Tae.
"It sure is good to see you this Sunday, Mr. Taelor." I smelled the White Diamond perfume before she could even finished walking up on me. She placed her hand on my shoulder causing me to turn around, seeing her smiling down at me.
"Nice to see you again, Sister Rose." I fake smiled back as she walked away, going to greet others that were sitting in the Church.
"That's your girlfriend." Nicole whispered to me, smirking like a Clown. "I told you she has a crush on you. You only missed one Sunday this month and she noticed, then-"
"You jealous of an old woman?" I was amused. "She don't be speaking to you when I'm around though."
"Exactly!" She whispered. "She don't like me because of you." She grabbed her purse from beside her as we stood from the pew we were sitting in. Korea and her girls, Mama Yo, and Mr. Lenard had long gone but we had to sit around and wait all day on my fucking Mama while she talked to everybody in the Church.
I woke up in a good mood this Morning, so I offered to pick her up and treat her to Breakfast before Service— big mistake. All she did was talk the entire time, the rest of us couldn't even enjoy our food. Nicole was the only one engaging in her pointless conversations, but I did hear some valuable information. The Church was putting aside a Love Offering in memory of Deacon Emory, which was going towards hiring some Personal Detective or Investigator one of the other Deacons mentioned. Apparently he was the real deal and could trace back basically anything. It honestly irritated me a little bit that they all hadn't let the shit go by now. It'd been a little over eight months, yet they still were talking about it. Let the man rest in peace for fuck sake. Other than that, I still wasn't too worried.
"Y'all must be ready to go?" My Mama chuckled as she walked up on Nicole and I. "Why the long faces?"
"Yeah, we been ready to go." I mumbled, picking Troi up again since we finally were leaving. "We been in here for almost three hours."
"You can never spend too much time in the Lord's House, Son." I rolled my eyes, holding one of the wooden double doors open for them to walk out ahead of me.
"Tell him again!" Nicole encouraged her, smirking at me.
"Fuck you" I mumbled under my breath.
"What you say, Son?"
"Nothing, I was talking to Nicole." I lifted Troi higher up on my hip as she hummed something to herself. "I'm dropping you off at Home?" I interrupted Nicole and my Mama's conversation. They walked along one another towards the parking lot while I trailed behind them with Taejin and Troi.
"No, I'm riding with y'all wherever y'all going." I rolled my eyes internally. "Remember?"
"No, I don't remember. Don't you gotta go home and change?" She had a nice ass BMW that she could drive herself anywhere she wanted to go in.
"I brought another Dress with me for Sunny Dinner." She repeatedly pulled on my door handle, being irritating.
"You still don't wanna go home first and freshen up?"
"Taelor, if you don't open this door." Nicole complained. "It's hot out here."
"Nobody told you to pile all that glue on top of your head." She pressed down the front of her baby hair. "You could've and should've drove your own car too." I finally hit the locks after taking my time pulling my keys from my pocket.
"Stop being so grumpy and mean and all the time." Nicole quickly climbed into the passenger seat while I strapped in the kids. She must've felt my eyes on her because she turned around, making eye contact with me. "And you should stop frowning so much." She suggested. "That causes wrinkles." She turned her face up, nodding at me as she spoke.
"You cause wrinkles too." My Mama laughed. "I don't know why you laughing. You stress me out just like she do."
She waved me off as I closed the door, getting in the drivers seat. "Can you turn the air on?" Nicole asked immediately before I could even turn the car on.
"I'm bout to, relax."
"I can't relax in heat."
"Yet you talking about going on Vacation." I twisted the air knob, turning it on full blast.
"That's not the same thing Taelor."
"So where you want me to take you, Backseat Lady?" I looked in the rearview mirror at my Mama. She insisted on Nicole sitting in the front and I thought it was funny to see her sitting in the back, between two car seats.
"I told you wherever y'all going."
"You need to go home and change?" I glanced over at Nicole.
"No" She looked down at her outfit, running her hands over her skirt.
"Well I do."
"Then why'd you ask?"
"You just told me to stop being so mean and grumpy all the time."
She laughed into her hand. "Shut up Tae."
"What's on the menu for Sunday Dinner this week?"
"I don't know." My Mama answered. "I haven't spoken to Yolanda since earlier in the week and she didn't tell me to cook anything." She explained. "Nicole, do you know?"
We both looked towards her. "Korea said something about Mr. Lenard putting some meat on the Barbecue Pit." Nicole filled us in.
"Oh ok" My Mama said in approval while I thought about the plate I planned to make. "He probably thinking about the kids going back to school soon."
