Chapter 14 Ocean
OCEAN
On one hand, I was annoyed as fuck. But on the other hand, I knew what I was dealing with.
I pulled in front of a ranch-style home, its warm taupe exterior catching the glow of the porch light. The low roofline stretched wide across the front, with a neatly trimmed yard and a few potted plants lining the steps. I hopped out of the car and hurried around to the passenger side.
Skye looked up at me in annoyance as I held the door open. “You’re really not going to tell me where we are?”
“No. I’m just going to answer your question.”
“Okay, fine. But if you brought me to another bitch’s house just to make a point, I promise you’re going to regret it.”
“Get out of the car.”
Reluctantly, she stepped out and followed me, her eyes trained on the noisy windchimes that were hanging on the front porch.
“Well, well, well,” my aunt said as she opened the screen door and stepped out, a smile already playing on her lips.
Even with specks of flour dusting her soft mocha skin, she looked flawless, her short pixie cut neat and fresh, like she’d just stepped out of the salon.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in five lifetimes. ”
Laughing, I shook my head. “It’s just been two weeks, Aunt Myra.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Mmhmm.” I pulled her into a hug, amusement resting on my face as I saw the shock in Skye’s eyes.
I could tell she recognized my aunt’s voice.
Aunt Myra stepped beside me. Tilting her head, she placed one hand on her hip. “Was this the lovely young lady that decided that ‘bitch’ was my preferred name?”
I could see the blood drain from Skye’s face.
“I’m so so sorry. I didn’t know you were his aunt. I thought—”
“Oh, honey, relax,” she said, laughing. “I know my nephew. I can’t blame you for thinking I was one of his many—”
“Aunt Myra,” I stopped her.
“Oh, sorry.” She moved in close to me. “I didn’t know we were keeping things hush-hush now.”
Shit, I didn’t know we were either. But for some reason, that was what I was on.
“Aunt Myra, this is Skye. Skye, this is my Aunt Myra.”
“Nice to meet you,” Skye said, holding out her hand.
“Honey, we hug around here. I may live in the city, but I was born and raised in the south.”
Indeed, she was, and she sounded like it.
Skye fell into her embrace, a grin dancing on her face.
I could tell she was still a little nervous given what prompted this little meet and greet in the first place. But I knew once she had some time with my aunt, she would relax.
My mother’s sister was one of the most comforting women in the world. Well, aside from my own flesh and blood, of course. But they were definitely tit for tat.
“Well, you guys come on inside. I know what you came to see.”
Skye gave me a confused glance. “What is she talking about?”
Placing my hand against the small of her back, I motioned for her to follow my aunt inside. As soon as we stepped in, the fresh smell of cinnamon apple slipped into my nostrils.
“Auntie, what you in here cooking?”
“Boy, you already know what’s being whipped up over here. Nothing but soul food and fresh dessert.”
My mouth watered, and a loud growl belted from my stomach.
“Oh, sounds like someone’s hungry.” Skye teased, giving me a playful nudge in the stomach.
“Good. I’ve got plenty to go around,” my aunt said. “You guys are welcome to stay for dinner.”
“Sounds good to me.” I looked at Skye. “You good with that?”
“Yeah. It’ll give me another chance to apologize for being such a dummy earlier.”
“No need,” Aunt Myra replied. “I can tell you’re no dummy. I’ve seen some of the women my nephew messes around with. You’re nothing like them.”
“Oh, exactly how many women has he brought here?”
“Zero,” I snapped, shooting daggers at my aunt.
She wiped her hands on her apron. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that I’ve actually met any of them. It’s mostly women I’ve seen shaking their ass in front of him on social media. You know, because everyone puts everything on the internet nowadays.”
I sighed, my eyes closing slowly.
My aunt had no shame. Not only did every thought that came into her mind come straight out of her mouth, but she also spent way too much time on social media.
“Oh, trust me, I’m well aware,” Skye said. “Ocean definitely has a type.”
