"You still gonna be at dinner tonight?" I ask Donyelle over the phone. Cedric is driving us home from school.
"Yes. I just need to freshen myself up." She says.
"Oh okay, take your time I know you'll look beautiful either way." I say smoothly, Cedric rolls his eyes and cuts a corner, making my head hit the window.
"Ouch! Damn dude why??" I say, rubbing the tender part of my head, where I could feel a knot forming.
"My bad." He turns and smiles. "Almost missed a turn." He winks.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I ask.
"Excuse me?" Donyelle says angrily.
"No I was talking to my brother!" I say, trying to calm her down. "What time will you be over?"
"I thought you said I could take my time." She whines.
"I know babe. It's just been a while since I seen you. I miss you." I say.
"Awww!" Donyelle exclaims.
"Gross." Ced laughs as we pull up to our home.
"Lemme call you back." I say.
"Okay see you tonight, love you!" She says.
"Love you too." I hang up and punch Cedric in his arm.
"What is wrong with you huh?" I say, annoyed. He gets out of the car and slams his door.
"You better not pull no shit in front of this girl tonight! I really like her.." I warn him.
"You mean how you pulled that stunt in the hallway yesterday? Ruining my relationship??" He says, opening the door.
"What relationship?? You don't like girls bruh!" I yell, walking into the house. We both storm past the kitchen into the game room.
"Don't come at me unless your shit is together!" He says, stopping and looking at me.
"I ain't coming at you. You just better not let this new ego of yours take over because if you embarrass me tonight I'm gonna hurt you!" I push him for emphasis.
"Don't touch me." He says pushing me back. I push him again and I walk off.
"Get dressed..." I say, walking up the stairs.
"I'll get dressed alright." He says with a devilish burst of laughter.
On god if he fucks this up, Ima fuck him up.
**********
I prepare myself for Donyelle's arrival. I wear something nice to impress her. I put on a black dress shirt with a sweater vest, and some Kakis. I put some black polo boots on and a gold watch. I spray on some cologne and I pick up my phone to call Donyelle.
"Hello?" She sings, sounding kinda irritated.
"Its almost seven. We eat around seven thirty." I say.
"I'm already here. This house is huge!" She says.
I hang up and rush downstairs to open the door. I smell Gladys cooking us our dinner for tonight and it smells delicious. I hurry and open the door just as Donyelle approaches the first step. Our valet drives her car to the car yard for parking.
"Good evening my love." I say, holding my hand out and pretending to be proper.
She laughs. "Boy let me in."
I take her hand and walk her inside. We walk into the family room and my mom is sitting on the sofa typing on her laptop as usual.
"Mom this is Donyelle." I say. Donyelle waves.
"Why hello Danielle!" My mom stands and greets her with a hug.
"It's Don-yelle." I say.
"Oh I'm sorry, Donyelle. Have a seat!" She says motioning us to sit down.
"So, Donyelle. You're really pretty!" My mom starts off.
"Prepare to be interrogated." I whisper to her.
"Thanks Mrs?" Donyelle asks.
"King, Mrs. King." Mom says. "I love that hair girl is that Peruvian?" My mom asks, reaching and running her nails through Donyelle's hair.
"No. It's Malaysian." Donyelle says.
"It's pretty. So where did you and Zephyrus meet?" She asks.
"We met at school." I lie.
"Oh? Are you a cheerleader?" My mom asks, taking a drink from her wine.
"No actually she's-"
"Alumni." She cuts me off.
Mom chokes on her wine. "Alumni?? How old are you!?" She says.
"Twenty six." Donyelle says. I start to pat my knee and bite my nails.
"Excuse me?" My mom stands.
"Mom stop. I'll be eighteen in a couple months." I say. Donyelle looks at me.
"You mean next year!" She says.
"Mom I really like her! And age doesn't matter I wanna be with her." I say.
"Zephyrus we'll discuss this later. Go get your brother, Donyelle come with me into the dining quarters so we can wait on Isadore." She says.
"Umm who is that?" Donyelle asks.
"My husband." Says mom. I run upstairs and I call Ced's name.
"Coming!" He calls back. I go back downstairs and I walk into the kitchen. Gladys and the other cooks are preparing the meal, and I grab a drink of water.
"You okay baby?" Gladys asks.
"Not for long." I confess.
"You know how they are. It'll be fine." She says. I smile and I walk into the dining room and I sit next to Donyelle, who was sitting across from mom.
"So I see you two like each other." I say.
"Yeah. She's a brilliant young lady." Mom says smiling. Donyelle smiles also. I sigh in relief.
We all hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Ced comes in wearing a dusty hoodie, and some basketball shorts and socks and sits at the table.
"Cedric King what in the hell do you have on?" Mom asks.
"Clothes." He says.
I give him a look and he smiles at me.
"Between the two of you?" Mom points at us. "Y'all gone make me break a nail."
"Why everytime he does something it's the both of us?" I ask.
"Don't even do that! Cause I'm the one who always gets in trouble for you!" He yells back.