The kids only had a couple more weeks before they had to report back to what they called prison. Taejin would be starting real school this year and I was super excited for my son. At the same time, I was in my feelings about him growing up so fast.
"Mhm, Korea told me to make some potato salad but I forgot." Nicole shrugged. "I'll just get some from the store."
"No you won't." I turned my face up, looking at her in disapproval. "Who want some store bought ass potato salad? Shit be crunchy as hell." She laughed but I was dead serious.
"Why don't you make it then?"
"Show me how and I will."
"I'll make it, Baby." My mama chuckled at us going back and forth. "You got the potatoes at home?"
"Yes ma'am, an entire bag full."
Once we got to Nicole's place, I went into her room to change while my Mama started on the potato salad and Nicole helped. "I'm going to go change my shoes." I heard Nicole getting closer to the bedroom.
"Tae, I need to talk to you."
"What?" I fastened my watch, turning to face her. She had a worried look on her face but knowing her, I was sure it was nothing.
"Your Mama asked me to get something out her purse and I found this." She took a Dark Purple Flask from behind her back. She shook it, holding it up to her ear. "There's still alcohol in here but it's not even halfway full."
"What you bring it in here for?" I felt like she should've left it where she found it.
"Really Tae?"
"What do you want me to say about that, Nicole?" She was about to get upset for no reason. "We know she still drinking, it's just not like it was before." My Mama had improved a lot in a short amount of time. I had no problem looking further into it, but I didn't think it was as deep of an issue as Nicole was trying to make it.
"I really think you should tell her."
"Tell her what?" I already knew what she was getting at.
"That you did it! I know it won't be easy but that way she'll get some type of closure and stop drinking all together. Did you not hear what we were talking about at Breakfast this Morning, and what the Deacons were saying in Church?"
"Again, I didn't do that shit."
She stared at me for a minute before she smacked her lips, going into her closet. "Whatever Tae. I hope you know you're just digging yourself into a deeper hole." She shouted from the closet as I rolled my eyes. "I know you're lying but once I have all the facts and proof in front of me, I'm done with you. Me, the kids, the beautiful black family? Goneeee!" She sang.
"Alright Nicole"
"Alright Nicole" She mocked me, deepening her voice. "You think I'm playing but I'm not. I'm already mentally preparing myself and yet you keep lying to me."
"You think I wanna hear this shit? It's Sunday, we just left Church." I trailed off. "Leave me alone."
"I gotta sneak this back into your Mama Purse anyway." She shook the Flask again, coming out of her closet bypassing me. "I'm serious about what I said though, Tae." She held a stern look on her face. "I hope you were listening."
************************************
Nicole.
"Hey girl!" I sat down by Korea, sitting Troi in my lap. She'd been attached at my hip lately and I was loving every minute of it. I'd always take advantage any time she chose me over Tae because they were far and few in between.
"Hey, took y'all long enough. I thought you were coming here right after Church?"
"We were, but Tae wanted to change clothes and Ms. Karen made the Potato Salad for me."
"How was Breakfast this morning? You were telling me right before Church started."
"Oh yeah" I thought about Taelor and the conversation we'd just had. "It was good— Ms. Karen really was the only one talking."
Korea laughed "Was she that bad?"
"Girl, my French Toast was cold before I could taste it." She laughed again. "Where is Mia and Cali?"
"Sitting in the playroom upstairs I believe."
"Mila and Maurice?"
"Maurice said she was on her way and Mila was putting Sunny to sleep."
"You wanna go play Mama?" I placed my hand on Troi's belly, looking down at her. The Kids had a whole Playground in the backyard at Ms.Yolanda's. Troi played on it sometimes but majority of the time she wasn't too impressed.
She shook her head no "Stay here" I felt her small fist gripping a handful of my shirt. "Mommy chair"
"I am not your chair little girl." I corrected her but allowed her to stay right where she was. If she was comfortable then so was I.
"Where Cari, KoKo?" She asked Korea cutely, putting her dirty sandals in her lap. I guess I was the chair and Korea was her footstool.
"In the House with Nanny." Korea spoke about Ms. Yolanda, turning Troi's ankle bracelet face front so the latch was hidden in the zipper of her sandal.
I absolutely loved jewelry so it was only right that I iced my Baby out too. Ever since Troi was born, any Chain or Bracelet that I got, I always would get a few links taken out so she could have a bracelet or ankle bracelet to match me. It had grown to be something special between her and I.
"I think they were making Banana Pudding." Korea informed her causing Troi's face to light up. Korea matched her facial expression as a big cheesy grin broke out on her face. "Ouuu, I know you love you some Banana Pudding, Troi-Troi." Korea tickled her, making her squirm laughing in my lap.
