“Aww…..you look pretty,” I said to Angel as I assessed her appearance. She was dressed in a mid-thigh length turquoise top and a pair of black leggings. Her long sandy brown hair was pulled up in a neat bun that accentuated her slender neck and shoulders. She smiled at me revealing her deep dimples that matched my own.
“Thanks. But in case you didn’t notice, I always look good,” she joked.
I rolled my eyes and walked over to my closet. I pulled out my knee length fitted black dress and set it on the bed. As much as I hated pantyhose, they were a necessary evil. I pulled a pair out of my drawer and laid them on top of my clothes.
“What? No pink?” Angel asked.
I didn’t even turn around to look at her as I walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Since it was a special occasion I decided to try something different. I pulled small sections of my hair and curled them into loose ringlets. The end result was better than I’d imagined it would be. After putting on my make up, I walked out of the bathroom to get dressed.
“Whoo hoo…..Look at you! I like the hair!” Angel yelled.
I smiled but didn’t look up at her. I pulled my clothes on and Angel and I went downstairs to wait. My hands were clammy and I wasn’t sure that I wasn’t going to throw up. I was trying desperately not to sweat because I didn’t want to mess up my hair and makeup. Pacing the living room floor helped calm my nerves a little. Angel watched me intently, but said nothing. She understood that this wasn’t easy for me. Daddy and Uncle Todd were sitting on the couch watching the game and I could hear mom and Aunt Lisa laughing and talking as they set up in the dining room.
Two cars pulled up in the driveway and I almost passed out. Angel’s face lit up as she followed me to the door. I pulled it open impatiently, unable to wait for the guest to ring the doorbell. Aunt Marie and Grandma Jean, daddy’s oldest sister and mother stood there smiling back waiting for me to invite them in. Angel frowned and walked away in disappointment.
“Happy Birthday, Samantha!” Aunt Marie yelled as she squeezed me in her arms. She planted her wettest kiss on my cheek and moved on to the kitchen to put her dish down. Grandma Jean greeted me with a pleasant smile and a kiss and went to sit down in daddy’s chair in the living room. She hadn’t spoken in almost three years since she suffered a stroke.
Behind them my dad’s brother Ray, his new wife Christine, and his son Mikey, came in and wished me a happy birthday. When they were out of view, I sighed and sat on the steps, Angel trailing close behind me.
“I thought black people were the only ones who couldn’t get anywhere on time.” She was thoughtful for a moment.
“Shut up, Angel!”
As we laughed I could see three more cars pull up in the driveway through the glass on the front door. My heart sank again. Before I could get to my feet Daddy was already at the door. This was not the way I’d envisioned this happening. I was stuck in place. My feet wouldn’t move. Daddy pulled the door open and I was relieved that it was just another group of family members. They were coming in droves. The house was livening up with laughter and the men cheering as they watched the game.
My eyes drifted down to the floor as I tried to steady my breathing. Angel tapped me on my knee. “Two more cars just pulled up in front of the house.”
I felt butterflies in my stomach and the urge to throw up was even stronger now. I moved slowly toward the door, reaching for the knob while I was still about ten feet away from actually touching it. Angel was already right beside me. I saw three figures walking up the steps and onto the porch. Angel’s face lit up again. My hand was shaking as I pulled the door open.
When my eyes met AJ’s I could hardly move. He flashed his award winning smile and I still couldn’t budge an inch. Angel pushed me out of the way and came from behind the door, reaching her hand out to shake AJ’s “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Angel, Sammy’s cousin.”