Page 65 of Blind Spot
“Yeah, not since your ass ran off to the Big Apple for your music career. I heard your latest CD. You hitting, my nigga!”
“I’m tryna do a li’l sum’m sum’m.” He turned to look at Charly and then cupped his fist to his mouth. “I know this ain’t Ms. Charlyse.”
“Hey, Jaquez,” she greeted him fondly.
My cousin left Cherokee Springs five years ago and had only been back twice. Both times I was in prison, so I hadn’t seen him at all, which meant that Charly probably hadn’t either.
“You’ve grown up. I heard you and my boy here was kicking it . . . but seeing it is different.” He looked back and forth between us.
I felt Charly tense behind me, but before I got to say anything, Jaquez nodded. “That’s what’s up. It’s about damn time, man.”
I dapped him up again and replied, “Thanks, G. Where’s everybody at?”
“Nigga, this yo’ house. You know how y’all do it. Everybody’s here and there and everywhere. All the ladies are in the kitchen though.”
I led Charly through the hallway, still clinging to her hand. Before I faced anyone else, I needed to get the two toughest cookies out of the way: my mama and grandma.
“Dios mío!” Abuela exclaimed dramatically when we stepped into the large kitchen. She was the first to set eyes on us, and as a result, she caused everyone else to turn around and notice us.
“Charly! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you, and you have not answered any of my calls. If it were not for Dominic, I would have thought you were dead. How can you do that to me? I’m getting up in age,” Mamá declared in rapid-fire Spanish.
I nudged Charly with my elbow, and she poked her bottom lip out.
“I’ve been telling her to call you, Mamá,” I tattled. Mamá kissed Charly’s cheeks, pulled her in for a hug, and then held her back again. “Let me look at you. Has he been treating you well? Mi pobre pequeña.”
“She’s not a poor little baby, Mamá. Charly’s a grown woman.”
“She’s my little baby. I promised Tammy that I would take good care of her child. That was her only request of me before she went on to be with the Lord,” Mamá continued.
My aunts and my abuela clucked their tongues, and all eyes turned on me. “Why are y’all looking at me that way? I haven’t stood in the way of you taking care of Charly.”
“No, you have not, hijo, but you and your brother have caused this girl great distress,” Mamá stated as her voice almost became a growl.
“How did I cause her distress? I’m not the one who?—”
“Dom, baby, it’s okay,” Charly muttered, resting her hand on my wrist with a smile. “Mamá, Dominic is a good man. He loves, protects, and provides for me. He knows what I need, and he’s quick to make sure that I have it. He listens to me, and though sometimes he loses his mind where I’m concerned, it’s all out of love.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me that. I know that I raised a good boy,” Mamá declared and grabbed my cheeks.
“Mamá,” I groaned.
She gripped Charly’s hands in hers and stated, “Don’t you ever stay away this long, and you either, hijo, no matter what the problem is.” My mother pointed a finger at me.
“I won’t, Mamá.”
“Go on and see your father and your brothers. They’re in the family room,” she stated, waving a hand at me.
I reached out for Charly’s hand. “Come on, baby.”
“No, she’ll be fine here with us ladies. Trust me, I’ll take care of her. Charly’s family,” Mamá insisted when she saw my hesitation.
I pressed my hand at the back of Charly’s neck and pulled her close. We shared a sweet kiss on the lips before my mother, abuela, aunts, and female cousins sighed or said, “Ahh, they’re so sweet.”
I headed out of the kitchen and down the hall to the family room. I could hear the loud cheers coming from the open door, and I knew they were all watching the big game.
“Put your money where your mouth is. Y’all already know the Eagles are about to swoop down and snatch the Jaguars up by their necks,” Uncle Chris shouted as I cleared the doorway.
“Man, please. The Jaguars are gonna rip the Eagles’ necks out,” I declared.
