Page 23 of Her Sweetest Desires
“No need to apologize. I been yo’ mama all your life. You’re stressed because your girl is in Heaven kicking up her feet when she was supposed to be here, helping you cook. When you’re emotionally overwhelmed, you lock up and are short. There is only one person who can recenter you, and I’m glad Truce had a chance to . . .talkto you.”
They both cackled like old hens, and I wanted to bolt from the kitchen.
“You’re fine. The firsts are the toughest, and after that, you learn to manage. You’ll be okay. Plus, my son wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“You really did raise a good man.” I smiled, squeezed my mama, then let her go. “I am starving, so let’s get to the table before the game starts and we lose the men.”
I pulled the mac from the oven and put the rolls in.
By the time I had the family gathered, they would be ready to come out of the oven, and we could eat. Now that everything was done, I was petrified to have everyone taste the food I had prepared. I heard Truce when he said that no matter what, it would be good, but that calm I felt earlier had flown out of the window. Once I set out the mac, I went looking for my husband. All the men had migrated to the living room, so I went in there first.
Truce sat on one of the many folding chairs set out for the family, with TJ in his lap.
“What’s up?” he asked as soon as I was in front of him.
“Dinner is technically ready. Just waiting for the rolls to warm . . .”
Truce’s eyes had been on the game, but my true feelings must have been in my tone because he looked at me.
“You good? I told you, Sweets, the food will be fine. Get out yo’ head.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my cheek on the top of his head.
It was crazy how just feeling him could settle me. I hated that I was this emotional about the whole dinner. This wasn’t the first time my family would eat something I made.
If I kept it up, I’d drive myself insane.
“Don’t you think y’all two got enough of touching each other earlier?” My body stilled, hearing my aunt’s words.
“Excuse me?” I asked and slowly removed my arms from Truce.
“Relax, Sweets.”
Truce set TJ on his feet and told him to go to the playroom.
TJ opened his mouth to complain, but his daddy gave him a look, then he was on his way. Truce stood to his full height, kissed my forehead, then turned to my aunt. His body blocked mine slightly, and I prayed that he didn’t hurt this lady’s feelings on this holiday. Daddy moved toward the kitchen, and seconds later, my mother walked toward us.
My husband already didn’t like my aunt, and she had just made things worse.
“Agnes, you are in my home. We welcomed you here with open arms, and since stepping foot into our home, you have had your ass on your shoulders—sorry, Ma. What goes on between me and my wife in our home is no one else’s business. The room you are staying in is on this floor, so you had no business being near our bedroom. Whatever comments you have about us touching each other need to stay inside your head. This is our space, and you are a guest.”
“If you have a problem with me being here, I can go. I just find it disrespectful to have sex in a house full of people, especially your elders. You need to be mindful that there is a time and a place for such things. Every time you two are near each other, it’s like watching porn and?—”
“Now, hold on, Aggie. You will not disrespect Truce and Billie’s marriage like that. There is nothing inappropriate about how they interact. The same way you see them is exactly how Senior and I were around our parents. And if memory serves me correctly, you were the same way with yourhusbands. A man is allowed to love on his woman when he wants to. Also, their bedroom is on the opposite side of the house. How are you so sure that when they disappeared, they hadn’t gone to take a nap?”
I side-eyed my mama because really?
She didn’t have a better example than a damn nap? Aunt Agnes looked at my mother and chuckled. I hated that sheouted us because now I felt like I’d done something dirty when I had only shared an intimate moment with my husband. I had enough on my mind, and now I had to worry about if my aunt had pressed her ear against the door while my husband and I fucked. I was disgusted at the thought.
Every part of me wanted her out of my house now, but I wouldn’t kick her out, because Nannie would have slapped her then made her a plate.
“Listen. This is not a conversation I am interested in having in front of my daddy and my brothers. What Truce and I do in our home as a married couple should not be announced to a room full of people. If we wanted everyone to know what we were doing, we would have put on a show in the middle of the dinner room table.”
“Thank God you didn’t.”
“Shut up, Carter.” I rolled my eyes, and he laughed.
Truce grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the living room.
