“What’s up, lady?”
“Nothing. Here– take this.”
The large wicker basket was immediately transferred to my hands. It was full of simple things, but it was designed so elegantly. Ribbons, bows, and fabric worked together to elevate the simplicity of the gifts inside.
Wine.
Journal.
Robe.
Chocolate.
Two books.
Visa gift card.
Homemade cookies.
Brownies.
Ink pens.
“Nadia– take one of these.”
“Champagne… and wine?” Nadia asked, taking the wine.
“You never know what a girl is into until you ask. I haven’t had the chance to, so we’re bringing both.”
“That’s true.”
“Elio– come on, darling.”
“Come on and do what? Stand around? I’ve been ready to go for the last thirty minutes. When y’all start walking towards the door, I’ll know you for real. Until then, let me sit here in peace.”
“You wouldn’t know peace if it slapped you across the face,” I told him, using one of his favorite lines.
“Peace won’t know peace either if it came across my face. It’ll have to change its name after I’m done with it. And, that’s fa sho.”
Chuckling at his nonsense, I started toward the door. It was the only way to get the old man out of his seat. As expected, his long legs shuffled after hitting the floor. He wasn’t too far behind Nadia, our mother, and me.
The four of us exited the seven bedroom home I’d purchased them after signing to the Vultures. It was my first large purchase and the first promise I made good on once I made it to the league. They’d been in the hills of Mt. Clarke for nearly five years now. Both loved every minute of it.
With my father at the wheel, we piled onto the six passenger golf cart. Because homes had so much distance between them, it was the source of transportation when visiting neighbors. Everyone around us had carts.
We exited my parent’s gates and headed left. I observed as Nadia retied the bow around the bottle of wine she held. Long, slim fingers worked together to get the job done. Nadia was three years older than me and had recently finished her residency. She was a pediatric cardiologist, a cardiothoracic surgeon more specifically.
Her work was just as precious as she was. The precision of the bow once she’d finished was evident of her standard.Perfection. She aimed for it in everything she did because, most times, lives depended on it. The lives of young children who deserved to live long healthy lives.
By the time I finished admiring her handy work and the arch of her smile, we’d made it to our destination. Finally, she’d noticed she was being watched. She shook her head and squinted her big brown eyes.
“Weirdo.”
I wasn’t weird at all. I was proud. Nadia was as gifted as she was beautiful. I couldn’t wait until the day she bumped into someone who wasn’t after her sanity. I was ready to see that smile of hers more often. She’d spent her entire adulthood chasing her medical dreams. Now that she was right where she wanted to be, I prayed love found her. A good love. A worthy love. A lasting love.
“Whatever,” I whispered as the wheels on the cart stopped at the gate.
My mother leaned over and pressed the red button linked to the home’s security system. As her hand rested on her lap again, the gates began to part. The wheels began to turn again, but stopped when the separation of the gates halted after only parting a full foot.
