𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗵
"Niggas ain't shit though and that's just facts." And the congregation inside my living room, amen to the spoken words.
"Especially nowadays. Always have one in the tuck for when ya' main one fuck up."
"Chy, it ain't just nowadays. Niggas ain't never been shit. That's why you pimp they ass out and move the fuck on." The heads of me and my friends snapped in my mother's direction. The shock was written all over our facials at her words. She was completely serious.
This wasn't a typical Thanksgiving gathering, however, today was indeed November 24th and the long-awaited holiday had finally rolled around.
On today's menu was some of everyone's favorite. Collard greens, red beans, jambalaya rice, mustard greens, baked macaroni and cheese, sweet honey cornbread, ham, oxtails, baked and grilled chicken, with enough sweets to put Publix out of business. Between me and my mother, the pots, pressure cookers, and pans had been turned on last night and went off before two o'clock this afternoon when my girls arrived.
And of course, they brought the liquor with them. That's how this conversation even got started.
Niggas.
"Ion know...I trust my man." I said straightforwardly, leaning up to retrieve the strawberry and mango frozen daiquiri.
Yes, today is the day to be giving thanks and love. Yet, here we are chopping it up over drinks as the early evening hours start to set in. Our bellies were full and all of us had lounged around within the last two hours watching movies and TV shows. Then each of us picked off slices of strawberry cheesecake, key lime cake, and pecan pie.
"I raised yo' ass better than that." Lynn stated, shaking her head in disbelief.
"What?! My man is good to me," I told her, now that the cat was out of the bag. It was so easy for her to pull such sensitive information out of me. "Don't play. Y'all can tell when a nigga really like you. Hell, you can tell when a nigga is in love with you."
"I'm not saying you can't, but that don't mean you suppose to trust him." Kay said and I know she was ready to attack. Khadi was definitely that one friend that's in every crew of girlfriends.
'The nigga in the female body.'
"So you think he likes you or loves you?" My mama asked her question following Kay's words immediately. The three of them turned to me in anticipation.
Damn, talk about putting me in the hot seat. What did I think? I don't know. Well, I was troubled to say the least. My intuition told me one thing, but the words of my best friends and even my mother, made me think differently.
Ka'Dafii was beyond sweet and patient. He was attentive and a great listener, even better with holding conversation. He checks off the list of everything a woman could desire in a man. From his height to his sexual drive. But did he love me? I think so.
"He adores me." I said positively, shrugging my shoulder.
"What the fuck does that mean? Do the nigga like you or not, Mariah?" My mother asked, her street tone coming through. Lynn's way of being hard on us came from her heavy tone. It was her way of getting the point across.
"Adoring someone means, I like you a lil' more than just...liking you. It's almost love, but not quite. We still got some growing to do, but we'll get there."
"Y'all will?" Jessy asked and I laughed at her excitement.
"Yeah."
"Y'all had a real argument yet?" Lynn questioned.
"No...I mean not...yet, I guess."
"We'll let me know when y'all do. And we'll have this conversation again, Penny Pooh."
"Girl, it's giving hater." I told my mother, making the girls laugh at my mimicking tone. Little did they know — I was dead serious.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
𝗞𝗗
dakota's 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, Thanksgiving 𝗗𝗮𝘆:
Ray slammed his cards down and immediately I tossed mine on the table. Standing up to grab my red cup of Don Julio off the counter.
"Ay man, fuck y'all." Pushing my chair back, I stood from the table, making the opposition laugh.
"Nigga we in the middle of a game. Sit yo' yella ass down and finish this shit."
"Y'all niggas buggin'. I ain't doing shit."
"He a hater, Ray. We was winning anyways." Dakota said to her partner, the two of them cracking up together.
"Cause y'all niggas cheating!" Was the response from me and my partner, Kamari. It's always us against them.
"Cause how the fuck the fuck you throw an Ace out?" He asked Uncle Ray and like a jackass Raymond's response was calculated.
