Page 117 of Love Unforgettable
Chapter 36
Cole
“This trip is goin’ slower than a herd of turtles,” I mutter to myself.
Mavis opens the passenger door and I get out to circle around and help her in. She turns to me. “Do we need to talk, Cole?”
“Talk?”
“About theshtupping. You are prepared, no?”
“I believe so, Miss Mavis,” I say as the Ninth Circle of Hell opens up and sucks me in. I thought for sure Mavis and I had put these discussions behind us.
“You are circumcised?”
I was wrong, this is worse than the Ninth Circle.
“I am, Miss Mavis.”
“Is good. Mybubala, she will not know what to do with all the skin.”
I close my eyes.
Dear lord, please kill me now.
“Nobeybiz. Not in first year. After? All you want.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Babs gets to the car next, I help her in as well, then shut the door after the two of them.
“Babs? Yes? No beybiz in first year?” Mavis questions Babs.
“Oh yes, sugar. Y’all need that first year to adjust to married life. No glove, no love, you hear me?”
I could have gone my entire life without hearing my grandmother say, “no glove, no love” and been just fine.
“Any other guidance you two feel the need to impart?”
The two women look at one another, some unspoken secret conversation passing between them.
“Naw. I think you’ve got this, sweetheart,” Babs says, reaching over Mavis to pat my knee while I pull onto the freeway again. “But if y’all have any questions, just call me, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
* * *
I valet park at the hotel, help the ladies out of the truck, grab our luggage, and pass the keys and a Benjamin to the attendant. My parents haven’t arrived yet, so I check them in along with us, this way Babs and Mavis have a place to go to until the ceremony begins. I escort Babs and Mavis to their room and head to mine. After that drive, I am desperate for some peace and quiet, even if for just a minute.
Mavis and Babs were already dressed in their finest semi-formal wear when I picked them up. My guess is they were ready at six this morning, that’s how excited they are about this. And I don’t think it has as much to do with Lexie’s award as it does knowing that tonight we will consummate our relationship and she’ll meet my parents. As far as Babs and Mavis are concerned, Lexie and I are as good as wed at that point, and their job here is done.
If only it were that easy.
