*************
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. -Albert Einstein
***************
We left Miami a few hours ago and when we arrived in New York the weather was my least favourite moment of the arrival.
It was quiet this time around, there was only his staff that was waiting for us as we got out of his jet. Paul and Mark were with us, Israel was thinking of having them move to Norfolk to protect me. I think it is unnecessary because who is going to harm me?
We got to his place and we immediately had a nap, I forced him to have a nap, he wanted to go to work but he needed a nap, just a little sleep time. When I woke up, he was busy with emails right next to me.
He stopped and we watched Cruella then, I grew hungry so we came to the kitchen and he insisted on cooking for me but I did not trust him so here we are arguing over whether to fry or grill the chicken.
"Israel, listen to me, it will be so much faster to grill the damn thing."
"I want to fry it so that I can have fried chicken and wedges with it."
"Israel, I don't want fries, you are trying to make me gain more weight!"
"No, no, I said I want fries, I never said you must have them." I put my hands on my hips.
"Your argument makes no sen..." The intercom goes off.
"Sir, your parents are here."
He presses the button "Let them in." He turns to face me. "I guess we are having grilled chicken." He shrugs as he takes the skillet out. I am wearing his shirt and sweatpants so this is not the first impression I want to make, I run upstairs and change into a pair of jeans and a shirt, hopefully, that is okay, I mean Israel is in sweats so this should be good.
"Dad, why did you bring her here?" What is going on and who is here?
"We saw her and told her we were coming here and she said she was as well plus what's the issue, let the poor child have dinner with us." I get downstairs and Israel is slightly taller than his father while his mother is probably shorter than me. She looks beautiful though and he looks like both of them more like his mother.
A woman is sitting with his mother, I guess this is who they were talking about. I come up and lightly tap Israel on his bicep.
"Mom, Dad, Shanice, this is Paris, my fiancé. That's the problem, Dad. Paris, this is my father, my mother and my ex-girlfriend Shanice Cooper." Shanice is a popular actress, I have heard of her but I have never seen any of her movies. I go to greet his father with a handshake and his father hugs me.
"Come on, you are going to be family." I let out a nervous laugh.
"That's enough Dad. Let me go cook, please come help me, Paris." I follow Israel into the kitchen and we start cooking in silence. Who knew chopping boards make such amazing background noises?
"So Shanice Cooper huh?" He sighs.
"Three years ago I was at a party, she was there and we had a conversation, cool, the next week at a gala there she was so we spoke and hit it off so we started going out more and more until I just asked her to be my girlfriend. She cheated with one of her director friends. We broke up more than a year ago, I guess my parents forgot that part of the equation." I caress his back before turning him so he faces me. There are a lot of feelings here. With his parents just showing up, his ex-girlfriend, he looks okay but I know he is not.
"Calm down, register what you are feeling and feel it. Are you happy your parents are here?" He nods. "Are you mad they bought Shanice?" Another nod. "Does Shanice being here bring up old feelings?" He tenses up. "Honestly, be honest with yourself, I won't be mad." He relaxes and nods. "We are going to get through this dinner then we can have ice cream and watch a movie."
"I want fries, not ice cream." I let out a laugh.
"See we can make fries and then watch movies and I will even let you pick, no horror movies please, I would like to sleep." He lets out a laugh. We nod and put our foreheads together.
"I love you."
"I know." He places a kiss on my lips before we go back to cooking. "Okay. Hand me the knife. I liked how you said 'my fiancé' it sounded nice. I'm an entire fiancé, who would have thought?"
"I have been asking you for five months now, you could have been one sooner." Rolling my eyes, before going back to plating the food.
"Had to make sure you are not a soul-sucking monster first." We laugh and he goes and puts the things on the table.
I am seated next to Israel and we are opposite his mother and Shanice. His mother is a sweet lady, she holds strong beliefs and she carries herself with so much grace.
"Why did you not tell us about Paris?" His mother asks
"I told Nonna and I wanted everyone to meet her at home but you were not there like always." I put my hand on his thigh.
"You could have called, when did you propose?"
"That is a long story but I said yes on Christmas." They look shocked.
"How long have you guys been together?" His father asks.
"Well over five months." They nod and continue eating.
"What do you do?" Shanice asks, imagine that, Shanice Copper asking what I do.
"I am a pre-primary school teacher, I think it's kindergarten in America."
We are currently done with dessert. Israel's hand is on my back. "Yeah, Mom, Dad, where were you?"
"Bali. We just love it there, always amazing. Your dad is retiring after all these years so we are hopefully going to spend more time there and we might even start showing up for Christmas."
"Good, Nonna really liked having Paris there."
"Really, she never really took a liking to me." His mother mentions in passing. "I heard you hit Andrea, why would you do something like that to your older brother?"
"He had it coming Ma. I specifically said that if anyone says anything about my person, there will be consequences and you know what Andrea did, he invited fucking Caroline to the house, what kind of crap is that? He also called Paris a gold digger as if his husband isn't one. You better get your kids in line because I don't play about my wife, I'm not like my brothers who allow anyone to just say anything. You say something about me, I might let it go but about this woman right here, I draw the line." I place my head on his bicep, he can be dramatic about his approach but I understand he just wants everyone to treat me the way he does.
"How did you get him so wrapped around your finger?" I feel like Shanice is starting something with her question.
"I will never know. From the first moment, he just kept bothering me." She nods
"So where did you meet, you said you are a school teacher, right?"
"Yeah, we met at a bar in Sandton, I was celebrating a friend's birthday party."
"So you have friends with money, are you from money?"
"Shanice," Israel warns.
"It's okay, No, I don't come from money but my best friend does and I grew up with her during high school." I smile to conceal the storm inside. I smile because what else can I do, I keep my cool so that the volcano next to me does not erupt.
"So do you two plan on having kids?" His mom breaks the conversation into a new tunnel.
"We have not spoken as to when we are having a child but we do plan on having three, about four years apart."
"I wanted two and ended up with eight." We all laugh at her statement.
"I get it though, I want to say whatever happens happens but if I have at least an idea of the family I want, it helps us make decisions easier..." Israel interrupts me.
"Like where we are going to live." I scowl at him.
"No, I know what you are going to say and my answer is No."
"I was going to say like after the kids."
"No. Your son is work, he is a hand and a half-full." He kisses my forehead.
"So are you moving to New York soon?"
"Probably around next Christmas but I am not sure if it will be New York, I want to spend time working for myself and just give those kids my last year before fully becoming his wife."
"It is a lot, I tell you that. Rumming men are full-time jobs themselves." I stand to go to the kitchen to fetch more wine. Israel does not go with me, he stays seated, excited to be around his parents but annoyed at Shanice's presence.
"I am going to leave now, I have an early flight." She says as I enter. Israel's mother goes to hug her and she even hugs his father. She goes to hug Israel but he remains seated.
"No need for niceties, you know where the door is."
************