"Like this!" And he threw out another one. To which I walked away. Leaving the three of them to argue over the Spades game.
It was the same every holiday, but this year I was trying to dip out a little earlier than usual. Kai walked into the living room, just as I came from the bar and dining area of our mother's home. In his hand were his phone and a cup of whichever brand of Tequila he chose.
It was going on six o'clock and I needed to get to Penelope's spot. Most of my day had consisted of helping Ray on the grill at my mother's house. She and I had texted a few times throughout the day, but her day was just as busy.
"What the fuck you gon' be doing on January 28th besides sitting 'round the house, doin' nun'?" My brother asked and I knew exactly where this was coming from. It was the result of me declining his third date for the 2023 — 1st Quarter car show.
"Must I remind you, that's my birthday?"
"Nigga! We got the same fuckin'— Ka'Dafii, Imma smack the shit outta you for real," I could hear his frustration and still it didn't move me. Blame the weed or blame the fact I was currently in my own thoughts. "I keep throwing out dates for this next quarter and you keep declining 'em. What's up?"
Right now? The last thing I cared about was a quarter shower. Right now? I was focused on this beautiful, thick, chocolate thing only ten minutes away.
"KD?"
"I gotta trip plan the week of our birthday. I won't be back in town until Sunday after, which will push us into February."
"We've never done a quarter show a month over into the quarter. So what about the top of January?"
Kai was trying to negotiate this deal.
During our meeting regarding Dreamville Quarter last Tuesday — new accomplishments had been plotted out. Ultimately, Sebastian was right about Penelope. Which was no surprise to me.
"She's done you two a major favor. One that you can't put a price tag on. Promotion, opportunities, and even a bigger crowd. Just from the conversation happening around the radio talk and now the newspaper? I can only imagine how your next quarter will look. They put it on the second page and let me tell you something? That's important."
Penelope's article was still reaching the masses and it had been well over a month since the publication was released.
New vendors were reaching out, more sponsorships, and with the wave of content creation — we had a few influencers hoping to film on the premises of the site. Celebrity attention has always been definite but this was different. Car shows were a rich sport. It took years to get most vehicles ready for the display spots.
Now I wasn't complaining because it too came with a much bigger bag. A six-figure income to be exact. But on the flip side was a more valuable con.
If we're expanding our experience by inviting more people, more vendors, having more celebrity and influencer engagement, plus sponsorships such as The Coca-Cola Company, local Allstate and State Farm agencies, plus The Powerade Company and Atlanta Toyota — we had to accommodate such growth.
These companies needed preparation and precision before putting their logo on such a sport. After getting the deal with Coca-Cola and Powerade, I knew we needed the festivals to look up to par. Reason why I dropped the bag on the racing strip. Those details would keep us paid in the end. Next were bleachers and stands to sit a three thousand crowd. Our setup and promotions would gain attraction. Each quarter needed something to keep the people interested.
The con? That was all my job. That task fell back on me. It has always been my position because the quarter shows were my idea. Something that grew from my street racing gigs. And if I'm doing this alone, which I don't mind, time was my best friend.
"Top of January will be pushing it, Kai. It's damn near December now." Personally? I was thinking of the weekend after Valentine's Day. It was the perfect way for the majority of our audience to find their way back outside, after being cuddled up for a few days.
"We do this in February...ion know, KD."
"We ain't got a choice. It's the 24th of November right now. Do you know how long it takes for me to go through the approved vendor list and check off the list of necessities? Make sure I'm communicating with them on their setup plan. Not to mention, all this new business that's involved. Sponsors want to know how much the show will cost, so they can pay properly and you get a check at the end of the day. Without me doing this shit right, it's a waste and a headache. For me, not yo' ass. Every year there are kids there, doing nothing. How about some kind of engagement for them? But you don't think that far. I need more than thirty-five days to get this damn thing together. Not to mention, it is my birthday. I got shit I wanna do for me and my lady that week."