"You wanna go in the Kitchen?" I asked once all of our laughing died down.
"Mommy come too." Troi clung to me, wrapping herself around one side of my body as I stood to my feet. She took me by surprise, grabbing my face and hugging me as tight as she could.
"Aw, Troi" She warmed my heart, kissing my lips as I chuckled against hers.
"Awwww" Korea cooed. "Let me find out she's being clingy with you like this for a reason." She raised her brow, sliding the patio door open for me to walk through first. "Is that Pregnancy I smell in the Air?" She giggled like a fool.
"Maybe for you but definitely not for me. That's why you're the only one smelling it, Slut." I joked with her, smirking while she laughed clutching her invisible pearls.
"Why I gotta be a Slut? When did I become one? I'm confused."
"You shouldn't be." I glanced over my shoulder at her as we slowly walked through the hallway that lead towards the front of the House. "You the one getting all dressed up and going on Dates with our Photographer." I gave her the eye. "Multiple dates in one week at that, I'm just saying." I zipped my mouth closed.
"It wasn't on purpose-" I busted out laughing, cutting her off. "You know what?" She pointed at me. "F you, Nicole." She told me, not wanting to curse.
"You're taking it out on me when Montana is the one you wanna fuck." She shot me a look. "There, I said it for you Bestfriend."
"Leave me alone." She mumbled once we got into the Kitchen.
"Never, I love you a little too much."
"There she is, the party starting now!" Mr. Lenard smiled, wiping his hands as Troi smiled back already knowing he was talking to her.
"Hi Papa!" She squealed, giggling into my neck as he reached for her. The Kids adored all three of their Grandparents and I loved that for them. I didn't have the luxury of experiencing Grandparents or much Family in general as a child, so I was extremely grateful that my kids and nieces got to experience the opposite.
"What my Big Girl been doing, huh?" He asked her, hugging her before he placed her on her feet. She spun around, grabbing the sides of her dress in her hands for him to compliment her. "Aw, suki suki now! Papa see you, I love that dress. Mommy bought that for you?"
She nodded, looking back at me. "Say yes sir, Troi."
"Yes sir, Papa" She told him. "Look at my shoes!" She stomped her feet.
"Come here, let Nanny see." Ms. Yolanda called for her from the stove where she was stirring her pudding mix. "You're so busy with your Papa that you forgot all about me." I chuckled at her being petty as she tapped her wooden spoon against the bowl, licking the excess off her thumb.
"You look so pretty." She bent down to Troi's level. "And you did so good in Church today— Nanny was watching you." She got in trouble last Sunday for whining during Alter Prayer.
"Troi have a Nana, Nanny?" She asked for a Banana.
"If there's any left." Ms. Yolanda strained a little as she picked Troi up off her feet. "Your cousin been eating them all." She spoke in a stern tone causing Cari to look up with a guilty face and a mouthful of Banana.
"Cari Grace" Korea called her name. "You know better than to stuff your mouth and what Bananas will Nanny have to put in the Pudding if you keep eating them all?" She tore a paper towel off the holder, going to wipe Cari's mouth.
Ms. Yolanda sat Troi on the counter, beside Cari, opening up another Banana. "For Troi?" Troi pointed at herself.
"Yes, this Banana is for Troi." She held in her laugh as Troi began telling Cari she couldn't have any.
"Mommy" Cari stuck her bottom lip out, beginning to rub her eyes as she called for Korea.
"Yes?"
"Wanna see Daddy." She whined, continuing to rub her eyes. "Get down" Korea complied, standing from the barstool she was sitting on.
"I'm not sure where your Daddy is, but I'll be sure to tell him no more Bananas when we find him." She immediately started throwing a fit, heartbroken that Korea was onto her game.
Mr. Lenard and I laughed while Ms. Yolanda shook her head. "These kids really do think they're slick." She added in, going back to mixing her pudding.
"Cari, I'm not in the mood for a fit over Fruit." Korea gently grabbed her wrist, attempting to pull her up from the brown wooden floor. She sighed as Cari kicked ber legs, fake crying. She literally was just making noise to irritate us all because she couldn't get what she wanted.
"Five.. Four.. Three— Cari, if I get to one then you know it's gonna be a problem."
"Aww Suga-Foot, you know Papa don't like to see you crying." Mr. Lenard soft ass tried to intervene once he realized Cari was close to getting a whooping.
"Whatever Lenard, you were just laughing." Ms. Yolanda called him out, making me bust out laughing. Although Korea was annoyed, she couldn't help but laugh either.
