“Coke,” Irv called back with zero hesitation, “Thanks Honey-hon.”
Jeez, I loved it when Irv called Honey “Honey-hon”.
I let out a breath. Ty followed his Dad. Honey raced out with Irv’s soda like she’d get to stand on a podium and have a medal draped around her neck if she got the fastest time. That was Honey; she’d definitely win gold for being sweet.
I started to cut the overhang off the pie crust around the edge.
The doorbell rang again. Ty went after it again.
One minute later, we heard Julius shout, “That fuckin’ pool at the hotel is heated. My man, I took a dip at nine thirty at night, in the mountains, snow all around and it was the shit!”
“Unkul Juujuu!” Vivie shrieked and I could hear her little feet on the go and I was loving every minute of my daughter’s excitement. Mostly this was because she was excited; she had a lot of love to give and enjoyed spreading it around so she was in heaven. But also this was because this meant that later, she’d be out like a light.
I looked into the family room and saw Lell on her grandfather’s lap. Her head was turned to her sister but it quickly turned back. This was not because she didn’t love her Uncle Julius, this was because she absolutely freaking adored her Granddad.
I watched as she tipped her head back and lifted her little hand to put it to her grandfather’s throat. That was her thing these days. She liked the vibrations she could feel when people talked.
As for me, I liked to feel my daughter’s hand on my throat when I was talking to her.
“That man needs to watch his mouth,” Ella muttered.
I didn’t respond. Five years and the big family Ty and I somehow managed to acquire that was close and stayed close because they’d endured multiple dramas, the aftermath of tragedy and the lingering fear that never really went away of thwarted tragedy. This meant we didn’t stay apart long and paths crossed often, holidays, birthdays, vacations. Everyone knew everyone else very well. And most everyone got along.
But Ella wasn’t a big fan of Julius’s profession or the fact that he had three women. I’d talked to her about this repeatedly and did not change her mind. Julius being Julius, therefore not only likeable but loveable, also did not manage to change her mind. Bess and Honey adored him. So did my daughters. Ella was just going to have to suck it up.
More people, more greetings, these with Julius, Anana and her daughter with Julius, Ilori, who was nearly eight and closing on the beauty of her mother. Anana joined the women in the kitchen. Ilori went with her Dad to join the men. Honey unveiled the Julius family offering. More beer. More wine. A bottle of top shelf vodka. A bunch of flowers.
The doorbell rang again. Ty moved to it again.
I was pouring pumpkin pie stuff in my crust and didn’t hear anything but boots hitting tile then I felt a hand at the small of my back. I stopped, turned my head and looked slightly down.
“Angel,” I whispered.
“Hola, mi querida.”
I smiled. Angel smiled back.
“How is Carnal Hotel?” I asked.
“The pool is heated,” Angel answered.
My smile got bigger. So did his.
“Though, thinkin’ I took a swim last night with a big, black guy who boosts cars,” he added. “You won’t tell my Cap, will you?”
He totally knew he’d taken a swim with a big, black guy who boosts cars considering this wasn’t the first time he’d been around Julius. This, too, had been an uneasy alliance, at first. But Angel’s love for me and subsequent actions for Ty and Julius’s love for Ty and subsequent actions for me meant they moved beyond uneasy because they had common ground. I suspected when they went their separate ways, they didn’t talk about their association with their crews at home. That said, I knew Julius sent Angel a premium bottle of tequila for his birthday this year and I also knew Angel sent Julius a premium bottle of Hennessy for his.
“Your secret is safe with me,” I whispered and that got me a bigger smile.
Then he put slight pressure on my back before his hand fell away.
I looked around him and smiled again at Angel’s very pregnant wife, “Hey there, Rosalia.”
“Hey, Lexie. Hey, y’all.” She dumped bags on the counter. “Anything I can do?”
Ella, the oldest, the grandmother therefore not being in her house but still being the boss, gave out instructions.
Rosalia got busy.
Angel moved toward a couch.
Ty moved behind him.
Vivie caught sight of Angel and dissed Julius to shriek, “Unkul Anhay!” and throw herself bodily from Julius to Angel who was not prepared but fortunately caught her after she launched herself off the arm of a chair before Julius could stop her. Then Angel lifted her up, threw her in the air, caught her then pulled her close and blew a raspberry in her neck all the while my daughter emitted shrieking giggles.