Chapter 4
Violet
"I missed your face, woman," I say to Josy as we embrace each other tightly.
"I missed you too. I can’t believe that you are here. I have been impatiently waiting for you guys to arrive," Josy replies, her voice filled with excitement. She then turns to Adrian and pulls him into a hug as well.
"Bruh, you are gonna kill me. Don’t squeeze me too hard," Adrian protests playfully.
"Dude, Adrian! You are so grown. I can’t believe that you are almost as tall as me," Josy remarks, her tone lighthearted.
"Bruh, everyone is taller than you, you are tiny, Auntie Josy," Adrian teases, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips. Josy turns to me with raised eyebrows, a silent question in her eyes before redirecting her gaze back to Adrian.
"What’s up with this 'bruh' word? Is that a new thing now? Calling your elders 'bruh'?" Josy questions, her tone tinged with amusement and curiosity.
"I have been telling him to stop saying that word. It sounds so disrespectful," I explain, feeling a hint of exasperation at Adrian's choice of words.
“Mom, you know that I don’t wanna be disrespectful, that's just how I talk,” Adrian defends.
“Well, that’s not how I taught you to speak to adults, bruh . It’s okay if you do that with your friends, but don’t do it with anyone older than you. I’m getting tired of telling you this.” I sigh, feeling the weight of the repetitive conversation.
“I know, I know. Sorry, Auntie Josy,” Adrian apologizes sheepishly.
“It’s okay, tiny dude. I love you anyway,” Josy reassures him with a warm smile.
“I’m not tiny anymore.” Adrian grumbles.
“Bruh, you will always be my tiny dude. I don’t care how old or tall you get,” Josy says as she playfully tries to tickles Adrian. “Anyway, let me show you guys around,” Josy suggests, leading the way toward the house, with us following closely behind.
Inside the house, we’re welcomed by a warm, inviting atmosphere. The décor is a perfect mix of modern and rustic touches, giving it both charm and sophistication.
As we step into the spacious living room, the first thing that catches my eyes is the huge stone fireplace. Candles flicker on the hearth, and a couple of comfy armchairs are perfectly placed. Natural light streams in through the large windows, offering a glimpse of the lush greenery outside. This place screams Josy all around with tasteful thrifted finds everywhere.
After all these years, she still has the same sense of style and I love it.
Next to the living room is the kitchen, a dream space for anyone who loves to cook. It has shiny stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and a big island that's great for both cooking and casual meals. The smell of fresh coffee fills the air, blending with the scent of herbs growing in a small windowsill garden.
As Josy shows us around, we walk through different rooms, each cozier than the last. The dining room has a rustic wooden table surrounded by mismatched chairs, which gives it a relaxed, eclectic vibe. Down the hall are the bedrooms, with soft, plush beds and crisp linens that look perfect for a good night’s sleep.
In the backyard, there’s a beautiful garden full of colorful flowers and greenery. A stone path winds through the garden, leading to a cute gazebo tucked away in a quiet corner.
Overall, Josy's house was a haven of comfort and hospitality. I can’t even start imagining what the guest house will look like.
“Girl, you never told me that you live in a mansion,” I exclaimed, my eyes widening in surprise.
“It's not a mansion. My Nana had my Dada build her dream house, and she loved how it turned out. They weren't rich, but he saved up, and they used some inheritance to buy the land. Selling part of it later brought in more money,” Josy explained, a hint of pride in her voice as she spoke of her family's history.
“Well, I love it,” I say to Josy, my admiration for the house evident in my voice.
“I love it too. The only bad thing about this big house is that it takes me forever to clean it. I’m hoping that I can hire someone to clean it in the future,” Josy says with a chuckle, her tone tinged with a hint of resignation.
“While I’m here, I can definitely help you out with cleaning,” I offer.
“There’s no need. I didn’t invite you here to clean my house,” Josy replies firmly.
“She invited us here because she wanted to spend time with her godson and probably buy him a puppy,” Adrian chimes in from another room. He’s not even close to us but is clearly paying attention to our conversation.
“Damn, those ears of yours are working perfectly at such a convenient time,” I say, shaking my head in amusement. “You can listen to our conversation in another room, but somehow didn’t hear me when I asked you to do the dishes last week!” I exclaimed.
Josy laughs. "Well, Adrian, maybe I did have a secret plan to spoil you a bit. How about it? Do you want a puppy?"
Adrian's face lights up with excitement when he comes in to view getting closer to us. “Really, Auntie Josy? Can we get one?”
