Page 36 of Tyriq & Teaira
“Oh,” she sighs loudly, startled. “I…was…just…How long were you right here?”
“Just now,” I lie quickly. “Your dad wanted to know if the cornbread is ready.”
“Oh, okay,” she says, flustered. “It’s ready. I was coming to find you two.”
“You good?” I ask and she flashes me a half ass smile.
“Yeah. Just ready to eat.” Her head lifts. “Oh good. You’re here too. Momma said we can eat.”
“Let me wash my hands,” her dad says. I guess he decided to just come in.
“You sure you’re good?”
She nods fast then says, “Yes. Just ready to tell them. I’m thinking we’ll do it after my dad says grace.”
“Before we eat. Something smells good as hell and I don’t want to be kicked out before I can taste it.”
“I promise. They are not going to kick you out. My mom is dying to be a grandma. She’s going to be so happy. My daddy too.”
“Ion know; your dad is an OG. He might crash out,” I tease.
“My daddy? Please. He is all talk,” she says before rolling her eyes.
“A’ight. I’m telling you.”
You gotta love my momma.
On Monday, I made up my mind to just tell my parents my news. I thought about waiting but the thought vanished before it could even fully form. My parents and I are close, especially me and my mom, and I typically don’t keep any secrets from her.Not real shit anyway.So when I called and told her that me and a friend would be stopping by today, she was happy. When I revealed that the friend was a man, she was ecstatic, practically screaming in my damn ear.
I should have known then that she would go all out with the food. This is truly a soul food feast. Our dining room table is filled with bowls and small platters of whole fried chicken wings for me, a pot roast with potatoes and veggies for my dad, sauteed zucchini and squash, red rice, and honey cornbread. A strawberry cobbler is warming in the oven. She did the most but I’m not complaining at all.
“Baby, the grace,” my mom says and my dad nods.
We all bow our heads and he begins, saying his usual grace. When he’s done, we fill our plates with the delicious food. Since it’s Tyriq’s first time here, I load his plate up for him. As I spoon out the food, he tries to silently communicate with me. I’ve deviated from the plan and he’s obviously trying to see when the hell I’m going to tell them. I said before dinner but I chickened out before we sat down and didn’t say shit before grace. I’m a grown ass woman so I’m not scared or worried butmy nerves don’t seem to know that shit. I can feel them pulsating under my damn skin.
When I place his plate in front of him, I look into his eyes then mouth, “Let’s eat first.”
Maybe the food will calm my ass down.
He waits until I fill my plate before eating, but when he does, he immediately shakes his head then looks at my mom. “Miss Diane, this is good. I’ve never had this red rice before but it’s good as hell.”
While grinning, she says, “Thank you. Troy is from South Carolina and he always talked about his grandmother’s red rice. I tried a few different recipes, made my own tweaks, and I think I got it.”
“Oh, you definitely got it, baby,” my dad says before shoveling a forkful in his mouth.
Tyriq can eat, and after he cleans his plate, he nudges me for a little more of everything. I just smile and fix him more. My stomach finally has some damn sense today and I do damage on my plate too, especially to my wings and rice. To-go containers will definitely be packed and taken.
When I finish my cornbread, I pat Tyriq’s leg under the table then reach into the front pocket on my jersey dress. I placed my ultrasound picture in there before we walked into the dining room. I pull the picture out, cuff it in my hand, then place it on the table with my hand covering it.
“I hope y’all saved room for the cobbler,” my mom says.
“I’m definitely getting mine to go. I’m full full but before you get it. I need to tell you something,” I say and her smile drops a little.
“That sounds serious. Are you okay?” she asks and my dad puts his fork down at her words.
“You okay, sweetheart?” he adds.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I stress then smile. After deeply inhaling and exhaling, I remove my hand from the picture then say, “We’re fine, actually.”
