Chapter 12 #9
Mama Payne set up the medium-sized tray in front of me. When she placed the hot plate on the tray and the ice-cold drink beside it, my scalp began to prickle, and it had nothing to do with the people tugging at my scalp. She couldn’t expect me to eat all this food. There was no damn way I could.
“Wanna go live while you eatin’? It will be the best birthday gift.
” She batted her lashes while her hands were propped on her hips.
She’d removed the apron, revealing a flowy, navy dress that looked so good on her.
She had her feet stuffed in Coach sandals, and I’d seen the matching purse sitting on her couch.
“Sure.” Reaching inside my purse that was crossed around my body, I pulled out the portable phone stand that I carried everywhere I went.
Once I had the contraption set up on the tray, I placed my phone on it and hit the plus button for the live. Tunan reached over and removed the hair bag from my lap.
“You want Tuscany to put it up in a ponytail while you eat?” he asked.
“No, it’s fine. Unless you all don’t want to be on camera?”
As my reflection looked back at me from the camera, I wasn’t looking too crazy.
It wouldn’t be the first time my followers had seen me looking a mess.
I’d had a few videos on my page showing me taking my hair down, and they all did well.
Who knew Black girls doing Black girl things would be widely romanticized all over the net these days?
Peering at the siblings and Kassie through the phone’s front lens, which showed our every movement, I paused before hitting the live button. “Y’all cool with me going live?”
Tulen excused himself, saying he was ready to go inside and eat.
Tuden had his phone resting against his ear with his shoulder, so he didn’t hear the question.
He’d been showing every tooth in his mouth for the last few minutes, so I assumed he was flirting with a woman.
Tuscany nodded excitedly, and Kassie said she was cool with it.
I didn’t bother asking Tunan because my followers loved him.
I still hadn’t edited and uploaded our video, and didn’t really have an explanation as to why.
Their mother was out of view and nodded for me to start while she held up her own phone. I had no doubt she was recording me to show her grandbaby later. The screen counted down as Tunan slid another braid out of my hair, dropping the weave in the bag now on the ground between his legs.
Steam rose just as the live populated, and all of a sudden, I’d become camera-shy.
I felt everyone’s eyes on me, and viewers hadn’t joined yet.
Clearing my throat, I pulled hand sanitizer from my bag and drenched my hands.
By the time I had the clear bottle back in my purse, I’d had four hundred viewers.
Comments from those who’d joined began to pop up, but I was too chicken to read them, so I just stared at the camera.
“Hey, guys! Y’all missed me? I missed y’all.” I had to pause, having to catch my breath because it sounded shaky. Only then did I read the comments that were scrolling across the screen.
“You stay on an adventure… Hey, Glow…”
“Heyyy, boo!”
“Where you at, Glow? Who all them people behind you, Pretty Eater?”
There were too many comments to read at once, so I went back into my spill. “Today, I’m with my… friend’s family. This right here,” I leaned aside so they could get a glimpse of Tuscany, “Is my boo, Tuscany, and this,” I leaned in the opposite direction, “This is Kassie.”
“Hey, y’all!”
“Hey, Pretty Eaters!”
Both the ladies smiled in the camera. Tuscany removed another braid and let it fall to the floor in front of her. The comments continued to rush the screen, but instead of interacting, I proceeded with the purpose of the video.
“It’s Mama Payne’s birthday today. She’s Tuscany’s mommy and Kassie’s mom-in-law. She threw down in the kitchen, as y’all can see.”
Lifting my plate, careful not to let the juices spill over, I angled it so that the camera could catch it.
“Hey, y’all! I’m not tryna get on the camera, but heyyyy!” Mama Payne giddied.
Tunan took another braid out and removed the dirt from my scalp. When he began massaging the area, my thighs tightened, and I did a long blink to try to compose myself.
“Oh my God! They said, ‘Happy birthday, mama. The food look good, but who dat in da bacccck?’” Kassie sang the comment, and I hid my smirk.
Tuden leaned forward and smiled at the camera while keeping the phone up to his ear, while still taking out a braid.
‘“Damn he fine. Let us see the other one.’ Ughh! Y’all please… do not hype these fools up.”
“Nah, don’t listen to my sister. Hype ya boy all the fuckin’ way up,” Tuden boasted.
Tunan chuckled but stayed out of view with only his abdomen, arms, and hands showing.
“Y’all, I know I look a hot mess right now—”
“You look good, my baby,” Tunan interrupted, making my cheeks blaze.