Before Josy can reply, I interject. “No, Adrian. We had a deal. We’ll get a puppy when we have our own house, not before,” I say, giving him a stern look.
Josy looks at me with a smile. “Well, if you already have a deal with your mom, you better stick to it, bruh. But when that time comes, I’ll be the first to help you pick out the perfect puppy.”
“Also, my evil plan was to bring you both here and make you stay with me so I can stop feeling lonely in this house,” Josy says playfully. “You know what? Instead of staying in the guest house, why don’t y’all stay here with me? I have the space,” Josy says as she turns to look around her big house.
“Thanks for your offer, but I refuse to bother you here. We are okay staying in the guest house,” I say, leaning over and lowering my voice so Adrian can’t hear me. “Besides, I don't want to be here in case you bring one of your friends to spend the night.”
Josy laughs, nodding in understanding. “Fair enough. The guest house it is, then.”
I smile and say, “So, are you going to show us the guest house?”
“Yes. Let’s go!” Josy exclaimed.
Adrian comes running from somewhere in the house and tries to hug me and kiss me. Instead of hugging, he puts all his weight on my shoulders, making me stumble.
“Adrian! Don’t do that, you’re going to make me fall, and you’re too heavy,” I complain.
He dislodges himself from me and says, “Sorry, I just felt like hugging you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go and see our temporary home,” I mumbled.
We follow Josy outside her house and walk the fifty feet to the garage.
“This is the private entrance to the guest house. You can also enter through the garage,” Josy explains.
The garage is spotless. Josy’s SUV is parked there, and there’s plenty of space for my own. As we walk, I see a white door that leads to the stairs. Josy goes up first, followed by Adrian, and then I head up after. When I enter the door, I’m shocked. The apartment is the same size as the garage and has an open concept.
To the right, I see a small kitchen and dining room. The living room is next to the dining area, cozy and inviting. To the left, there are three doors, one leading to a full bathroom, and the other two are bedrooms.
The kitchen is modern with sleek countertops and stainless steel appliances. The dining table, though small, is perfect for our needs. The living room has a comfortable couch, a coffee table, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. It’s a perfect space for us to relax and unwind after a long day.
The bedrooms are a good size, with plenty of natural light filtering through the windows. One room has a queen-sized bed, while the other has a twin bed, perfect for Adrian. Both of them have enough closet space for our belongings.
“Wow, this is amazing,” I say, turning to Josy. “You’ve really outdone yourself.”
“I wanted you to feel at home. I’m so glad you like it,” Josy says with a big smile.
Adrian runs into his room, excitedly exploring every corner. “This is so cool, Mom! I love it here!”
I smile, feeling relieved. “I think we’re going to be very happy here until we can find a house to buy,” I say to Josy.
“Me too,” Josy replies. “Welcome home.”
I smile brightly. “Tomorrow, I’ll enroll Adrian in school and buy all his supplies. I still can’t believe my baby is going to middle school.”
“It’s not a big deal, Mom. Just another grade,” Adrian says nonchalantly.
“If you say so…” I tease.
“And Monday is also going to be your first day at the coffee shop. I’m so excited to have you work with me,” Josy chimes in.
“About that, are you sure you want me in your coffee shop? I haven’t worked in almost twelve years,” I remind her.
“I really, really want you there. Don’t worry about anything. I’ll teach you everything you need to know this weekend. Now let’s go have dinner, and afterward, I’ll show you around town,” Josy responds.
“That sounds perfect,” I say with a grateful smile.
“I forgot to tell you, I have a surprise for you, Tiny Dude,” Josy says, turning to Adrian, wiggling her eyebrows.
“What is it?” Adrian says with excitement.
“I made your favorite meal,” Josy says while beaming at Adrian.
“Please tell me it's spaghetti carbonara.” Adrian holds his hands in a pleading gesture.
“What would you do if I really made your favorite pasta?” Josy asked with a playful smile.
“I’d kiss you and tell you that you’re my favorite aunt-slash-godmother in the whole world.”
“But I’m your only aunt-slash-godmother.”
“Exactly, bruh.”
At Adrian’s words, we all burst into laughter.
“You’re crazy, Tiny Dude, but I’ll take a big hug and a kiss as payment. And don’t forget to tell everyone I’m your favorite person in the world,” Josy says, smiling.
“We have a deal.”
“Good, let’s eat,” Josy says as she gives a big hug to Adrian.
This is what I need; my son, and my best friend.