We tuned back into the video, watching my pops grab my head and kiss my forehead. “Say hi to the camera.”
“You look just like your dad,” Jela asserted.
“He sure does,” Grams agreed.
“What up!” I said, throwing up fake gang signs.
Pops chuckled. “Boy, you swear you so hood. I may need to stop letting you go back to Michigan, huh?”
“You know Mom's gon’ have a fit. I don’t think you want those problems, old head.” I chuckled.
“She ain’t got no damn power. Anyway, I want to show you something.”
“Okay.”
“Jules! Bring ya bad ass on!” Pops yelled.
Jules came running his bobble head over to us as Pops led us through the house and out front.
I remembered this day. It was the day he surprised us with the mopeds.
“Why is it three?” I asked him.
“One is for your brother when he comes to visit.”
“He’s gonna be basing! Thanks, Pops!”
“You’re welcome, son.”
“Can we ride them now, Uncle Iman?”
“Yeah, just around the compound. Don’t go outside the gate.”
“Bet! Come on, Tru!” We ran off in excitement as Pops chuckled.
“Bad-ass kids,” he said, then the video ended.
“I miss him,” Grams noted.
“We all do, Mama. But he’s still with us in spirit,” Aunt Nora said.
“Anyhoo. Now that we’re done reminiscing, who wants dessert?” Uncle Nell asked. “Sarah’s ass trying to make niggas cry in here and shit.”
Everyone laughed, and my cousins and uncles began to head toward the dining room for dessert.
“You want some dessert, J?” I asked.
“No thanks. I’m pretty full.”
“A’ight.”
I kissed her cheek, and she smiled. I removed a curl from her face, then trailed my finger down her cheek until I reached her lips and kissed them. When I finally peeled my eyes away, Aunt Nora was watching with a grin on her face.
“Where did you two meet?” she asked.
Shit.
I wasn’t expecting anyone to ask us that. I could feel Jela’s body tense, and I rubbed her thigh to calm her. My family knew nothing about Jela. Dame stopped coming around after my pops passed because I had moved in with our moms full-time. Even when I’d visit them for the holidays and spring break, he never wanted to come. I chalked it up to him grieving my pops too—not wanting to come around anymore because my pops was gone. They didn’t know that Jela used to be his girl; they just knew he had a baby since I had mentioned Chunks to them a few times.
