“I’m sure going to pray on it. You staying for dinner?”
“Yes. I’m staying until I feel a little better. Right now I’m a wreck. I don’t want to be home alone.”
“You don’t have to be but you’re being stubborn right now.”
“I know, but we both need time to cool off right now. Things got a little heated earlier.”
“Alright. Whatever you say. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
This time, I allowed my mother to leave my presence and head into the kitchen. The smell of her smothered liver, brown rice, and corn on the cob made my stomach growl. I was hungry just thinking about the food I was going to pile on my plate. It had been years since I’d eaten liver, but I had every intention of making up for lost time. It used to be one of my favorites.
Between dinner and comfort,I was unable to fight the sleep that kept knocking for me to answer. I laid out on the couch in the living room watching television with James and the next thing I knew, I was waking up to a chiming phone and darkness surrounding me.
“Hello?” I answered, recognizing Luca’s contact almost instantly.
“What you doing?” My heart ached as I heard the sadness in his voice. Just like I missed him, he missed me too.
“Laying down.”
“Where? Because I’m at your apartment and you’re not here.”
I melted. Luca was at my place, and I was miles away on my mother’s couch. He’d come to me even after our spat, ready to love me through my bullshit. My eyes blurred as I thought of the words to say to him.
“I’m on my mother’s couch.”
“And I’m in your bed. Get the girls ready. I’m coming to get y’all.”
“No. It’s fine. I can drive.”
“You’re crying and it’s late.”
“Because I’m pregnant,” I confessed.
“I know, baby.” Luca responded in his usual, calm manner.
“And I was so mean to you.”
“It’s aight. I’m not laying down, pissed, so you’re not allowed to either. Bring your ass home so that we can talk about this shit. There’s more to the story than you being pissed about me taking my baby to get ice cream, Ever.”
“There is.”
“Okay and you’ve got all night to explain that. Come ’ere.”
“I love you, Luca,” I admitted for the very first time, wiping the tears that constantly fell from my eyes.
“Forever,” he responded before hanging up the phone.
I lifted my shirt from around my waist and wiped my face with it. Before I hit the road, it was imperative that I cleaned up my act. Otherwise, I’d be putting the girls’ lives in danger as well as my own. I couldn’t have that. Luca would not approve and neither did I.
“Essence. Emorey?”
Though I couldn’t see them, I could hear their little voices coming from the kitchen. I followed them until I reached myunofficial twins. They were up eating ice cream with my mom and James.
“Really? It’s nine o’clock. Why does everyone have ice cream in their hands?”
No one said anything. They all just looked at me like I was the crazy one. With a shake of my head, I opened the fridge and grabbed a dipped cone, too. I wasn’t going to be the only one missing out on the fun.
“Alright, girls. It’s time to go home. Go grab your things and let’s get out of here.”
