I sat downstairs for literally an hour waiting for them to return and they didn’t. Wondering what the hell was going on, I went upstairs to find Amber reading to my niece. The book I was supposed to read to her in one of the guest rooms.
Kay seemed to be really into the story. Amb was sitting up on the bed next to her, and Kay was up under her, listening intently.
“Once upon a time there was a little old woman and a little old man. The little old woman thought she'd make a gingerbread man. She rolled out the dough, and cut out the shape, and she put raisins for his eyes, and peppermints for his teeth, and put icing on his head for the hair. Then she put him in the oven, and when it smelled good, she opened up the door to take a peek and…”
“Kay, I thought I was supposed to read you the story?” I interrupted their little, whatever it was. I held my arms out for me to pick her up.
“No, I want Auntie Amber to do it. She makes funny voices like the people in the book when she reads.” Kay looked at her cheesing. Amber smiled back, until she saw my face.
“August you can do it.” Amber handed me the book and got up.
“Noooo!” Kay cried.
“Nah Auntie Amber she wants you, so you do it.” I left out the room and went into the bedroom.
AMBER P.O.V. –
“She’s sleep.” I told August as I came in. He didn’t respond to me. I was so used to this by now I wasn’t going to even ask him what was wrong. At this point I didn’t care.
I got in the bed and turned off the light. He turned the television to ESPN and basically blasted the sound.
“August, I have work in the morning. ” I turned over to look at him.
“And I’m not ready to go to sleep yet.” He remarked indignantly.
“Well can you turn the volume down.” I picked up the remote.
He snatched it from me. “It sounds fine to me. So roll your ass over.”
Now I could really tell this nigga off. This was after all my house. But, I know I can hit below the belt when I’m angry, and I know how sensitive he is. So I’mma just chill on that one for now.
“If you want to watch television there are two other rooms you can go to.”
“Or how about I go the fuck home?”
“Why are you yelling? Are you trying to wake Kay?”
“So you a fucking Kay expert now? Cause if I can recall, I been raising her since my brother got killed.”
“Are you jealous because she wanted me to read her the story?”
“It’s not about the fucking story. I don’t like how you tried to upstage me. Like look, I can do what your uncle can’t.”
I got up and closed the door because he was getting really loud.
“And then you got her calling you some fucking Auntie Amber, I didn’t tell you to tell her that shit.”
I told myself to first calm down. Don’t spaze on him. Cause lawd I was this close. Secondly, I said let him get out whatever he had to say.
“What would you prefer her to call me?”
“Nothing really.” He said smugly.
Don’t say anything smart Amber. Don’t say anything smart. Try to understand what he’s feeling. Try to come from a place of understanding. Iyanla Vanzat’s voice echoed in my head.
When he left earlier, I spent the day watching a marathon of Fix My Life on OWN. She taught me real well, because he would be out of my house by now.
He didn’t say anything else, which I assumed meant he was done. He just sat there. Looking angrily at the television.
“August, I apologize if it seemed I was trying to upstage you. That was not my intent baby.”
“Right.” He rolled his eyes. “Which is exactly why y’all was he-he-ing and haw-haw-ing by the fucking pool.”
“When we were outside by the pool, she asked me if we could throw you a party.”
“A party?” He looked over at me.
“Yeah, she said her house was too small and Uncle Aug deserves a big party.”
“Party for what?”
“Graduation. And she was telling me everything she wanted at the party. She, this little bity thing, was telling me she had to throw it and plan it. I was laughing at how she was taking control of planning this party. And I said what about Chay and Noonie. She said no me and you. Cause we know what Uncle Aug like. And I said, why do you think your Uncle deserves a party? And she said because Uncle Aug gives me anything I want. And I want to give him something.”
“Oh.” He said with a salty look on his face.
“That’s all we were doing baby. Planning. Planning your tea party.”
“She wanted me to have a tea party?” He smiled.
“Yeah, it was supposed to be a secret. So she asked me if we could go upstairs and talk about it, because you were standing there looking at us. I would never do that to you August. I know how much you love those girls, and I know how much they love you. I would never, ever, come between you all. And I’m hurt you would think I would do something as vindictive as that. ”
“Can I have an honest moment?”
“Yeah.” I sighed tired and sleepy.
“I have to admit I was a little jealous seeing y’all together. And seeing her all excited like that. It made me feel like, damn, she never did that for me. But I was just trippin. And I’m sorry baby.”
“It’s cool.” I laid down. He turned off the television. I felt him wrap his arms around my waist and lay his head on mine, pulling me closer to him in a spooning position.
“You forgive me?”
“Yeah baby. Go to sleep.”
He kissed my cheek. “You don’t have to say it back, but I love you, and I thank you for being patient with a nigga.”
“August get your hands off my breast.” He was caressing my breast in the darkness.
“That’s what that was? I thought it was a pillow. My bad.” I elbowed him and he laughed.
Chapter 21
Start from the beginning
