Page 3 of The Family Man

I pull my hand down my face as my mind drifts to the woman living next to me. She has a well-rounded ass and meat in all the right places. I should really go over there and say hi sometime.

When do I have time for a hello between being a new father and constructing a restaurant? I am a freaking busy man. I did try to say hi the first night. I stood on the porch, and I was about to wave and then she turned her nose up and walked into her house.

Three more bangs, the shelves are up, and my son’s room is complete.

Now just to put up my daughter’s shelves, and I can take a break.

* * *

SAGE

The pounding has stopped, thank the gods above. There is no rock music, the place is quiet. Peaceful finally.

Today is the last Saturday of the month, and as is our custom, my sisters and I have brunch. Pressing play on my Bose speakers and Burna Boy’s sultry African voice echoes in my home.

Taking out the cutlery I set the kitchen island. Even though I have a dining table, somehow, every time we meet at my home, we always end up eating at the kitchen island.

The creaking sound of my front door opening grabs my attention. My youngest sister, Anise, comes in dancing the gwara gwara with two bottles of wine in her hand.

I stop what I am doing to hype her up “Hey! Get it, sis.”

Within seconds, Cassia walks in hearing the music and her shoulders sway, she is carrying two large silver tin pans covered with aluminum foil. Her face is full of attitude like she knows is doing this right. As she places the tin pans on the stove, Anise and I are still dancing around the island. I stop to place my hands daintily on my knees and do a discreet twerk.

“Get it, Sage!” Anise shouts as she hops to the beat.

Cassia is still lost in her own world dancing to the words of Burna Boy.

As Rosemary walks in, her face is serious. She shakes her head and takes us all in. Even though she is the oldest, Rosemary, used to be so much fun. Ever since her divorce from her childhood sweetheart she has grown distant and cold. Three beautiful children, a great wife and this heifer cheats. Now he lost his job guess who’s house he wants to come to. Rosemary’s!

She is carrying two glass Pyrex dishes in her arms. She places them on the stove and walks to a stool behind the island and sits.

“Bad vibe be gone!” Cassia dips into her side satchel and takes out a small bottle and spritzes the air around her. She twirls a thin, elegant hand over Rosemary like she was doing magic. Her bangles make a rattling noise as she does so.

Anise joins it and starts to speak in what she thinks sounds like tongues. She walks up to Rosemary and pushes her dark mocha forehead like a TV pastor.

Rosemary brushes them away. Some days, I really want to choke my mother for our names! Rosemary, Anise, Cassia and Sage. In case you hadn’t noticed, our names are a whole spice rack. Because of this all our high school days we were called the Spice Girls, much to my despair.

Rosemary was Bitchy Spice. I think she secretly loved the name. Rosemary is the tallest out of all of us, about 5’11. She takes after our late father. A rich chocolate skin tone and thick hair. Since she became a mother, her curves are even sexier than before. I admire her the most, nothing stops her from reaching her goal. That’s why she is our family doctor specializing in Cardiology.

“What’s up with you?” I ask as I take a seat beside her.

“Nothing just tired I guess,” Rosemary replies as she hangs her bag on the back of the bar stool and sits.

“I’m liking the new look, Rosie. It’s very Egyptian.” I reach over the island and retrieve a wine glass. Anise places some napkins on the islands as she starts to hum an Egyptian melody.

“I know right? It’s such a Nefertiti vibe. It’s the middle part,” Cassia says. She pops a bottle of wine open and begins to pour it into my glass and the others.

Rosemary smiles at Cassia and touches her black hair where it rests right above her chest.

“How is the book coming along?” Rosemary asks, taking the plates I set on the island earlier and passing them around.

Cassia slams her hand down on the table, slouches and throws her head back. “Please don’t ask. We are only talking positivity today.”

Rosemary comes around to Cassia and rubs her back in circles. “You got the blocks?”

Cassia stamps her feet. “My editor is going to kill me. I have to have 54,000 words by next Friday. I can’t deal with this pressure.”

“How hard can it be?” Anise says as she uncovers the tins of food. “They fall in love, they fight, they fuck, boom. Happily ever after. Rake in the money.”

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