Page 186 of Curvy Girl Summer

“How did you know about that?”

“Who do you think? Mecca!”

I shook my head. “Of course.”

After a two-hour visit and a bowl of beef stew, I told everyone goodbye. They were mostly distracted by the close game. I would’ve been interested in the outcome because it was neck and neck, but I had something better to do.

Before I backed out of the driveway, my uncle came out the house, flagging me down.

Rolling my window down, I sighed with pursed lips.

“Aaliyah,” he called out.

“Yes?” I replied.

He handed me a box the size of a book. “Happy birthday.” He took a step back. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you—for the gift and the apology.”

“I hate that I missed your party. I told your mom to give it to you before your dinner, but she forgot it. But I, uh… I have to say that I’m proud of you for standing your ground.” He pointed at the box. “Open it when you get home.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Backing out of the driveway, I waved and then sped off. I waited until I got to the first stop sign and curiosity got the best of me.

Tearing open the wrapping paper, I opened the book-shaped box, and my eyebrows went up. Slowly, a smile pulled at my lips.

Wow.

A horn beeped behind me, so I placed everything in the passenger seat and then got on the road. As soon as I got to the next stop sign, I pulled out my cell phone and called Ahmad.

“Well, hello, Aaliyah.” His deep voice put a smile on my face as it boomed through the speakers of my car. “I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh really?” I replied. “And what were you thinking?”

“It was about your gift. I had to reach out to Asia for some help. That was a mistake.”

“What did Asia say?”

“Well, first, she said she knew something was between us from day one and just a whole lot of ‘I told y’all so.’”

I laughed. “I’ll give her that.”

“Oh, don’t let her hear you say that! She’s been insufferable all afternoon.”

“What else did she say?”

“Well, she kept saying how she knew we would end up together because we spent the summer pretending we weren’t in love with each other. And for that reason alone, I needed to pull out all the stops since it’s our first real date. She said I needed to take you to a five-star restaurant and then bring you home and do the rose petals, expensive wine, and gourmet chocolate thing to end the night. Then she said”—he changed his vocal pitch to imitate Asia—“‘Ifyou love her and you want this to work, you’ll listen to me,’” he concluded.

“Oh, wow, okay,” I giggled. “She was laying it on thick!”

“She thinks she knows everything now. Can’t stand her ass sometimes.”

I smiled, knowing how much he loved his sister. “I bet!”

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