20
A iva sat at the table, looking over her menu as they waited for the server to bring their drinks. She was having brunch with her sisters to catch up. Eva was the first to put her menu down, but Aiva wasn’t surprised. As soon as her younger sister came to something that sounded good, she never needed to continue looking, even if that had not always worked out in her favor. Once the rest had decided and placed their menus to the side, Marreigh, the youngest at the table, sparked up the conversation.
“So, what have you ladies been up to recently? It feels like we haven’t sat down like this in a while.”
“Yeah,” Eva agreed. “But that’s Lila’s fault,” she accused.
“It’s not my fault med school is kicking my ass, and I don’t stop you, heffas, from getting together without me,” Lila countered with an eye roll.
It wasn’t brunch if Eva and Lila didn’t argue. Hell, it wasn’t a get-together if they didn’t argue. Aiva was sure it was because they both had similar combative personalities. Or maybe it was because they were Irish twins, born nine months apart. However, she wasn’t sure if that was still the case when they were born from two different women, and Lila had an actual fraternal twin.
“It’s too early for the two of you to argue,” Meila stated as their server returned with their glasses and two pitchers of mimosas to start. They placed their orders, and when he was gone, the conversation picked back up as they filled their glasses.
“Are you still enjoying the job, Eva?” Marreigh asked, taking a sip of her mimosa.
“I am. I still get a lot of the older men trying to give me attitude or get smart with me, but I shut that shit down pretty quickly. It’s the twenty-first fucking century. If you have an issue with a woman being your project manager, then you were born in the wrong time.”
“You’re more than qualified. They can get over that shit,” Meila stated.
Eva had graduated at the top of her class with her degree in Engineering Management, and the company she worked for scouted her before she’d even graduated. With her field being predominantly men, they weren’t used to seeing a woman in their spaces. Let alone overseeing them. But that was the case in several job markets, and it still baffled Aiva that some men couldn’t understand that women could do the same jobs and have the same careers as them.
“I really don’t care if they get over it or not. As long as the job gets done correctly and timely,” Eva supplied. She took a drink. “What about you, Marreigh? How’s school?”
“See, listen; I almost said fuck it and dropped out last week. They had us treat snakes, and I don’t do those. That’s going to be a hard no for me when I graduate and open my practice. Then I’m going to need all of you to get animals, so I’ll have some patients.”
“I have a goldfish,” Lila reminded.
“I won’t be treating fish, and no, you don’t have one.”
“Yes, I do.”
Marreigh furrowed her brow at Lila. “No, you don’t. When you asked me to go by your house and pick up the lunch you left, I found that fish floating. It was dead, so I flushed it. I told you that when I brought you the food, remember?”
The four of them watched Lila as her face took on a look of confusion. “Then what the hell have I been feeding for the past two weeks?”
“Probably the ghosts of fish passed because every time I turn around, you’ve killed one,” Eva stated, and they all laughed as Lila sucked her teeth. “As a matter of fact, you don’t need to get any other pets,” Eva added.
“Yeah, yeah,” Lila responded, turning her attention to Aiva and Meila. “What about you two? Any interesting cases?”
“Not really. It’s still the same old assholes being assholes and me enjoying helping take them to the cleaners,” Meila responded.
“I’ve got a couple right now that got ugly, or I suspect will get ugly because the opposing client wants to use their child as a bargaining tool,” Aiva commented.
“So, nothing too entertaining with us work-wise, but you all will be glad to know Aiva went on a date,” Meila informed their younger sisters, and three sets of eyes swung to her.
“Well damn. It’s been a hot second since you were on a date,” Eva responded. “What’s his name, and how was it?”
“His name is Knox, and it was unlike any other date I’ve been on. He put so much thought into it. We went to the rooftop of a building he owns, and there was mood lighting, private chefs, and a five-course meal. We danced and then went to this little secret spot he knows. The conversation flowed easily, and our energies meshed well.”
“Sounds like a hell of a first date. What does he do for a living?” Lila asked.
“He used to play football. He’s retired now and owns several businesses,” Aiva responded.
“Wait a fucking minute. Are you talking about Knox Chandler? Best wide receiver to ever hit the field. Recipient of several NFL Honors awards. Future Hall of Famer Knox Chandler?” Marreigh questioned, bouncing in her seat in excitement.
Aiva wasn’t sure of the last two things. She wasn’t a big sports fan, but her little sister enjoyed watching. It was something she’d bonded with their sperm donor over. So, she was going to take her word for it.
“Yes, that’s him,” she responded.
“Are you going out again?” Marreigh inquired.
“Let her enjoy dating him before you ask for an autograph,” Lila stated, knowing, just like Aiva did, where the conversation was going.
