brooke, who waved shyly at him.
“This is my daughter, Brooke.”
“Iskyiah Nathans, a mother. Now why you ain’t ever told me nothin’?” Marlon asked with his hands on his hips. He had a little pot belly in his old age, but his skin was still a deep chocolate color that looked smooth—no wrinkles in sight.
Iskyiah glanced at Moolah, and her cheeks warmed. “I didn’t want you to tell Moolah.”
Moolah’s face frowned up. “What’s wrong wit’ me knowin’ about my own daughter?”
Iskyiah elbowed him in his side. He stayed making comments like that, and she didn’t want him to confuse Brooke. At this point, though, she didn’t even know why she bothered. Moolah was going to say whatever the fuck he wanted to say. Period.
“You tellin’ me you wouldn’t have turned up if you found out I was pregnant way back then?” She sugarcoated her words for Brooke’s sake. What she really wanted to ask if he was sure he wouldn’t have found Charles and killed the man before his time for putting a baby in her.
Moolah thought about it and shrugged. “You got that one. What’s up, old man?” He looked at Marlon.
“What’s good, Mo?” Marlon said as he ushered Iskyiah and Brooke into the house.
Moolah stepped inside with a deep frown. “I don’t like how I’m bein’ treated.”
“Boy, what is you talkin’ ’bout?” Marlon asked as he led them into the living room.
It was super old school with no TV. Just a couple of cream-colored couches, a rug, and a coffee table. Framed photos littered the walls, and there was a fireplace that wasn’t lit but had plenty of wood inside.
“You gave Sky a hug and smiled when you saw her. Ain’t even barely look my way.”
Iskyiah shook her head and grabbed his hand, tugging him down onto the couch beside her. She knew he just needed some love. He got testy sometimes when he went too long without her touch.
Immediately, he relaxed beside her as she cuddled up next to him. Brooke sat on the other side of Moolah, and he draped his arm around the back of her.
Marlon looked at the three of them, and to Iskyiah, it looked like he might burst into tears. He rushed out of the room and quickly returned with an old-school camera. “Let me capture this here moment.”
“Here this nigga goes,” Moolah grumbled.
Iskyiah pinched him and smiled for the camera. After taking a few pictures, Marlon settled into a recliner and gazed at the three of them for a moment longer before his eyes settled on Moolah. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, Unc.”
“You decided to spend ya birthday in Montana this year, huh?”
Moolah shrugged. Iskyiah had been wondering about that too. Moolah was the type to go somewhere luxurious for his birthday, not a farm. “Wanted to see my old man.”
Marlon grunted. “Yeah, okay. You must got somethin’ on ya mind. When you’re ready to tell me about it, I have a cigar waiting for us and an old bottle of bourbon I’ve been dyin’ to crack open.”
“That’s a bet.” Moolah nodded. He didn’t disagree with Marlon, which made Iskyiah believe something really was on Moolah’s mind. She wondered what it was.
“Ms. Brooke, do you like animals?” Marlon asked.
Brooke’s eyes lit up. “I saw you have goats.”
“Sure do. Mo, why don’t you go show her around? When ya finish, you all can get cleaned up and we can go to Bessie’s Diner for dinner. Best chicken fried steak you’ll ever have,” Marlon suggested.
Brooke hopped up and tugged on Moolah’s hand while she looked at Iskyiah. “Can we, Mama?”
“You two go ahead. I want to visit with Uncle Marlon for a bit.”
Moolah leaned over and kissed Iskyiah on the cheek before he stood. “Y’all better not be talkin’ shit about me either.”
“And if we do?” Marlon asked with his thick brows raised.
“Yeah, aight, old man. Be easy,” Moolah joked as he walked out of the room with Brooke tugging on his hand.
When they were gone, Iskyiah looked at Marlon and asked, “How you been? I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. When Mo called and told me he reconnected with you, I swear I smiled for a full twenty-four hours. You know you always been a part of the family.”
“I know, and I appreciate that. But how you been?” she asked again.
Marlon waved her off. “Oh, you know. Gettin’ old.
I have some young boys who come by every day and handle the farm now.
Mo hired ’em. Somewhere along the line, the work got to be too much for me.
How about you, Sky? How you been? How’s ya brother?
I’m sorry to hear about Ms. Wanda, by the way.
I wanted to come to the funeral, but I was sick. ”
“Thank you, and it’s okay. Grandma had a whole lot of love at her funeral. I’ve been good, though. I can’t really complain, especially now that Moolah done got his hands on me again.”
When Marlon laughed, his eyes crinkled at the corners, the only real sign of aging.
“Let me tell you something, Iskyiah. That boy has always loved you, you hear me? He ain’t had much love in this world, so it surprised me at his young age he understood exactly how to love you.
You know how he was when he was young. A damn hot head. ”
Iskyiah snorted. “Hate to break it to you, Unc, but that hasn’t changed.”
“And I know that. My point is you level him out. Always have. You just have this way about you, or this hold on him that nobody else seems to have. I’m glad he found you again. He found his heart again. When it’s my time to transition, I won’t have to be so worried about him. He’s in good hands.”
Iskyiah tried not to tear up at his words. She gave him a soft smile. “He is. I promise you that.”
And she meant it. Moolah may not have been on her bingo card for the year, but it was clear he was on the one marked forever.
He came at a time where she felt the weight of the world pressing in on her.
She’d been so tired, mentally, and yearning for a break.
It was like Moolah’s heart heard her heart’s desires, and God did the rest. She was forever thankful because there was no doubt in her mind that she had finally settled into her forever.