"Y'all know how I am about these two little girls." He loved all the Kids equally, but Cari and Troi were his heart. I guess it was because they were the only two he'd been there since the beginning for.
I remembered being pregnant with Troi, I stayed on Mr. Lenard about some food. If Ms. Yolanda wasn't in the mood to make whatever I was craving, then he would with no questions asked.
He somehow convinced Cari that Cocomelon was better than a Banana— He and the Girls left the kitchen to go sit in the Den while Korea and I stayed back to talk.
"Did you BFF tell you that she tried to get outta Sunday Dinner this week, Nicole?" Ms. Yolanda asked with her back to me.
"Who?" I only had one Bestie and that didn't sound like Korea.
Korea smacked her lips, putting her hand over her face out of embarrassment. "Mama, you said we weren't going to speak of that again."
"You know I was lying." Ms. Yolanda faced us. "I still can't believe you would do such a thing— you lucky I'm only telling Nicole. I should tell the whole damn Family."
"What did you do?" I was clueless.
She licked her lips, sighing as she began to explain. "I had a lot of different thoughts circulating through my mind earlier in the week, so I called Mama Yolanda and told her I didn't think it was a good idea for me to come to Sunday Dinners anymore."
I scrunched my face up. "Why? Julio-"
"He didn't say anything to me." She cleared it up before I could start. "It just was a personal decision that I made in the moment." She shrugged. "Julio and I are on bad terms more than we are on good, and you're his Mom, and-"
"And nothing!" Ms. Yolanda shut her up. "We already talked about it, but I'm gonna tell you again— You're my daughter, always will be. I don't care what you and Julio go through, none of that matters nor will it affect the love that I have for you, Korea. I love you, you hear me?"
"Yes ma'am"
"Hell, I talk to you more than him anyway." She waved it off. "Don't ever feel like you shouldn't come around even if you and Montana are getting more serious."
"Oop!" I meddled, knowing Korea probably felt like running out the room.
"Mamaaaa!" Korea sang. "How-"
"Don't worry about it. I figured that glow was coming from somewhere and I know it ain't my Son." She winked at Korea before going back to what she was doing.
"Nicole, shut up!" She spat as she covered her face again while I laughed, clapping my hands annoyingly. "You make me so sick."
"Go see Doctor Montana then." I whispered before my laughing started up again.
"You should invite him to Sunday Dinner." Ms. Yolanda commented, obviously oblivious to the fact that her Son was out of his mind. We'd had multiple Dinners and Birthday Parties where Julio and Montana were in the same room, and they rarely went well. There was always some words exchanged and majority of the time, it was because of Julio and his jealousy.
"Maybe another Sunday." I was so happy to hear Korea say that. I didn't feel like hearing fighting words exchanged while I tried to enjoy my Barbecue. I already had one of my meals ruined for the day, didn't need to make it two.
"Mila still ain't came downstairs?" I quickly changed the subject.
"I went to check on her right before y'all came inside, her and Sunny are both asleep." Ms. Yolanda filled me in. "Snoring and all."
"I wonder what's got her so tired." Korea fake sipped her tea. "She's been napping a lot lately."
"Mhm, but she's always up posting Snapchats and commenting on old pictures every night— all through the night." I added, letting Korea know I picked up on Mila's sudden changes too. It was kind of hard not to. I had to turn my Instagram notifications off because of her, she literally would like hundreds of old ass pictures from years ago every single night.
"Yeah and I noticed those Snapchats never have sound, but she's always talking to somebody in the background."
"Exactly" It felt good to know we were on the same page. We made eye contact with one another. "Duke" We both said at the same time.
"I knew it!" Korea stood up as I dramatically stomped my feet into the floor, biting on my tongue. "I freaking knew it!"
"Tae told me Julio was babysitting Sunny the other night so he must know what's up. Obviously he's the only one she wants to know, that's why he's the only person she can ask to babysit."
"When she knows I would."
"Me too!" I confessed. "I wouldn't even try to be nosey." I lied.
"Now that you say that, Julio sure was babysitting Sunny a few weeks ago too. Cali randomly wanted to stay the night with him, so we just popped up and he had Sunny. Cali told me she stayed the entire night too and they dropped her off the next morning before she went to Camp."
"Y'all leave that girl alone. She'll come clean when she's ready IF it's even that." Ms. Yolanda fussed at us. "In the meantime, help me set out all this food."
I stood to wash my hands as we heard the alarm going off, signaling the guys were coming back in from the Garage.
"Where Mila at?" Tae asked with Julio, Mel, and Duke following behind him. They weren't the same without her
"Speaking of the devil." Korea mumbled under her breath.
