“What?” I replied.
“You gonna tell me where that ring came from or why I haven’t talked to you in a month? Who done swept my baby up and I don’t know about it?”
“That would be me, ma’am,” Armond said as he stepped into the kitchen behind us.
My cheeks flushed and my heart began to race something wicked. How did he just show up like this? Always right on time like he was waiting to be mentioned.
I looked over at him and he winked as he made his way to my mother. He extended his arms and she looked at him with a raised brow then looked at Arlando. She gave it a double take then fell into his arms for a warm and welcome hug.
“Well now, this is quite the surprise indeed,” she said as she pulled away from Armond.
“He’s full of those,” I replied.
“As are you. Have you two gotten engaged? When did this even happen and how, with Jeffrey being his intrusive self?” Mommy inquired.
She just had to bring him up. I saw the tension in Armond’s back. He straightened himself then let out a light chuckle that was completely unnerving.
“She just needed the right man to wean the wild dogs off, ma’am. She won’t have to worry about him ever again,” he said confidently.
She nodded in approval with a quirk of a smile that let me know she liked Armond already.
“Well, good. That man just won’t take no for an answer. You would think someone so respectable in the military would have some class. Anyway, enough of the devil, Brandy, you’ve been holding out, ma’am.”
Mommy looked my way and I bashfully lowered my head. I felt so horrible for not mentioning Armond to her once. I talked to her about everything and she was like another best friend to me. I felt I was moving too fast and she wouldn’t approve.
“I can take partial responsibility for that, Ms. Walsh. I’ve taken quite a liking to Brandy and have made some bold promises to her I’m sure she wouldn’t deem acceptable in anyother situation, but when a man meets the love of his life, he knows.”
“Mmmhmm. So… you two are engaged?” she asked, motioning between the two of us with her pointer finger.
“No, Mommy, we aren’t engaged. This ring is a notion of promise and intention. He knew my reservations and partly what I was dealing with when it came to Jeffrey, so…”
When my eyes locked on my mother, her knowing smirk stopped me in my tracks. I knew she wasn’t buying it and I had to pull myself together so I could stop further embarrassing myself. I sighed and nodded.
“Yes, I guess we are engaged, Mommy. Armond is amazing and has shown me nothing but the best a gentleman has to offer but Mommy, the man is crazy,” I admitted.
She laughed and went to take the cake and cookies out of the oven. “Well, I could’ve told you that by the rock on your hand, girl.”
Everyone fell out in laughter and I looked at Armond who had the brightest eyes and smile in the room. My heart skipped and I made my way over to him and pecked his lips.
“I think a proper proposal is in order. What do you think?” he asked softly in my ear.
“We don’t need all of that. We’re far from traditional,” I expressed.
“Mommy, did you make any of those cinnamon roll cookies? You know those are my favorite,” Chardonnay said as she walked over to the stove to be nosy.
“They’re over there, woman, now get out of my face. I have one more batch of cookies to put on then I’m going to relax in that big ol’ jacuzzi you have in that backyard,” Mommy replied.
“How long are you staying, Mommy?” I asked.
“Until this grand dinner or whatever these boys talked me into,” she rattled off.
“Really?” Chardonnay and I exclaimed in unison.
“Yes, really. You really think we were about to have you meet our parents without your mom present?” Arlando asked.
“I mean, yeah,” Chardonnay chuckled. “I didn’t think it would be so formal. Just a meet and greet.”
“Ah, you must mistake me for these simple guys from your hometown. We move differently, Nay, as you should know already,” Arlando explained.
