Page 46 of Love Legacy

I jump up from the couch. “I can’t take this anymore, I have a headache,” I mutter, going into the kitchen to grab some Advil. I grab a water bottle from the fridge, taking a sip and knocking back the pills.

I close my eyes and rest my arms on the counter, resting my head on top of them, taking deep, calming breaths. When I openmy eyes, I notice a bra tucked under the cabinets—Sage’s bra. I start laughing to myself, first softly and then louder.

The hilarity of the situation wasn’t lost on me. My crazy religious parents were sitting not more than twenty feet from me, and here I was, staring right at my lesbian lover’s bra.

“Is everything okay over there, Naomi?” my mother asks, coming into the kitchen, gently rubbing my back. I stand upright, tucking Sage’s bra further under the cabinets with my foot.

“Everything’s fine,” I say, turning toward my mother and giving her a small smile.

Her smile quickly turns to a frown as she scans my face.Oh crap.She grips my jaw, tilting my head. “Naomi! Don’t tell me that’s real,” she scolds, looking at my new nose piercing.

I move out of her grip, taking a step back. “It’s real, alright. Got it done yesterday.”

“Jackson, come look at what your daughter’s done to herself.”

My father gets up from the couch, coming to join us in the kitchen. “What is it, Adora?”

“Naomi went and got her nose pierced! Yesterday!” she says incredulously.

I can already see the smoke billowing out of my father’s ears. “You did what? I didn’t give permission for this!”

“You didn’t have to. I’m an adult, Daddy, I can make decisions for myself.”

“Naomi, you cannot talk to your father like that. He is the leader of this household and you will treat him as such and obey.”

I shake my head. “You know what? I’m not doing this anymore. Y’all are in my place, not the other way around. I am asking you to leave.”

“Naomi!”

“Mama, I’m sorry. I love y’all, I really do, but I can’t handle this today. So I’m asking you politely, please leave,” I repeat, heading toward the front door and opening it, showing my parents out.

They both shake their heads but head out anyway. “I’m disappointed in you, Naomi,” my mom says. My father can’t even look at me as they both exit my apartment. I close the door behind them, collapsing against the door.Thank God that’s finally over. I remain seated against the door for a few minutes, completely spacing out until I feel someone try to open the door.

“Oof.”

“Naomi, is that you?”

I get up off the floor, letting Maeve in. “Sorry.”

“Were you sitting against the door?” she asks, entering the apartment.

I nod. “My parents came to visit, and I just crashed once they left.”

Maeve drops her bags in the kitchen, looking at me in disbelief. “Wait, what? Your parents were in New York and you had no idea?”

“Nope. I guess they were ‘in the area’ for a church conference, so they decided to drop by unannounced.”

“How did that go?” she asks, moving to put the groceries she bought away. She stops, looking down at the floor before bending down and coming up with Sage’s bra, dangling from a single finger. “Wait, who’s is this?”

I blush deeply, embarrassed that Maeve found the bra before I could move it. “Sage’s…” I say, hiding my face.

Her jaw drops, looking at the bra. “Shut up! Did you two hook up last night?”

“Maybe… I would disinfect the counters before you make anything in here.”

She steps away from the counter that she was leaning against. “Naomi!”

I bite, my lip shrugging. “Sorry? We got a little carried away last night. I’ll clean up though.”

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