"Umm." Donyelle says, I pat her thigh to hush her.
"Whatever Ced." I say.
"Boys stop it." Mom says.
"Like I said don't tell me nothing until you got your stuff together." He says, I'm sick of him making comments.
"And don't tell me nothing until you can figure out to tell your parents you like boys." I spit out.
"That's ENOUGH!" Mom screams.
I look down into my lap. "Evening everyone. Sorry I'm late." Isadore walks in, and sets his things down.
"Hey baby." Mom says, standing ajd pulling Isadore into the dining room by his hand. Donyelle jumps in her seat.
"What's wrong?" I ask. She stares at him and he stares back.
"Nothing." She whispers.
"She probably realized how much of an asshole you are. I'm done with you." Ced whispers. I mug at his statement.
"Who's this?" Isadore asks.
"That's Zeph's girlfriend." Mom says.
"Oh? Really... Ha.." He sits down at the end of the table.
"Are you okay?" Mom asks him.
"I'm fine." He says.
I look at Donyelle and back at Isadore who is still staring. What the hell is going on?
"Dinner is served." Gladys says, and the cooks bring out our first coarse. Some tomato soup, with grilled cheese and fruit as an appetizer.
"This looks beautiful." Donyelle says, looking at the way the plates are set up to make a simple sandwich look like a work of art.
"So what was all that yelling about?" He asks looking down at his soup.
"Gladys bring me some water please?" Mom asks, changing the subject.
Isadore makes a face.
"Ced was just getting ready to tell you guys something." I say, leading the situation into the fire. You wanna embarass me? Two can play at that game.
"No I wasn't." Ced argues.
"What in the world are you wearing? We are at dinner... Go change now." Isadore commands. Looking at Ced.
"I'm quit comfortable thanks." He says putting his hood on.
"Cedric go change." Isadore says.
"I just said I'm comfortable." He says.
"This soup is delicious Miss Gladys." Donyelle says.
"Thank you sweetie." Gladys says from the kitchen.
"You right it sure is. And so is this tea!" I say, drinking from my cup.
"Your drinking water idiot." Ced says.
"So your not gonna change?" Isadore asks. "Fine. I'll just take your car away as well."
"What? How are we gonna get to school?" Ced asks.
"I'll get you a driver to take you both to and from school only." He says.
"You really doing this? Just cause I won't change my clothes. And I do everything right in this house?" Ced asks.
"Cedric don't talk to your father like that." Mom says.
"He's not my father! And why are you defending him and he came home at three in the morning one night dressed as some washed up thug off the street!" He yells.
Mom chokes. "Isadore! Is this true?"
"Yeah Izzy. Is it true?" Donyelle asks, taking a bite of her sandwich. The cooks bring out steaks and fries and sets them on the table. I grab one, and I start to devour it as the fire grew between this family.
"What the fuck did you just call my husband girl?" Mom asks.
"Sherrece stop." Isadore says.
"No let her speak. She probably was with him." Ced says laughing.
"Shut up boy!" Isadore yells.
"Are you kidding?" I ask, looking at Donyelle.
She nods her head yes. "I saw him on the way home the night me and Zeph had our first date. He tried to make his move on me. And he even asked if I would ride in his car with him." She confessed. I stand up and loosen my tie.
"Isadore King tell me this girl isn't lying or I'll know the real reason why we haven't had sex in two years." Mom whispers.
"Oh my god not at the table!" Cedric laughs. I walk over to him and I pick up his drink and throw it in his face.
"Zephyrus!" My mom screams.
"Sherrece don't believe her! She's just some little girl." Isadore says.
"Shut up!" Mom yells.
Ced stands up and hits me in the jaw.
"Stop that fighting!" Mom screams. Donyelle gasps as Isadore breaks us up.
"Ced is gay mom!" I blurt out.
"What??" Isadore says.
"I hate all of you!" Cedric runs out of the house.
"Go get him!" Isadore orders the staff to go get him but before they were at the door we could hear Ced's car tires skirt.
I go and sit back down beside Donyelle.
"Zephyrus is this true?" Isadore asks.
Mom shakes her head. "Yes it is. I knew it. For a long time. Ever since he started hanging with that little Jamaican boy in ninth grade." Mom says.
"Hykeem." I say.
"I can't believe this." Isadore sighs.
"Zeph that wasn't right." Donyelle speaks up.
"What?" I say.
"That wasn't right the way you put him on the spot like that! He was gonna tell his parents on his own terms I bet. But that was just wrong." She continues.
"What do you know?" I say, drinking some water. I'm upset at this whole situation.
"I'm a transgirl." She says. I spit water out all over the table. Isadore gasps and chokes on his food.
"Your a what?" I ask.
"I am a transgender girl." She says again.
"I can't believe I almost screwed a transgender!" Isadore says still coughing. I look up at him in disgust.
"I want you out of the house, first thing in the morning. I have to go find my son." Mom says getting up from the table and leaving.