Chapter 47
Tiana's Perspective
"What if you simply devoted this year to loving yourself more?"-Unknown
•••••
TIME had been moving like crazy. It seemed as if every day was passing by at an unthinkable speed. Savannah had become my new home and a place I never wanted to leave, but at the same time, I missed my sister and her kids. There was so much going on it was hard keeping track of it all. Owen and I were doing great learning more and more about one another each and every day. I was still trying to enroll in multiple institutions while working full time. Faith and Monica's wedding was only three months away so there was lots of planning and structuring of the sort to do. With so much going on I figured it was time to take that trip home to Oregon.
Angie's birthday was in less than three days and she had finally decided it was cool for all of us to visit over there. I stood in my bedroom folding clothes placing them inside of my bag. Owen laid across my bed comfortably flipping through various channels on the television. I hit his leg to gather his attention.
"Owen please get up and help me our flight is in less than two hours and you see I'm not ready yet." I went over to my closet grabbing a pair of shoes.
"I told you not to wait until the last minute and start packin' anyway Tia that's yo fault." He ignored me throwing his hands behind his head.
"I know but please baby I don't want to be late." I begged.
He got up adjusting his shirt before beginning to help me pack.
"Thank you"
"Mhm," I gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Ally walked into the room with a purse around her shoulder talking at a fast pace on the phone.
"Are yall almost ready?"
"Yeah, why?" I replied zipping up my bag.
"Because I'm about to slap this bitch through the phone if she don't quit yellin' at me." She said as Faith's voice blared throughout the cellular device.
With the wedding being a few months away Faith was driving everyone insane. Her patience and temper had shortened and everyone desired for the wedding to be over with. We were all getting ready to head to the airport early this morning. I was nervous, not only was I going to be seeing my sister for the first time in five months, but I was also introducing her to my boyfriend and new friends. It was a lot of pressure to handle all at once.
"Aight that's everything I'm gonna go put our stuff up in the truck."
"Alright"
Owen exited the room with our bags heading outside. I threw a few more personal items in my purse on the bed.
"What is she upset about now?" I asked Ally referring to Faith.
"Something about us being slow and needing to hurry up, but we still got a lot of time she's just doing the most."
"Oh well, who's all coming again?" I asked.
"Faith, Twon, Kacey, Andre, and Monica said she could make it."
"Oh okay"
A sigh of relief exited my mouth. I was so glad Cierra wasn't coming. The girl is super disrespectful and I didn't have time for that this week. I just wanted to enjoy spending time with the people that are close to me. Ally and I exited the room going to separate vehicles after locking up the house. She followed Owen and me to the airport as we kept in contact with everyone else. Once we got on the plane after baggage check and passing security everyone sat in coach sleeping or talking every now and then. It was still super early so naturally, everyone was quiet.
Owen sat next to me nodding his head with his eyes closed to some music coming out of his earbuds. He hadn't talked to me the whole flight which wasn't like him. I pinched him to get his attention and somewhat tease him. His eyes shot open looking dead into mines. He took out the earbuds before whispering to me.
"Huh?"
"Nothing I just wanted to mess with you," I said giggling.
"Oh"
He shrugged his shoulders putting back in the earbuds throwing his head back. I looked outside the window next to him admiring the clouds in my own little world. Owen had been distant and nonchalant about everything over the past week. I knew what his problem was. We hadn't had sex in over a week. I was so busy trying to enroll back into school and plan this trip there was honestly no time. He was grumpy and sexually frustrated because I hadn't given him any lately, but his pride wouldn't let him admit that.
His newly found attitude was funny to me because it was so obvious. I had a surprise planned for him once we made it to our hotel room tonight and it involved a balcony, but if he kept dismissing and ignoring me it wasn't going to happen. I shook my head turning over to catch up on some rest, it was going to be a long flight.
I awoke from my nap that had turned into a deep sleep around midnight because of Owen's constant tossing and turning, he always did that in his sleep. I threw the small blanket off of my body standing up in the small area to stretch. The urge to urinate consumed me as I headed back to the restroom walking pass multiple people. While walking down the aisle I ran across Twon and Kacey whispering to one another with smiles on their faces. It was hard to believe those two were actually having a decent conversation without fighting. When I got back to my seat Owen was asleep with his mouth wide open snoring. I chuckled adjusting my blanket to get some more rest, work had drained me.
When we arrived in Oregon the next day the sky was sunny and the fresh air had hit me with a breeze. As much as I wanted to leave this state for good, a few tender memories made me miss it every now and then. We all walked throughout the airport as I searched for Jeremy who was supposed to be picking us up. Owen held onto my stuff while I tried dialing Angie's number to make sure he was in the right section. Upon looking down at my phone screen I heard the sound of a child yelling tearing me away from my thoughts.
"Auntie Tia!" The voice was very familiar.
I looked up noticing a small little boy running up to me with his arms out and a freshly shaved head. It was my baby Jamal I hadn't seen him in months. He bumped into my legs hugging them with a huge smile on his face. I picked him up in an instant spinning him around.
"Jamal my baby!" He giggled as I continued twirling him around until we were both dizzy.
Everyone watched with confused expressions on their faces as I continued embracing my nephew.
"Auntie I missed you and I missed you playing games with me after school." He went on as Owen chuckled behind me.
"Jamal!"
