Page 3 of Sunday

“Whatever you were laughing about, Cedar.”

“Alex is . . . Alex.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Shrugging, I replied, “That’s the way we’ve always talked about Alex in our family.”

“Why?”

“How do I say this politely?” I twisted my lips while staring at my cousin for several seconds. “Alex has had difficulty deciding whether to be a boy or a girl.”

“He’s trans?”

“Alex is a hermaphrodite. Alex was a little girl growing up. Then, in middle school, Alex decided she felt more comfortable identifying as a boy. By the time high school hit, Alex was a girl again. During college, Alex decided to be bisexual and not claim a gender. These days, Alex is presenting as whatever she needs to get the person’s attention she’s attracted to.”

Sunday’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Alex, who happened to turn and look at us. My cousin Eric approached usat that moment and invited Sunday for a dance. She was still speechless as hell, so Eric took that as a yes.

I was laughing my ass off and watched my cousin creep away with my roommate. Sunday had been floored, and she needed a minute from me talking about my crazy ass family. I was sure one more minute of learning about my family secrets, she would have bolted.

After about an hour, I was in a funk. Everyone was having a damn good time except for me. I danced with Sunday through three songs before I sat my ass down. She was still on the floor now seven songs in. The longer she danced, the sourer my mood became.

My mother pulled me onto the floor for a dance, and she warned me about my bad attitude and energy. Then, my oldest sister, Amber, followed up with the same advice.

Now, both my sisters and their husbands were on the dance floor with the other guests. My parents were out on the floor, and my dad was feeling my mom up like a horny ass nigga. Emmett’s parents were super slow dancing to Wale’s “Matrimony” featuring Usher. Taylor and Monica were dancing and giggling like a happy newlywed couple. And if that shit wasn’t bad enough, Sunday was out there dancing with my cousin Jamal.

The song switched from “Matrimony” to “Crush” by Yuna and Usher. My sister was a major Usher fan, hence the playlist. When my cousin Rod’s ass rolled up on Sunday and pulled her from Jamal, I knew it was time to dead that shit.

Rod wasn’t shit, but he pulled the honeys like nobody’s business. It was like females couldn’t say no to his curly-haired, deep dimpled, hazel-eyed, pretty boy ass. He wasn’t about to run through my roommate the way he did the other girls, though. I had to live and work with her, and that shit would blow back on me.

“I need all the lovers on the floor tonight. Ladies, get your man on the floor. If your man ain’t here, grab the one you’re crushing on,” the deejay announced just as I stood from my seat.

Several girls headed toward me as I walked to the dance floor. Sunday beelined in my direction, cutting all them heffas off.

“Aye! Where’re you going?” Rod asked, rushing behind Sunday.

“I need to get back with my man.”

I didn’t wait for Rod to say shit. I simply grabbed Sunday’s hand and pulled her against me.

“Damn, cuz. Like that?”

“Didn’cha ass bring a woman?”

“Hell nah. You know how I do.”

“My point exactly. Your ass ain’t ’bout to do shit with my li’l homie.”

Rod snickered, and I heard him mumble something about me worried about him stealing my girl. I wasn’t on his bullshit.

“Thought ya li’l ass would be tired by now,” I mumbled.

“I thought you would have rested and saved me from your thirsty cousins.”

Sunday giggled, but it slid off her face as the deejay made his next announcement. There were lots of singles at the reception, so the dance floor wasn’t crowded with people.

“Men.”

We all looked at the deejay booth. “Show your woman what she means to you. Don’t be scared. Show her what them lips do.”

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