Page 18 of Sparks Will Fly

He was really enjoying this exchange. I could tell by the twinkle in his eye as he addressed me. Granny waved me off.

“Pay her no mind. Come on in this kitchen with me so I can get to know you.”

He hopped off the couch with a proud grin. When she wasn’t looking, he stuck out his tongue at me.

“And for showing your tail, you’re getting your plate to go, and it won’t have any willow berry pie either.”

I frowned and folded my arms over my chest. She was such a traitor. How was she befriending the enemy so easily? Then I thought about my desire to also befriend him and realized he had to be into dark magic. Why else would we take a liking to him despite what he was up to? I nodded. I was convinced that he was into doing roots on people.

Since the weight of sleep no longer fell on me, I moseyed into the kitchen with them. Granny was busy fixing plates as he sat at her dining table answering whatever questions she had for him.

“I thought you were so sleepy,” my granny teased as I came to stand beside her.

“I was until it cost me my favorite pie.” I turned to Romani and pointed. “You’re sharing yours with me.”

I could tell by the smile on his face that he was about to get on my nerves.

“If you ask nicely, I would love to share with you. I’d even go as far as feeding it to you.”

I gagged, even though the suggestion gave me a second heartbeat between my legs. Granny giggled, loving the exchange between us.

“You see what I have to deal with, Granny?”

She waved me off. “Anyone willing to put up with you and that attitude is quite alright in my book.”

She went to place a plate of food covered in aluminum foil in front of Romani.

“You seem like a lovely young man. Keep her on her toes.”

He nodded once. “Because I am. Your granddaughter would know that if she took the time to get to know me and stopped assuming I’m out to get her.”

I tossed my hands in the air. Partly in frustration that she hadn’t started making a plate for me yet and that he was so adamant I was wrong.

“Because you are.”

He shook his head.

“Then what are you out to get?”

The smoldering look in his eyes warmed my core. Whatever he really wanted to say wasn’t appropriate in front of my granny, so he settled for, “Give me a chance to show things from my side, and it’ll all make sense.”

Excitement and anxietyswirled in my gut when we parked in front of Lovie’s grandmother’s house. We agreed to meet here on Saturday when we came over. I couldn’t lie like that catfish plate didn’t have me laid out once I made it back to the crib. Mixed with my satisfaction were constant images of Lovie. Her smile… Her frown… Her passion… Everything about her was entertaining and God’s best work.

I pumped my fists hoping to release some nerves, but it did nothing for me. My ringtone sounded off in the car after Austin shut the truck off. He opened his door to step out when my voice halted him.

“Give me a second.”

He nodded then shut the door to give me some privacy.

“Wassup, Mama Toy,” I answered and greeted the woman who’d raised us after our mother abandoned us to run the streets like a rat.

“Hi, baby boy. How are you? I feel like we haven’t had a chat in a month of Sundays.”

I chuckled, knowing even if a day went by without us talking, she’d feel this way. This time it was true though. I had been a little distant out of respect because I wasn’t in control of my feelings. When I got like that, I was liable to say anything, and I’d never want to come at Mama Toy the wrong way. She was my backbone and my strength; her feelings would always triumph over mine.

“I know. I’ve been a little focused on work lately.” I told a half-truth.

Even though I was more in control and understood what was going on with me emotionally, it didn’t mean I was ready for this conversation right now.

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