Jeremy appeared through a sea of people with a serious expression on his face and a suit on adjusting his wrinkled tie. He still looked the same, like money. Jeremy was like a lot of the men in my family on my mother's side, but the only difference was he was humble and down to earth like my sister and me. Once he spotted Jamal in my arms he placed his hands on his knees breathing properly again.
"Oh thank God!"
"Relax Jeremy he just missed his auntie that's all," I said laughing at his dramatic ways.
"He's always running off and he's fast too."
I placed Jamal back onto the floor as he went to stand beside his father again.
"Nice to see you again Tia." He gave me a simple hug.
"You too bro."
Jeremy stuffed his hands in his pockets looking around at the people surrounding me with a gentle smile on his face.
"Guys this is Jeremy my sister's husband and their son Jamal." Jeremy shook hands with everyone as Andre and Owen tried dapping him up instead.
"What's up man I gotta say when Tiana described you I didn't think you'd be a brother," Twon said making everyone laugh.
This man had no filter, but he was good at breaking the ice.
"Jeremy these are my friends from Savannah Ally, Andre, Twon, Kacey, Faith, and her fiance Monica." I said introducing everyone to Jeremy and Jamal. Jeremy shook hands with everyone as Jamal looked around with big doe eyes.
"And this is my boyfriend, Owen." I held Owen close as he shook hands with Jeremy.
"Nice to meet you man." They shook hands as Owen bent down to greet Jamal. He only hid behind his father glaring at the foreign people in front of him.
"Alright well we can head over to the hotel first so everyone can freshen up and get checked in then head on over to the house, Angie's set up a few things to welcome everyone." Jeremy said.
Setting up wasn't like my sister, it was clear she was trying to avoid something and take her mind off of things. I knew her like the back of my hand.
"That's new for Angie," I said helping Owen with our bags as we all followed Jeremy and Jamal throughout the airport.
When we got outside Jeremy's Range Rover caught everyone's attention.
"Damn man, that's nice what model is it?" Owen asked observing the truck.
"Land Rover just got it this year," Jeremy said smiling.
"Dope as fuck."
"You into cars?"
"Owen's a mechanic, car's are his everything,"
"You might be the only exception," Owen said nudging me making me giggle.
"Oh cool, I need somebody to look over my Infinity if you don't mind. It's been acting like it doesn't want to start sometimes, which is very peculiar because it's only a year old." Jeremy said helping everyone with their bags.
"That's straight, shit just let me know when."
We got on the road driving throughout Oregon. The state was beautiful and people mainly came to visit Portland, but I was from a small city there with very few people, but it was still nice. When we arrived at Jeremy and Angie's place of residence in Mosier everyone could barely keep their mouth closed. Their home was very beautiful, but I was used to it. We all got our bags out of the truck as Jeremy unlocked the front door.
"Damn Tiana what did you say your brother in law did again?" Kacey whispered.
"He's a Financial Advisor, one of the best ones in Oregon and California."
"Mhm"
"Who's also married to my sister," I said giving her a firm look.
"Girl relax I'm not that type of woman, but it never hurts to look."
I shook my head as she walked ahead of me inside the house. When we got inside the lobby portion of the home Angie called me from the kitchen walking towards the front portion of the house with an apron wrapped around her waist and flour stains on her shirt and face.
"Oh, you are all here already I was just finishing up preparing some breakfast. Hi, I'm Angie Tiana's older sister." She greeted everyone with a smile on her face.
"Dang Tiana your sister is even more proper than you," Ally whispered in my ear.
"I told you." I chuckled bumping shoulders with her.
"Tia," Angie said giving me an unexpected hug. It was gentle as she closed her eyes basking in the moment.
She really did miss me, and something was going on I could tell.
"Sorry, it's just that I haven't seen you in so long and you look great. Did you cut your hair? I love it." She said touching all over me as her eyes started to water.
"Angie, are you crying?" I asked giggling wiping the few tears from her eyes.
"Yes, I have a right to." She giggled helping me wipe her face.
"These are my friends from Savannah Ally, Andre, Twon, Kacey, Faith, and her fiance Monica."
"Your house is beautiful." Faith said looking around.
"Thank you and congratulations."
As I was about to introduce Owen Angie grabbed his arm doing the job for me.
"And you must be Owen I've heard so much about. Tiana talks about you like crazy. I haven't heard her so happy in years. I'm Angie nice to meet you."
Owen looked confused as ever with his hands in his pockets as I gestured for Angie to stop talking. She took heed of the signals I was sending her stepping back embarrassed as Owen chuckled shaking his head.
"It's straight, Tiana's actually the one who keeps a smile on my face all day," Owen said winking at me.
I blushed as the ladies in the room awed.
"Why can't you be more like that?" Kacey asked hitting Twon on the shoulder.
"Ouch chill out girl we not even together." He rubbed his arm as we all laughed.
"I hope you all are hungry. I've been cooking all morning, I made everything. Once we finish eating Tiana and I will take you guys on a tour of Oregon for your wedding pictures Faith it's really a great place." Angie rambled on rushing into the kitchen as we all followed.
"I could get used to this," Andre said checking out my sister from behind.
"Watch it," Ally slapped him upside the head.
I was happy that things were turning out good, but one week with all of this going on, who knows what was to be expected and the unwritten possible outcome left me uneasy.
47
KelisAjanee
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