"Alright, alright," That was defeat and he wore it shamelessly. "I get it and imma try to help you out more. So when?"
"The 17th. February." I told him.
Kai nodded, taking a sip of his drink and silence spilled between us. I didn't need his help. Kai had his own laundry list for the quarter shows. From security to the upkeep of the acres, gate codes, and communication between the two of us. We wore our own hats. I just needed some understanding because our titles weren't comparable.
"Well! That was nice of the two of you. Glad I ain't have to step in," Dakota said cheerfully, deciding to plop down in the middle of us. "Now what is this I hear of you and your lady?" She asked, nudging me on the shoulder. Completely ignoring the bigger picture.
She's almost obsessed with my relationship now.
"Just a lil' trip. Nun' too crazy."
"I can tell you really like her." Dakota voiced and I huffed at her words.
I love Penelope — at least that's how it feels. I've dabbled back and forth with the idea if it was too soon. I keep coming back to the same answer.
No.
"Hell yeah. Actually," I announced, patting my pockets for my phone and keys. "I'm finna go check on her. Y'all straight?"
"Yeah, man. Go see 'bout ya' girl." Kai gave me a dap and with a quick word to KaMari, I was ready to head out.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
To no surprise, my mama decided to tag along. Racing upstairs like a little kid about to get left. She returned with some classical UGG Boots, putting them on once we got in my Tahoe.
Which means I'll have to take her ass back home.
The three-story townhome was lit when I pulled into the driveway. I noted a Jeep Wrangler and Jessy's Lexus parked on the side of Penny's BMW. Kota's eyes trailed the scenery before she nodded, looking over at me.
"Nice house...that's a point."
"Girl, this already yo' daughter-in-law. Ain't no mo points." She laughed at my words before unbuckling her seat belt.
On the way over, I sent a text to Penelope about my arrival. Making sure to let her know Dakota was tagging along. I waited for her to panic, but less than a minute after — I received the "Okay, we having drinks" reply via text.
Rounding the truck, I held the door open for my mother. Chuckling at her humming of approval as her eyes ran over the neighboring homes.
"She gotta good head on her shoulders. I see why she's my daughter-in-law, chy."
"You can tell all that from getting out of the truck, lady?"
"No. That's called steady observation, lil' nigga. I have been putting the pieces together from the moment you started talking about this young lady."
We made it up the few steps leading to the front door. Testing my luck, I hit the knob and surprisingly, it was open.
"Well, she does. So I guess you're right this time."
"Duh." Dakota returned smartly, needing to have the last word.
We made it inside the downstairs foyer. Locking the door behind us, I listened for the distant noises. Laughter and conversation filled the space and I glanced down at my mother. She was straightening her Atlanta Hawk sweatshirt.
Both of us dressed in some pretty simple fits. Mine only consisted of a Balenciaga hoodie and matching slides with a pair of windbreaker bottoms. Always all black. While she wore grey leggings with her top.
They say I get my fashion sense from her. I know for sure it ain't Sebastian's ass. The thought reminded me that he text earlier.
"Are you nervous or some?" I whispered.
"A little bit", Kota replied with a quickness. Her head nodded to emphasize her point. I tried to contain my laugh, but it was probably no use. "I ain't never did this shit before, Zay. What if she doesn't like me? Or what if her mama gotta slick ass mouth and I have to beat ha' ass like them hoes back in the day?"
"It's Thanksgiving, my G. Relax. Ain't nobody fighting. And Penny is a sweetheart, I promise. She feels the same way 'bout meeting you," Which made this even more hilarious. Plus, I have never seen Dakota so...unhinged. She is usually always in control.
"Now as for her mama...ion know much bout the lady." Well? I knew some significant details, but none that I would share with anyone because it's sacred. Plus, I didn't think it would make or break the moment.
"Hey TT Kota!" Came from the top of the stairs. Jessy stood there, a smile on her face and immediately that seemed to calm my mama's nervousness. Some familiarity always helped.
