"You know your mother would be so proud of you. You're growing to be so handsome." Auntie Sherri said.
I shook my head, scooping a mouthful of eggs into my mouth.
"DD slow down, you're going to choke."
She always called me DD when she was thinking about my mom. It stood for Daiya and Dezmond.
"Auntie, I'm straight. I'm just hungry, you know I'm about to be a man now I gotta eat." I said, flashing her a smile.
"Boy you ain't no man. Don't say that, I'm not ready for all of that now. You're still my baby. My little nephew. You know I remember the day you were born. Your mother, Daiya, was in labor for-"
"17 hours 34 minutes and 19 seconds, yes I know."
Auntie Sherri glared at me because I cut her off at what she calls her "favorite part."
"Hush Dezmond. I was just reminding you."
She paused before speaking again.
"So your father tells me you've been missing school. Dez I trust you enough to leave you here while I go to work at five in the morning. I expect you to go to school. Now you know I can call up your cousin Tasha. She will definitely make sure you get to school."
"Oh no Auntie please, no need for that. And Auntie, it's the weekend do we really gotta talk about school?"
"Yes! School is very important in this family. You know that's how Daiya died. Rushing to school because she was late. She could never be on time for anything..." Auntie Sherri said trailing off, laughing to herself.
She always talks about my mother when she finds out I'm doing something bad. It's like she's trying to make me feel bad even though she says that's not true. She says I'm the only piece of my mother left, so she's trying to motivate me through her. It's so hard to be motivated by someone who you barely remember.
"Your father wants you to come live with him. I am so totally against it. I don't know what my sister seen in that man. But it doesn't matter because I have you." She said smiling at me.
"Anyways, I told him I will ask you because who am I to keep a boy away from his father. I think it will be good for you. Despite my dislikes for him he is a great father to you. He seems to get through to you. You need somebody to light a fire under your ass anyways." She said laughing
I stood up and leaned down to hug my aunt. She's been there for me since day
one and I was very appreciative of her for
"So I take that as a yes?" She said looking up at me
"If you don't want me to I won't. I'll stay here with you."
"No no baby, it's all up to you. I will even help you pack. Besides, auntie got her a man now. Ion need you kids around while I'm tryna get down."
"What man you got? What's this cat name, how old his he? Where he work? He got kids? Ion like him." I ranted
"I have a life too Dezmond. You ain't the only one with a sex life."
"Auntie please I ain't really tryna hear bout no nigga all up in ya forreal. Like ew. And who say I have sex life?"
Auntie Sherri scoffed and looked at me side eyed.
"I see the way you be cheesing all into that phone screen of yours. Sometimes in the middle of the night when I walk in your room to check on you, you're asleep with girls still on the phone! So I hang up for you, cause ion like them." She teased, mocking me.
