Page 50 of The Impossible

I shook my head. “My bad, Mama. You wanna hang up and call back?”

“Boy, don’t get smart with me. I’ll pop you upside your shit when you get here.”

I laughed. “Get where, Alora? I’m on my way to the hous⁠—”

“Yes, your father and I dropped by. I figured we’d come by and check in, but child, there is nothing here to eat and you gave your house manager the weekend off. Have you lost it? What are y’all eating? Who’s cooking?”

“Ma, I had that handled.”

“Sure, and while you have it handled, I’m gonna throw a few things on the grill and get some meals together for you, my daughter, and my future grandchild. Did she take that test I sent over?” She whispered the last question loud as fuck.

I laughed hard as fuck. “Where is she?”

“In the pool with Amethyst. Now answer my question, boy.”

“Ain’t she at the house with you? Ask her,” I said, just to mess with her. Moms was hovering bad even though she was trying not to. I got it though. Otto was adamant about not procreating, so that only left me and she wasn’t getting any younger.

“Hondo Dominic Carter, when I see you I am gonna crack you upside your head. Your wife is going to watch me rock your shit.”

By now I was laughing hard as hell, Mama wasn’t playing at all. “Yeah, Ma, but don’t ask her. Let her tell you.”

She let out a squeal so fucking loud I had to pull the phone from my ear. Then she was speaking again. “Wait, did it say yes? It had to say yes, right?”

“Alora, what the hell is wrong with you? Over there jumping up and down about to lose your fucki⁠—”

“Oh, shut up and get from over here. I’m talking to my son.”

I could feel her joy from across the line which had me smiling too. “Aight, Ma. I’m like a block or two away.”

“Okay baby boy, let me go get this food finished. I need to call your brother also. I haven’t spoken to him today.”

“We just parted, he’s coming by a lil later. He’s straight.”

“You sure?” she asked, tone serious.

“Yeah, Mama. He’s good,” I assured her, knowing she still worried… we all did.

When I made it to the house, all I was focused on was relaxing. Had we not had my parents over, we’d be in the movie room with the screen on watching us. The barbecue smelled good as fuck, shit lowkey foreign given I had missed the last few times my mama grilled.

I was greeted by the security as I moved further into the house. Everything looked like it did before I left, so I continued to the back patio. My parents were off to the left. Pops seated at the table while my mother stood at the grill. Then my eyes went to the pool.

She was so fucking beautiful, so radiant, even when I could only see her from the back. She was sitting on the side while Amethyst floated. My eyes went back to Nic as I admired the vined flower tattoo that took up most of her side. She must have felt me looking at her because she turned around and we immediately locked eyes. A smile indented itself at her lips, then she lifted her hand to wave at me while holding the other up to shield her from the sun.

I approached like a nigga in the deepest of love… Which I was and anybody who knew me well enough could see it.

“I thought I wouldn’t see you until later.”

I shrugged. “Shit wrapped up kind of early. You ain’t miss me?”

“Yes, but you already knew that. Now what do I have to do to have you in this pool with me?” She had a playful grin on her lips, but she was dead ass serious.

I grinned. “I’d say a few things, but then again, you got company. So I’ma take it easy on you. I’ll be back out in a few.”

A small laugh escaped her lips before her expression went serious. “Wait, you’re leaving me again?”

I shook my head. “Gotta change, right?”

“Look at y’all over here being all cute and shit. So cute that it makes me sick to look at.” Amethyst’s voice made me look away from Nic at her. Every single time I looked her way, her hair was even more purple than before.