“I can time travel,” he says matter-of-factly. “Don’t tell anyone, but I went through a portal. I’m on a secret mission for the US government, and I have special privileges.”
“Wow,” Kyle says. The doorbell rings, and Mason drops my phone. All three kids run to the front door.
“Next time, he should walk through the wall,” Carter says. “Like a ghost.”
“That is one weird guy.” Mr. Nash shakes his head sadly. When we hear the doorbell again, he says, “Someone go let that fool in, but if I hear one disgusting detail about a bug or any animal, he’s out.”
Chapter 21
Nia
“It’s pooping! It’s pooping!” Carter yells from the other room. The boys all groan.
“That’s so disgusting,” Kyle says. “Rewind it so I can watch it again.”
“Men, that’s not poop. That stuff is coming out of its mouth.”
“Eww,” they all say at once. I crane my head around. Wyatt is sitting on the couch and all the boys are around him. My mom is behind him and looking at his phone. She has both hands covering her mouth as if she’s horrified by what she’s seeing.
My cousin Audrey arrived ten minutes ago, and she’s standing next to my mom. She has her nostrils flared, and she’s looking at the ceiling as if she’s in search of patience. After another round of the boys being a combination of outraged and disgusted, my mother and Audrey finally leave the mayhem.
“We’re eating as soon as Titus gets here,” my mom says about my uncle, who is Audrey’s father. “And as soon as I get my appetite back after watching that video.”
“Why did you watch then?” I ask.
“Because your mom is nosey,” Dad says as he walks back into the kitchen with Priya. She’s no longer in her matching turkey sweater but a yellow onesie and she smiles when she sees me. “And she hasn’t learned to stay away from that fool and his phone.”
While my dad tells everyone to wash up, my Uncle Titus walks through the door carrying two big bags, but the person behind him gives me pause.
Right behind my uncle is Jelani Harris.
Jelani grew up in the house next door, and even though he’s two years older than me, we played together as kids. He joined the military after high school and was away abroad for many years. Two years ago, right after Drake came back into my life, I was almost in a relationship with him. We had agreed to be together, and just a few days later, Drake blackmailed me into marriage. That happened after he came over and watched as I went out with another man. And since Drake had a live-in fiancée at the time, I didn’t think seeing me with another man would trigger him. I was never more wrong in my life.
“Jelani,” I say to my former neighbor and almost-boyfriend. My eyes dart around, and right on cue, my husband comes from the living room. His blue eyes land on Jelani and narrow. He walks to me and puts a possessive arm around me. I look up at him hoping he can read my mind and know that I’m asking him not to make a scene, but he’s too busy staring at the guest to notice me.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Jelani says. “I wanted to come by and drop off this sweet potato pie.” He puts the pie on theisland. My brother sticks his head in, and when he sees the scene in front of him, he snorts and walks away.
“Thank you,” I say, smiling at him. I remember being so angry at Drake because of how Jelani found out we were married. My husband doesn’t know this because we never talk about Jelani, but I still feel guilty about the events that took place. “It smells good.”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I bought the house,” he says, gesturing outside. “My parents want to move down to Florida, but they wanted to keep the house in the family.”
“Congratulations,” my unsmiling husband says. It’s the most insincere word I’ve ever heard him utter.
“Jelani,” my dad says as he comes into the kitchen. Like he always does whenever Jelani is around, he smiles at him. “You joining us? Shirley, put another chair for J,” he says, and my husband goes stiff next to me. I don’t think my dad thought this through, but he’s used to having Jelani at the house.
“Oh, no,” Jelani says, and I exhale with relief. “We have a full house. I just wanted to drop off the pie. Mom says she wants everyone to stop by for drinks or whatever. You know the door is always open at the Harris house on the holidays.”
“Well, go be with them,” Drake says, still unsmiling.
I force my own smile. Jelani nods and says goodnight.
“What the heck is wrong with him?” my dad asks pointing at Drake. “He looks like he’s about to snap. Relax,” he says. He taps Drake’s shoulder on his way out. “Come on. It’s time to eat.”
“Are you kidding me?” I ask Drake once we’re alone in the kitchen. “You can’t possibly be serious.”
“I sure as hell am,” he says, still unsmiling. “I’m as serious as a fucking heart attack. And you’re not eating that pie. If you touch it, I’m going to lose my mind. What he needs tounderstand is that this ismyfamily. Not his. God damn jackass. Go stay in the fucking house you just bought,” he mumbles under his breath.
I look up into his face and wait for him to calm down, take my hand, and escort me to the table, but all he does is glare at me.