Chapter 15 Raya
Raya
We’re just twenty minutes or so into the game when the elder Orca Taylor woman says, “Raya, do you own any property?”
My eyes go straight to hers.
“In real life, not the game,” she clarifies oh so bitchily.
“My childhood home, yes. For a little while. Then I sold it.”
“I see.” Angela’s eyes sparkle. “So you inherited. Have you ever purchased?”
“No.” I glance over at Ace. “Why do you ask?”
“Monopoly got me to wondering, that’s all.”
“Have you ever purchased?” I fire back. I’m not rude when I say it, just Monopolying her ass right back.
And she has the nerve to look surprised. “Of course. I’ve always thought it was very important for a young woman to live on her own before getting married.” She gestures toward Kam and Vanessa. “I taught my daughters the same thing.”
I nod at that like I give a fuck, then something prickles in the back of my mind. Two things, actually.
One, I could have sworn old money types prefer inheriting over buying. I’m no expert, of course, but that’s what I’ve always observed.
And two, well…from what I know about her, the story ain’t adding up.
But I just smile as I take my turn. I land on Boardwalk, which Vanessa owns, and I wind up broke.
"That tracks," Angela says under her breath, but I catch it.
"Did you say something?" I ask, prompting everyone to look at me.
"Not to you," Angela fires back.
"It was about me, though."
She smiles that mean girl smile I've seen all my life. "It's not personal. We joke during games."
"So it's funny to insinuate that I'm broke?"
"You said yourself you don't come from much, so…" she trails off, shrugging her little shoulders. And that's my cue.
“You know, I’m surprised you’re such a stickler about pedigree.”
Her face tightens. “What does that mean?”
I give her that smile right back. “I mean, given what you went through.”
It’s quiet, now.
“What are you trying to say?” she demands.
I don’t actually wanna say it. For Ace’s sake. But she made me do it. Her and Kam, with their smartass remarks and giggling made me become the person I’m trying not to be. So, fuck it.
“Didn’t you leave college early because you were pregnant?”
You could hear a pin drop.
“Matter of fact, wasn’t it a state school?”
Kam shakes her head. “Don’t start no shit, Raya. It ain’t gon go well for you.”
“It’s just a question.”
“It’s a lie.” She turns to her mother, and I can see the moment the indignation drains from her as she wonders if I’m telling the truth.
“What’s she talking about?” Vanessa says. “Mama?”
Angela’s too busy shaking with rage to answer, so Jackson finally speaks up and says, “Now isn’t the time to get into this.”
“Okay, but what is this?” Kamryn demands.
The tension heightens to the point where even I’m uncomfortable, then Angela points a finger at me and says, “How dare you?”
“How dare you?” I ask without blinking.
She looks over at Ace. “Enough! I want her out of my house.”
Now we’re both looking at him, because I’m real curious about how he’s gonna react.
“No.”
Her mouth falls open. She sputters a few times before Jackson cuts in.
“Did you just tell your mama no?”
Ace nods. “Sure did. We’re family now. That means we work stuff out.”
“What is there to work out?” Vanessa says. “Is it true?”
Angela’s eyes well up with tears. “Whether it’s true or not, it’s nobody’s business but mine.”
Ace grabs my hand and squeezes it. “Raya’s business was hers, too, until you made it about you.”
“I was worried about your well-being,” she says, wiping tears off her cheeks. “It’s different.”
“I’m a grown man, Mama. You gotta let me make my own mistakes.”
I frown at that, pulling my hand from his. “So I’m a mistake?”
Jackson chuckles.
“Babe, that’s not what I meant,” Ace says. “You know that’s not how I feel. I’m just saying, I love y’all and I appreciate y’all’s concern, but I’m grown. So whatever worries you had, just let it go. What’s done is done. This is my wife now. I’m good.”
“Well, that remains to be seen,” Angela says. “We won’t know if you’re actually good until the true colors start to show. And they always do.”
“Wow.” I move to stand, but Ace grabs my hand again. “No, I’m done.”
“Hold on.” He pulls me back down onto the couch and wraps and arm around me, pulling me in close. “Mama, you once told me Grandma didn’t like you when Pop first brought you around.”
I smile at that. “Interesting. And how did that feel, Mrs. Taylor?”
Angela rolls her eyes. “She was just a typical overbearing boy mom. And no, it didn’t feel good, but I get it now. Believe me.”
“So it didn’t feel good to you, but you were just fine making another young woman feel as bad as you did?”
She purses her lips and glares at me. “To be honest, and no disrespect to her, but I really didn’t care. I loved her son, and that was all that mattered to me.”
“And I love yours.”
She scoffs at that.
“I do,” I insist. “And since we’re being honest, I don’t care what you think either.”
She rolls her eyes again, but I feel like I’m starting to see a grudging…almost respect there.
“Well, I will give you that you care about my son,” she says slowly.
“I read your little email, and…it’s very clear that you care about his happiness.
I wanted to be offended, but at the same time, I could see the fierceness in your words.
” She looks over at her daughter. “Even Kam had to admit that.”
"Leave me out of this," Kam mumbles. "Is it true, what she said?"
Angela sighs. "It's in the past. Let it go."
"Wow." Kam looks at me with disgust. "Our holidays were always perfect until you came around."
"I don't have to come around," I explain. "But just know that if I'm not here, your brother won't be. Pick your poison, I guess."
Next to me, Ace nods his agreement.
It's quiet for a while until Rico picks up the dice and rattles them in his hand before shooting. "Damn. Back to jail." He turns to Kamryn. "You gon' hold me down while I'm in there?"
There are a few laughs, and the tension breaks, but I don't interact with Angela or Kamryn for the rest of the night.