I knew the viewers were going to eat that all the way up. I hated how Tunan’s voice sent my body spiraling.
“Thanks,” I gulped. “I’m getting my braids taken out, and I appreciate everyone here for helping me.”
‘“They still look good.’ Thank you. They do still look good, but I already have an appointment set up for a sew-in.”
“‘My baby? Is that our boy from last time?”’
Turning, I faced Tunan. “Are you the guy from last time?”
Licking his lips, he slid another braid out, removing the dirt. “I better be,” he sneered.
Not wanting to further embarrass myself by getting flustered, my eyes went to the plate in front of me. The food looked delicious and smelled heavenly. I was hungry, but at the same time, the thought of eating everything on this plate had me gagging internally.
“I’m done. I’m gonna go feed my baby. I’ll be in the comments with the rest of The Eaters,” Kassie announced.
“Ohh! My bestie on dis junt! Heyyyyy, Aphrodite! Hey, Athena! Cuz I know you watchin’!” Tuscany blew a kiss at the screen.
“Where my baby at?” Baguette was already making his way to the porch. Kassie grabbed the baby out of his arms and went into the house with her husband on her tail.
“Glow on live, and Ditey in the comments. Look.”
Baguette went behind me, wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist.
GoddessWearsBoutique: Hey daddy! OMG you know Glow! Come get me!
Baguette tossed his head back in laughter. “Okay, I’m on da way, baby.”
“I’m done too. Come on, so I can fix our plates. Aphrodite, I’m ’bout to FaceTime you so my boo can see.”
Tuscany lightly scratched my scalp before walking into the house with her husband behind her.
“Let me make sure dey not diggin’ in my food. I’ll be watchin’ from my phone,” Mama Payne assured before following behind the couples.
Tuden winked at the camera before following suit, leaving just Tunan and me outside.
“Hi, Athena! I can’t wait to meet you too!” I cooed at the camera, seeing that she’d left heart comments, giddy that her daddy was on my live.
“Next time you come to the crib, I got you niece,” Tunan replied.
There were a slew of comments asking Tuden to come back, with some even asking about Baguette and commenting on his looks.
GoddessWearsBoutique: Is that my uncle Tunan? I cant see him.
Reaching up, I pulled Tunan by the sleeve of his shirt until his face was in the camera. His tall ass had to bend down in order to get in focus.
“Wassup, niece.” He grinned that smile that had gotten me out of my panties faster than speeding light.
Ohhh be my uncle.
There go OUR man.
I love GoddessWearsBoutique clothing.
Damn everybody fine.
Glow if that’s yo man just say that. Ready for the couple’s content.
Tunan laughed out loud at the comments while I simply picked up my fork.
Bowing my head, I said a silent prayer before sticking the utensil in the greens.
The flavor burst in my mouth, and I had barely chewed and already deemed these the best greens I’d ever had.
Putting more greens on my fork, I worked my way around the food, deciding what to pair it with for my next bite.
The food tasted even more flavorful as I tried different items together.
Greens, lasagna, mac and cheese, turkey legs, cornbread, cabbage, and black-eyed peas all stared at me as I tried to eat what I could.
The food was so good that I nibbled on a little bit of everything while Tunan read the comments and responded to the people he knew.
When I was full, I pushed the plate aside and took a sip of my water.
“Mama Payne needs a restaurant. That food was so good! I know y’all used to me going to restaurants, but this has everything beat that I’ve eaten all year.
The greens were well seasoned and meaty, the mac and cheese…
well, I know y’all saw that cheese pull.
The lasagna had a sweet taste that I can barely describe, but I loved it, and the cornbread was soft and buttery like cake. Ten out of ten, for sure.”
Tunan stood and took out the last braid in my head. When the weave hit the bag, I felt the urge to pee.
That food looked so damn good.
I know a Memphis plate when I see one.
Glow you barely ate. I would have smashed that shit.
She always barely eat.
My neck tightened. Pulling at my skirt, I pushed back from the table. “I’ll be right back. He’s going to keep y’all company while I use the restroom.”
Not waiting for Tunan’s reply, I went into the house.
I could hear the family eating, but couldn’t see them.
There was a bathroom off to the side of the kitchen, so I entered, relieved my bladder, and wiped myself.
I shook my head at the amount of essence from my vagina that was between my legs.
After properly cleaning myself and washing my hands, I was back outside where Tunan had taken my seat.
As I circled the chair, Tunan pulled me into his lap, turning my body so that my legs hung off the side of his thigh. “Feed me while I comb out your hair, my baby.”