"Ew, y'all need to start spraying yourselves before you come back in or something." I held my nose with one of my wet hands. They smelled like they'd all just ran through a Forest full of nothing but Marijuana.
"We will when you stop being so ugly." Julio shot back at me.
"That's the only joke you ever have in your chamber." I scrubbed my hands together, rubbing the soap into my palms.
"I'd have more if that one wasn't so factual." Tae laughed causing me to mug him, shutting him right up.
"Milan is upstairs napping." Ms. Yolanda answered Tae's question. I honestly forgot he asked.
The House soon went quiet while we set out all the Food and the Guys turned on the TV in the Living Room, putting on whatever NBA Teams were playing this Sunday.
Maurice finally made it and took my place with helping Ms. Yolanda, I was too invested into Mila and Duke. Another hour or so had passed and she still hadn't come downstairs, but he kept texting somebody— everything in my spirit told me it was her. I was simply waiting on him to all of a sudden have to use the bathroom or something to confirm my suspicions.
I poured myself some of Mr. Lenard's Homemade Wine, going to sit on Tae's lap in the living room. I really just wanted to be closer to Duke.
"You good?" Tae laid his head on my chest, positioning me to where he could still see the TV hanging from the wall.
"Yes, what teams are these?"
"Nets and Warriors."
"I like their uniforms."
He chuckled "Which ones?"
"Both" I kept my answer short and simple as my eyes followed Duke up the stairs.
"Hey, Duke the food is already ready. Where you going?" Korea took one for the team and asked what we both wanted to know.
"Bathroom"
"You know there's a Bathroom right when you walk in, right?" Maurice didn't ease up on him. "There's one in the garage too— you don't have to climb all those stairs for a Bathroom."
"Uhhhh" He paused, looking to Julio for help, thinking nobody noticed. Maybe they didn't, but I sure did.
"Damn! Can the Man go shit in peace?" Julio was so quick and accurate with his lies it wasn't even funny. "Not everybody comfortable shitting in the bathroom everybody else using! Why y'all all in that Nigga ass?"
"Julio!"
"Sorry for cursing Mama, I'm just saying." Duke took that as his opportunity to run up the stairs, taking them two at a time without answering any other questions.
He'd only been over a few times, there was no way he knew his way around Ms. Yolanda's Mini Mansion, yet he somehow knew exactly where he was going and how to get there.
The room went silent once again while everyone was consumed in our own thoughts. "Anybody know where Karen at?" Ms. Yolanda randomly asked, sitting on the arm of the couch beside Julio.
"We left her outside on the Patio." I answered. "I'm sure her and Mr. Lenard are out there talking a mile a minute."
"Good, Lenard at his big mouth sure will keep her satisfied." She earned a few laughs.
"You let me know when you ready to be done with that Nigga, I'm already on it." Julio looked up at her, serious about what he said for no reason.
"Make me punch you." He quickly scooted closer to Tae, leaning on him a little bit. "I asked because I wanted to talk to the rest of y'all about something." She paused. "The Church is putting together a Love offering for Deacon Emory, we all know this, but I think we'll get the best results if WE, as a Family.." She trailed off, circling the room with her hand. "Try to do something on our own."
My nerves were through the roof, yet Tae hadn't budged. The way he could sit in his calm knowing damn well he was the one who killed Deacon Emory terrified me.
"I think that's a good idea." My head shot to Korea as she nodded in approval. I desperately wanted blurt out that it absolutely wasn't a good idea and why. Nobody knew Tae had committed the crime besides me— even I didn't know for sure, I had no proof but my gut was never wrong. There were too many coincidences, I was able to piece together damn near the whole puzzle. There was no way he wasn't behind it.
"Yeah, I'm sure the Church will take forever to raise that money." Maurice added, agreeing with Korea.
"I don't know Mama." Julio sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "I say we just give the Church whatever money they need and we all stay out of it. I got enough on my plate as it is. Who feel like talking to a Investigator?"
"Taelor, Baby what do you think?" I could've pissed myself. I know Ms. Yolanda was simply trying to get his input, being that this affected his Mom more than anybody, but I wished she would've never brought it up.
"Just let me know whatever you decide and where I need to send the money, Mama." His answer made me sick to my stomach and I couldn't take it no more. I angrily got up, ignoring them calling my name and asking what happened. I went outside to the front yard, placing my hands on my knees as I took in a few deep breaths.
"Just breathe Nicole." I coached myself as I felt the tightness in my chest, blinking away tears. I wanted to cry so bad, knowing things were beginning to unfold. This story had to have an ending and as much as Tae continued to lie about the part he played, I knew better.