Page 6 of All She Ever Wanted Was a Real One
“Aight, bet.”
“You look good, though. I can’t believe my big brother is home after all these years,” she stated once we were both seated inside her navy blue sedan.
I bobbed my head up and down while staring out the window. Everything felt the same but looked different. “Thank you. It’s good to be home.”
“So, what’s next? You know Mama and Daddy aren’t going to let you out of their sight now that you’re back.”
“Why you think I’m staying at your crib until my house is finished being built?”
“Remind me again how long you have until it’s finished.”
“A little under ninety days until closing.”
“And in the meantime, you have a game plan for what you’re gonna be doing to make sure I get my rent money, right?”
I sucked my teeth, frustrated with the fact that she was acting more like my mother than my kid sister. “Damn, Liv. Your ass is more worrisome than Mama. Chill, aight? I promise you I’m not leaving no time soon. I’ve been away too long. It was time to come home. Besides, I’ve got some savings, so I plan to take my time setting up my place once it’s ready. Then I’ll work on lining up a job. Shit probably ain’t gon’ be sweet out here for a vet, but I promise you I’m good, aight? I’m straight.”
“Okay, Oak. I believe you.”
“I don’t need you to believe me. I need the mattress not to be on the floor in your guest room,” I joked.
She turned her lip up. “You get what you get, negro.”
“Whatever. How’s Mama? You talk to her today?”
Liv slowly rotated her neck in my direction. “Yeah. She’s good. Excited as hell to see her firstborn, of course.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t come with you to get me today.”
“She wanted to, but she’s throwing down in the kitchen for your party.”
I sucked my teeth. “I said no party, Liv.”
“Did I say party? I meant dinner.”
I sucked my teeth before a sigh escaped my lips. “Yeah. Whatever, bighead.”
We were minutes away from the barbershop I used to frequent, and I still hadn’t managed to get through to her that I didn’t want a damn party. All I wanted to do was return to civilian life in peace. But all my family knew how to do was celebrate; it didn’t matter whether the win was big or small. And as the firstborn, I’d always been treated like a glass egg, especially after joining the Navy. Mama never missed a chance to pray over me as much as she bragged about me or the things I was doing. Meanwhile, Liv had become a whole nurse and didn’t receive half the praise I did. But what Liv didn’t get fromour mother, she got twice as much from our father. She was the apple of his eye and could do no wrong.
After spending the next few hours getting a fresh cut by my hometown barber, Red, and some new clothes, Liv and I headed to our childhood home. After all these years, my father still managed to keep a well-manicured lawn that seemed to stretch on forever. The three-level brick-front, colonial-style home sat on an acre lot in a quiet cul-de-sac in a neighborhood west of the city. The grand foyer welcomed us as we entered, showcasing the detailed hardwood floors across the main level.
“Where is everybody?” I quizzed.
“I don’t know. Check out back. I’ll check the kitchen.”
The large living room flowed into the formal dining room—perfect for entertaining, only no one was there. My father’s private office with French doors was empty, as were the kitchen, sunroom, and family room. I stepped outside onto the rear deck that overlooked the wooded backyard.
I looked down to see a sea of faces—some familiar, some not—looking up at me. “Surprise!” they all yelled in unison.
I turned around to see Liv standing behind me with a satisfied smile splitting her face as if she’d gotten away with something.
“Oh shit!” She squealed when I darted after her, serious about knocking her ass out.
I chased her back through the house, making it out to the backyard to greet my guests. The area bloomed with the scentof barbequed meats on the grill as I leaned into my mother’s embrace. “Hey, Mama.”
Her brown eyes crinkled when she smiled. “Oakland! Oh, how I’ve missed my baby!”
“I’m far from a baby, Mama. I’ma grown ass man,” I corrected her.