They continued to converse through brunch, catching up and talking about the trip all the older siblings had planned at the end of the summer. Their little sister Tara, who was the oldest of the siblings under eighteen, was not amused that she was being left out, but they’d chosen to go on a cruise where children weren’t allowed.
By the time brunch was finished, they’d gone through the first two pitchers of mimosas and one and a half more. Meila paid the bill, Aiva left a tip, and the five went outside, where their Uber was waiting. They never drove when they brunched together because there was never any telling how much any of them would drink.
Aiva was the third to be dropped off. She said bye to her sisters and decided a nap was in order after the drinks and delicious food she’d eaten.
K nox walked through the front door of his parent’s house, and all was quiet. Both cars were in the driveway, which meant they were more than likely in the backyard. His mother liked to tend to her flowers on Sundays, and on the weekends, Yasmine stayed with them; they took their time to do so. He knew it was because his daughter liked to play in the dirt, and his mother, as a grandparent, seemed to forget what the word no meant when it came to her. Something she remembered well when he was a child.
He walked through the kitchen and out of the backdoor. Sure enough, he found his mother and Yasmine at one of the flower beds. His mother was pulling weeds, and his daughter was squeezing the dirt and mulch before letting it slide through her fingers. His father was sitting in one of the patio chairs under the shade of the awning, reading a book.
“Hey, son,” he greeted, when he looked up and saw Knox.
“Hey, Pop.” He squeezed his father’s shoulder.
“Daddy, Nana, and I are gardening,” Yasmine informed him.
“That’s great, sweetie,” he responded, walking over to kiss his daughter’s forehead. “Hey, Mom,” he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.
“Hey, honey. Are you and Yas staying for dinner?”
“Yeah, we’re staying.”
Knox would never turn down a meal his mother made, and it would give Yasmine more time to spend with them. Though she’d now get to do so as often as she and his parents wanted with the finalization of the divorce and the custody agreement it entailed.
“How was your weekend, son?” his father asked, placing his book aside.
“It was good. I, uh, I went on a date.”
“You did?” his mother questioned, tossing some weeds she’d just pulled aside. “How was it?”
“Maybe it’s just because I’ve been out of the game for a while, but I don’t remember dating being that connective in the beginning.”
“That’s a good thing. It means the two of you have chemistry,” his mother responded. “Where’d you meet her?”
“She was my lawyer.”
His mother turned to look at him. “I’m going to assume that since the divorce process is over, there are no conflicts of interest, and you waited until it was to ask her out.”
“Yes,” Knox responded. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to leave out that he’d clarified his intentions before then. The last thing he wanted was his mother lecturing him about putting himself in a position to give Mia more leverage or a reason for the judge to rule against him.
“Is a date like a playdate?” Yasmine asked.
“Yeah, just for adults,” Knox responded.
“Adults have playdates, too,” his father stated.
“You hush!” his mother ordered, and Knox snorted at the implication. His father laughed at his wife’s response.
“That’s good. I want to have playdates when I’m an adult, too!” Yasmine exclaimed, and Knox damn near choked on his spit.
“Let’s not worry about adult playdates until you’re thirty,” he suggested.
“I assume since you felt a connection, you’ll be taking her out again,” his father stated.
“I am. If she’s available next weekend.”
“Oh, that’s perfect. I was going to talk to you about getting Yas and taking her to Helen’s granddaughter’s birthday party, but if you’re going out, she can just stay with us.”
Knox nodded in agreement. He knew that his mother was enjoying this new unrestricted time she could spend with her granddaughter, and he would not rain on her parade yet, but he knew, at some point, he would have to let her know she didn’t have to keep Yasmine every weekend.
He was more than thankful for his parent’s help, and he knew it would come in handy during the transition, but he also wanted to be present in her life. Not just during the week. He didn’t want his daughter to feel as if she was getting a repeat of life with her mother. Being left with a sitter when she didn’t have school, so Mia could go out and do whatever she wanted without Yasmine as a responsibility.
After half an hour, his mother informed them she was going inside to start dinner. Yasmine’s interest in the dirt dissipated, and she pulled things out of her outside toy box until she found the bubble gun she was looking for. Knox helped her fill it with bubbles, and she ran around, spraying them out of the gun aimlessly until a butterfly gained her attention. The gun was quickly forgotten as she ran around, trying to get the butterfly to land on her.
“Sweet pea, if you stand still, it just may come to you.”
“Okay, Grandpa!”
Yasmine froze as if she were playing freeze tag, waiting for the butterfly to come to her. It didn’t and instead ended up flying out of the backyard, drawing an “Ah, man!” from his daughter. The disappointment was short-lived as she picked up her gun and began flooding the backyard with bubbles again.