Me, My Curves, and I {Interracial Romance} #Wattys2017

The Return of Uncle Bernie and Aunt Vivian

I reach for the orange juice out of the retrieval unit and pick up with my hand. I open the door and enter the restaurant to see the waiter taking orders. "Jay Jay Bird, where did you go?" Mom concerningly asks with worry on her face.

"I went outside to get a bottle of orange juice." I tell.

"Miss, what would you like to have?" The waiter questions to me. "I'll have a turkey burger with fries." I answer as the waiter jots down my order on a notepad before he goes to the next customer in my friends and family members. I walk back to Danny and sit down on the wall booths. He glances at me, causing him to smile with his teeth shining like pearls.

"Hey, Jaelyn! Can I ask you something?" Danny asks. I gulp before I can even speak.

"Yeah, you can ask me anything." I reply.

"Did you take your pregnancy test yet?" Danny queries. "Yes, I did . The first three of them were negative and the fourth test was positive." I explain. I watch Danny's reaction to the news and his widening of his eyes pop up the same time his smile grows bigger on his face. "So... So, there could be a possibility that we're having kids?" Danny inquiries and his fingers intertwine with mine while I tighten my fingers as they interlock with his. I flash a beam smile at him. "I hope so, Danny. I hope so." I sigh calmly.

"After we grab our food, how about we all go down to the beach and we jog, just like in the old times?" My Dad hints. I turn to Danny and let out a squeal because it has been a long time since my family and I have taken jogs to the park ever since Kandi went to college.

"Yeah!" My siblings and I clamor at the same time.

3:50 PM

Our family members, friends, Danny, and I are jogging behind our parents as our bare feet sinks into the sand stomp by stomp. We decide to ditch our shoes back in our cars because the brown sugar sand feels mushy and soft on the soles of my feet as well as the sand that is between my toes. The muffs of my headphones cover my ears as I listen to the song, "Papi Chulo," by Lorna. I become mesmerized with the song until I bump into someone's back. I move my head from left to right, so I can see what's happening. I begin squinting my eyes to figure out who Mom is talking to and I stop the song on my phone and pull my headphones back.

"Everyone, look who I've just encountered with!" Mom speaks in a cheery voice. Danny and I move forward in the crowd while Mom is walking with a middle aged couple. A woman is Hispanic while the man is African American. "Mom, who are they—" Miguel's question gets cut off.

"Mom? Dad?" Cousin Michelle inquiries. I tilt my head to the side and raise my eyebrow from Cousin Michelle to the couple, who are my Aunt Vivian and Uncle Bernie. The last time I've seen them was when I was one years old and they had bloodshot eyes, they were tired, lazy, and they were in their worst condition by using crack cocaine. Looking at my aunt and uncle now, their faces are cleared up, their teethes are visible, they don't appear to be sick, and their eyes are not bloodshot. "Michelle?"Aunt Vivian questions and comes towards one of her daughters, cupping her cheeks with her hands and out of nowhere, Aunt Vivian spanks Cousin Michelle on the butt, very hard.

"Ow!" Cousin Michelle cries and jumps from Aunt Vivian's embrace while she rubs her butt in circular motions.

"That's what you get when you tried to skip school just to be in that Bobby Brown music video when you were a teenager and for having sex at fifteen! You're still gonna get your butt whooped because while your father and I were away to Malibu, your Aunt Gloria told me that you had a boy come to your Cousin Kandi's room and she caught you in the act!" Aunt Vivian rebukes before she moves on to meet Luke.

"Look how big you are, Jae!" Uncle Bernie chuckles while he swathes his arms around me and I envelope my arms around his back. He places a gentle kiss on my head and pulls back away from me to notice Danny standing by my side. "Jay Jay, who's this fella by your side?" Uncle Bernie asks me.

I clear my throat with my mouth closed. "Uncle Bernie, this is my boyfriend, Danny. And, Danny, this is my Uncle Bernie." I introduce the both of them to each other. I watch the both of them firmly shake their hands. "It is so nice to meet you, Danny! What are your favorite sports?" Uncle Bernie asks Danny.

"Just because I'm an author, doesn't mean that I don't enjoy watching the New York Mets and the New York Jets." Danny rhymes.

"Wow, Danny! You just rhymed the words, 'Mets,' and, 'Jets.'" I notice and begin to chuckle briefly. Danny brings me closer to his body and rubs my shoulder in a soothing manner. "All right! Now, that's what I'm talking about!" Uncle Bernie gives Danny a high five. "I enjoy watching the New York Jets, New York Mets, and Dallas Cowboys."

For the entire day on the beach, we catch up with my Uncle Bernie and Aunt Vivian about our personal lives with our significant others. And it feels like they didn't leave their children at all. I look over at my Cousin Elijah, who has streams of tears on his face while he wraps his arms around Aunt Vivian while she cups the sides of his face with her hands.

"I know your father and I have put you and your brothers and sisters a lot when we went to rehab. The counselors at the rehab we went to in Malibu counseled your father and I. Now, it's our turn to counsel ourselves to you, your brothers, sisters, cousins, and your Aunt Gloria and Uncle Benjamin even though they took you guys in to their house. Your Dad and I have been sober for twenty five years. Some people didn't overcome their addictions, but we did and we're here now. We still want to be involved in your life as well as your siblings and cousins, too, Elijah." Aunt Vivian promises.