CONFLICTED

Chapter 53| Soulmate

"Chris, you... wanna watch the game?" he offered and shifted uneasily on the white couch.

yeah, bribe me with that shit.

I bit my lip to hold back from spilling my intrusive thoughts and faked a smile instead.

"No, thanks. I don't watch football."

"You're missing out, son." he said in a singsong and returned to the Tv.

At the creepy sensation crawling up my spine, I visibly shuddered to brush it off. Son? The fuck? At that, I left for the kitchen and salivated at granny's cooking.

"Smells good." I commented with eyes dancing around the dishes.

"It sure is. Fried yam and scrambled eggs." she beamed and I gasped excitedly.

The popular combo was fried yam and stew but I say crisp yam and scrambled eggs on the side any day any time.

"Fuck yeah." I smacked my lips appreciatively, "Now we're talking."

Granny wiped her hands on her apron and flicked my bare arm with her finger, causing a brutal sting on my poor skin.

"Ow!" I whined and clutched my arm with a pink bruise signed off on it. "Why does everyone keep assaulting me around here?"

"Everyone?" she asked but I ignored it. I was referring to Tracy's love of swatting my arm every chance she got, well whenever I was intentionally being an ass.

"You stop using foul languages and I'll stop." she chided once more.

At the impossibility of it, I sniggered and she laced me a glare.

"Fine! I've heard." I told her and reached for a piece of yam.

"Take that hand back or I pour hot oil on it." she threatened and I withdrew and pouted.

Granny continued stirring the scrambled eggs on the fry pan and my pout deepened until she caved.

"Alright, take one."

I smiled at her compromise and quickly grabbed two from the dishware before she noticed.

"Congratulations on your wassce." she piped and I stopped munching on the fry.

"You've heard about it?"

"Yes, of course. Why do you think I fried yam, your favorite?" she replied and I lost my appetite.

Still, I forced the last piece into my mouth and swallowed the tasteless mush.

"Right." I mouthed flatly.

"Your dad has been talking about it the whole day." her eyes lit up, "He's so proud of you."

"He is, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is." she answered my rhetoric. "He talks about you just the way I talk about my girl so I can tell you made him proud."

"Actually, you don't really talk about your daughter and she has never come to visit."

Granny turned off the heat and took off the apron.

"I do speak of her once a while but there's just no point talking all the time about someone you haven't met. Olive works close by too but she's refused to stop by. Apparently, she doesn't want me working here but little does she know that you all are also family to me."

"Mhm." I hummed in reply and crossed over to the fridge to grab an apple.

"That young lady that visits you is friends with my daughter so I'm sure you'll bump into her soon enough." she added and carried the tray of food.