On the flip side, I wondered why Jess hadn't shown her face at my mother's house. The obvious reason popped up just as the question formed. Her own mother wasn't there. Mari was present, as expected — eating, smoking, and playing cards for a few rounds.
As dysfunctional as we may seem to J, at least she had Penelope. She felt accepted here.
But we were still family and I loved her like a little sister, so one day we'll get it right again.
"Uh uh! I had to come way ova' here with his nappy headed ass nigga to find you. C'mere." The two of them shared a hug and as expected Jessy tossed a quick 'hey' over her shoulder at me.
Walking up to the common floor, only Kay and Penny sat on the sectional couch. The chair was large enough to sit ten adults comfortably and with us added to the crew — that was a good thing.
"Hey, KD!"
"What's up, Kay?" I had a good mind to ask her about Kai's ass, but I kept it at bay for the sake of my mama's nosy behind being here.
"Hi." Penelope said, but she was looking around me. Her eyes jolted to the staircase as my mother and Jessy made their way up.
Both of them stared each other down, their anxiety thick in the air.
"Alright, I'll just break the ice, chy," J spoke up playfully. "Penny, this is my second mother and favorite auntie. Auntie Dakota, this is Penelope. She's my best friend and also KD's girlfriend."
Jes gave me a side eye, but I ignored it. It's Thanksgiving.
"It's nice to meet you, Ms. DaKota." Penny stated, standing from the couch. Without another word, my momma embraced her.
"You're really beautiful. Zay said you were, but wow! And word on the street is you already my daughter-in-law," Dakota announced, looking over her shoulder at me.
I simply shrugged.
"I'm glad I can finally put a face to Ms. Barbie."
"You raised him well. He's sweet, I'm sure he wouldn't have held out much longer."
"I'm glad you think so, chy." Penny laughed at my mother's words, the two of them looking at me one last time.
We took our seats. Penny was seated in the middle of me and Jessy, while Dakota sat next to her niece. The two of them fell into a hushed conversation. While I removed the hoodie, stretching my legs in front of myself while getting comfortable next to Penelope.
"You ate, right?" She asked, playing with my locs.
"Yeah...but I want some red beans and rice with a slice of sweet cornbread."
"Oh, you do?"
"Hell yeah," Grinning, she went to stand up, but I stopped her. "I'm alright for now. Where ya' mama at?"
"Somewhere talking to Milan."
"That's a good thing...right?"
"Yeah, I guess. Mimi's is coming around and I've been trying to get them to a place of understanding."
Penelope told me about the issue regarding her little sister's dating and not wanting to attend Thanksgiving in Florida. Her newfound relationship is the reason.
"Oh, y'all cute." Came from the other side of Jessy as my mama sat up to look at us.
Just then, Penny's mother emerged from the hallway of the guest bedroom and walk-in closet. The sight holding me there momentarily. Damn, they are twins. She was taller than Penelope by a few inches, but they mirrored each other. The only difference was age. Which, she didn't look much older than her oldest daughter. Or myself.
Looking up, she caught my eye and I gave her a smile and a quick wave.
"Oh! It's my turn now," Khadi said, sitting up. "So, y'all. This is my Auntie Lynn or Miss. Nene is what I used to call her. But anyways, this is KD and his mom, Ms. Dakota."
Lynn rolled her eyes jokingly at Khadi's tone before stepping further into the room.
"I'm not her birth aunt, more like adopted."
"You ain't gotta say all that."
"Love you, babes," Lynn said, coming to take her seat next to Kay on the sectional leg of the couch. "It's nice to meet both of you. Penny told me her-"
"Um, girl. Don't do too much." Penelope said stopping her mother, but I already knew the words she was about to speak.
"It's nice to meet you too." Kota said and I seconded her, laughing at Penelope's expression.
"Yo' man, huh?" I whispered after a while and she blushed, rolling her eyes.