“Yeah, you,” I said, gripping her hand.
“Oh, wow, this is new.” Aunt Myra’s eyes widened. “Wait until I tell your uncle you’ve got a girlfriend.”
“I’m not his girlfriend,” Skye blurted.
“Mmhmm.” My aunt gave her a playful grin as she pulled off her apron and placed it on the back of the living room couch.
“I’m not. Ocean, tell her—”
“So, auntie, are they back here?” I asked, purposely cutting Skye off and walking ahead of her to one of the bedrooms in the back.
She sighed. “Really, Ocean? You’re going to play this game today?”
“I sure am. That’s what you get for accusing me of some shit that I told you wasn’t happening.”
“Yeah, well, like your aunt said, you have so many hoes that I had every right to think she might be one of them.”
“That’s not what she said.” I laughed.
“Close enough,” my aunt chimed in, walking past us and opening the bedroom door. “They’re in here.”
As soon as we entered the room, Skye’s eyes melted. “Oh my God, are those puppies?”
“Yep. Bullmastiffs.”
“Oh, wow, they’re gorgeous,” I said, watching one trip over its own paws while another gnawed on its sibling’s ear.
“Thanks. I’ve got two more left for sale if you want one.”
Skye shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t take care of a pet. I’m hardly ever home. Well, I am these days because I’m taking a break from dancing, but—”
“Why? Is it because of all that nonsense with Mecca?”
“Auntie!” I scolded.
She pressed her hand against her mouth. “Oh, shoot, I wasn’t supposed to say that, huh?”
Skye looked at me. “You told her?”
“No, he didn’t. It was all over the internet. My FDL alerts stay on.”
“Yeah, about that,” I stepped in, “maybe you should pull back from the blogs for a while.”
“I think not.” She turned back to Skye. “Look, I’m sorry about what that man put you through.
But something tells me my nephew is going to do you right.
Granted, he has some real hoe-ish tendencies, but so did his uncle.
It wasn’t until I came into his life that he realized that nothing out there was better than me.
” She held up her hand. “Which is why he put a ring on it.”
“Oh wow,” Skye giggled. “We’re really getting ahead of ourselves. Ocean and I aren’t even dating. We’re just friends.”
“Mmhmm.”
My aunt turned back toward the puppies, and Skye poked me in the arm. “Would you tell her we’re not together, please.”
“Aunt Myra, we’re not together. We’re just friends.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“I’m serious, auntie. She’s somebody I’m real cool with.”
“Boy, hush. I’ve known you all your life, and I ain’t never seen you walking around holding hands with any woman. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention, you brought her here to prove that I wasn’t one of your little hoes.”
“Auntie, please refrain from saying hoes.”
“Boy, whatever.” She waved me off. “I can say whatever I want. Anyway, like I was saying, you’ve never tried to prove anything to anybody. So, if she’s here in my face, it’s definitely more to it. Now, which one of these puppies are you getting?”
Without even looking at Skye, I knew my aunt’s word vomit was going to come up later. She’d want every meaning unpacked, and she’d definitely want to know if any of it was true.
I squeezed Skye’s hand. “You pick.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
She stepped forward and grabbed a puppy. It was a thick little black one with oversized paws. As soon as she held him up, he looked straight at her and started licking her cheeks.
Skye giggled. “Definitely this one.”
“I’ll take that one.”
“Sounds good. I’ll have him ready for you in the morning.”
“Cool,” I said. “I’ll send the money after dinner. I don’t do transfers on an empty stomach.”
“Boy, whatever. Go wash up. Your uncle should be home soon so we can eat.”
She walked out of the room.
Just as I headed out behind her, Skye stopped me, her hand closing around my arm. “Ocean, we need to talk.”
“Yeah, I know. But let’s eat first. I damn sure can’t have that kind of conversation on an empty stomach.”
She squeezed my arm. “Fine…for now.”