Nathaniel #4
“Oh, baby. Did you think anyone doubted that? You look at that girl with stars in your eyes. Like whatever she’s talking about is the most interesting thing in the world. Not in a besotted way but in a way that shows you care about her as a human first and a woman second.”
“The woman part is very much at the top of my mind, mama, I can’t lie. Have you seen her?” I wasn’t about to let my mama sing my praises like I was a eunuch who didn’t have needs. Charisma definitely stirred my loins, she just happened to do the same to my brain and my damn heart too.
My mama smiled ruefully because she’d known me all my life and was used to my antics.
“She’s remarkably beautiful so I can’t deny why you see that.
But you don’t just see that part of her.
You see every part of her and that’s why I know this is real for you.
You aren’t just invested in this for one reason, you would’ve gotten tired of it already.
But your feelings are deep aren’t they?”
I nodded slowly wanting to keep my emotions at bay but failing. “Yeah. Real deep.”
Her eyes went all soft again like I was a puppy sunbathing on the grass. “Then do whatever you think is right with her. She works for you but as you can see this family doesn’t give a damn about that when it comes to love.”
“Well, there’s always Reecie. I doubt she’s going to dump Runt for one of the men on the ranch.”
“You do remember that your sister isn’t currently claiming that boy, right?”
“Right. But we all know she’s just doing that because she’s hurt.”
“I thought she would’ve moved past that by now but there’s nothing that I can do to get through to her.
” Mama’s voice got tight and I hated to hear her upset.
We all wanted Reece to move a different way but Runt didn’t seem to mind.
That man was all in for her and he wouldn’t let anyone, not even Reece, stand in his way.
“There’s nothing that we can do, mama. He’s going to be the one who is going to get through to her.
Runt is a damn good man and I know he’s exactly what Reecie needs.
She can play stupid if she wants to but she won’t let this man get away.
He is absolutely going to shake up her world and that’s what he needs to do. ”
“Then all my kids will have found their one.” I loved how she felt about Runt and didn’t leave him out.
Hopefully Reece’s stubborn ass got it together.
With her hair pulled back off her face with a headband and an apron covering her t-shirt and shorts, my mama was definitely looking like somebody’s young granny.
“Do you really sit around and think about stuff like this?”
She pointed her knife at me and I ducked like she was finna throw it.
“For you all to be settled down with people that love you? It’s truly one of the greatest wishes of any mother’s heart.
We want you all to be good people, productive and self-sufficient.
But we all want our kids to find love and be loved in return.
It’s a beautiful feeling and I’m glad all of you know what it feels like. ”
“It’s currently unrequited.”
She shook her head and went back to slicing the dough. “If you think that then you’re blind to what’s in front of you.”
“You think so?” My mama might want to beat my ass sometimes but she was still going to cheer me on. I had to make sure this wasn’t one of those times when she was just saying shit to say it.
“She’s been here for weeks and he hasn’t come to see her. You think that there’s something going on with their relationship? No man who really cares about a woman leaves her in a strange city and not travel with her. It’s wild that he hasn’t been here.”
Now that she mentioned it, it was weird that he hadn’t come to check on her at all. I wasn’t complaining because I didn’t want him around. But he really just had her in a different city not giving a fuck. That thought alone made me angry all over again.
“Yeah, it’s a little strange.” I was rubbing my chin thinking about how worthless this nigga really was.
My mama chuckled and went to waving that knife around again. “A lot. But that’s information she’ll have to give to you. Now, are you staying to eat? I’ve made food and you know that your lady friend will probably make her way up here.”
“I work with her, Mama.”
She stopped slicing and glanced up at me, blinking slowly to give herself time not to cuss me out. “Right and you always looked up to Samp so I’m sure you’re going to be breaking all kinds of labor laws and shit. Now, I know you’re not going to pass up a chance to see her again?
She wasn’t lying and I loved that Charisma had been coming to eat with them even without me. “You need me to set the table?”
I’d already stepped around her to get to the cabinet where the plates were.
“Please. And Bucky?”
I turned to her and saw her smiling at me. “Yes, Mama?”
“I love you and I’m so proud of you.”
The warmth of those words coming from her spread throughout my entire chest. She was beaming harder than she had when I won my first buckle. This look meant more to me than anything else I’d accomplished.
“Thank you, Mama. I love you too.”