“She saying that because we’re black?” Aria whispered to Tyler.
“Bitch she's black too.” Shane popped her on the arm. “Please don’t get in here talking and have these people kick us out.”
The host opened the door and led the trio into a dimly lit room with a big screen. There were three rows of recliners with blankets draped over the arms. Small coffee tables were placed next to each recliner with little lamps, providing just enough light to see what was directly in front of you. The recliners were spaced out evenly, ensuring everyone had just enough breathing room.
“Here we are.” The host pointed to the first row. “We have you right up front. Let me know if there’s anything I can assist you with.”
Shane took a seat on the end, Aria sat in the middle, but Tyler was still standing up with a mean mug etched across her face. When she stuck up her middle finger, Shane startedlooking around the room. He prayed there weren’t any bloggers or paparazzi in the same room as them because he wasn’t in the mood to have their face plastered on three thousand different sites. Shane had been so busy that he was hoping tonight they could relax without all the extra shit.
“Ty, what’s wrong?” Shane stood up, taking the space beside her. Being that he was trying to keep a low profile, he asked if they could be let in early. The other guests had yet to arrive, so he wasn’t sure who Tyler was talking to.
“You don’t see that bitch looking at me like I won’t knock her head off her shoulders?” she gritted.
“The ankle bracelet you’re wearing says you won’t do that, and who?” He followed her line of sight but was confused.
“The bitch in the green looking like a fucking fig tree.” Tyler jumped.
“Bitch.” Shane palmed his head. He had never questioned their friendship, but there was a first time for everything. “It is a fig tree!” he said through gritted teeth. “Sit. The. Fuck. Down.”
“Oop,” Aria snickered.
“The next time yall wanna take mushrooms, I'm locking yall hoes in the closet,” he promised. “Sit down!”
“Aht aht.” Aria wagged her finger at him. “Don’t yell at my friend.”
“I’m two seconds away from gluing your lips together,” Shane promised.
Almost twenty minutes later, fifteen more people entered the room, and Shane wanted to clap when the lights lowered. He was ready to get a drink in his system because Aria and Tyler had his blood pressure high as hell.
As the opening credits rolled, the waiters walked in with a glass of pink champagne for the celebration of Bird and Lem’s wedding. The champagne started off bitter but left a sweet taste in their mouths as Big Mama danced with Lem, saving Bird’s wedding and marriage.
“I would have fucked Lem and that bitch up,” Tyler uttered, swallowing the rest of her champagne. “This nigga dancing with that big booty bitch and Bird in the bathroom crying.”
“We know,” Shane and Aria giggled, gazing down at her blinking ankle.
“Fuck yall.”
Fifteen minutes into the movie, the waiters were coming out with fried deviled eggs and a sweet and sour whiskey. The deviled eggs represented Big Mama's stubbornness after she burned her arm on the stove. Like most older people, she claimed she didn’t need a doctor, but her family wasn’t having it. The drink represented the sisters' attitude toward one another. One minute they were loving on each other and the next they were fighting about the past and things they couldn’t change.
“Teri should’ve tore Maxine's ass out of the frame for stealing her man,” Aria snorted. “Stole that girl whole life and she got stuck with Miles funny looking ass.”
“Swear,” Tyler agreed, thinking they probably should’ve just watchedBaby Boy.Soulfoodwas hitting a little too close to home.
Right after that, they were given a drink that represented Cousin Faith. It was sweet but would sneak up on you later. Thanks to the drink, Tyler was seeing two fig trees instead of one.
“Nobody's cutting off my leg,” Tyler and Aria repeated after Big Mama. “And that’s that.”
“Excuse me.” The host appeared. “Could you please refrain from quoting the movie? It’s disturbing the other guests.”
“Fu-” Aria started cursing, but Shane slapped his hand over her mouth.
“Of course,” he smiled forcefully.
When she walked away, Tyler and Aria giggled.
“If they put us out, I’m going to disown yall,” Shane vowed.
By the time Big Mama was going into surgery, Tyler and Aria were in shambles. They were crying out loud like it was their grandmother on the table and she suffered a stroke. The healthy helping of roast, potatoes, and carrots didn’t comfort them like it was supposed to. Shane was over the theatrics and promised himself that if they had one more outburst, he was going to drag them out of the movie by their ear.
