Divine's Time

7. not giving up

Divine

"Merry Christmas, baby!"

Goldie hugged me tightly, patting my back. She began to rock us side to side. I've grown to hate these kinds of hugs. I've been getting these hugs ever since P died. Everybody been treating me like a lil ass kid, it keeps reminding me of P's death. I'm lowkey tired of that shit. I don't need it as much as they think I do. I'm tired of hugs, and "I'm sorry for your loss, and let me know if you need anything." I've become numb to it.

"Merry Christmas, Auntie," I responded, lowly. "Merry Christmas, Mama." I picked up the presents Erika had wrapped up for me. I got plenty of presents for Mama and Goldie. "Merry Christmas, go and set those presents under the tree and help me in the kitchen," Mama replied.

I did as told and met with Mama and Time laughing, and preparing food. Her again.

Every time I saw she always looked pretty; it's like she doesn't even have to try too hard. She had an innocent look to her. I can tell she came from a different place, like Dade County had to offer.

"Hey." I greeted her quickly, she looked at me and smiled, "Hi, Merry Christmas."

"What do you need help with, old lady?" I joked while watching her wash greens.

"Nothing, I need you to get out of my kitchen." She nudged me while trying to conceal her laugh. "Oh, how about you and Time go out to the garage and get those board games?"

"Those old ass board games? Mama, Ima bet you a Wii or something." I let her know.

"Boy!" She slapped my shoulder, "Go get my damn board games." I lifted my hands and obeyed, "Aight."

I walked out the front door as Time followed into the garage. It was cold, so I threw my hoodie over my head and tucked my hands in the pockets of my hoodie. "I dont know where these damn board games are," I complained, looking around, moving miscellaneous items around with my feet. A lot of the shit in here was over 20 years old. Garden tools, old VCRs, DVD movies, and old music CDs/vinyls from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. P and I's old toys, bikes, and clothes. This lady threw nothing away. 

"It's so nostalgic in here." Time said, looking around with her hands in her back pockets.

"Yeah, because she's a damn hoarder." I joked, making Time giggle. "All this shit in here is damn near older than me."

 "My mother could never; she loved a spring cleaning. She was the queen of having the maids throw away anything that was out of style."

I looked back at her with an impressed expression, "Maids?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I dont mean to sound stuck up. I just mean-"
"Nah, you good, Ashley Banks." I teased.

She let out a louder laugh, "Please, stop. I hate that I even said that. " She rolled her eyes, embarrassed.

"Dont be shy, you lived well. Ain't nothing wrong with that. My mama couldn't give it to us, but P and I eventually got there." I bent down and looked in a brown box titled. "Games"

"No, I admire this life way more, trust me. Look at all this history in here. You guys had a real childhood with a parent that actually cared about making y'all's memories worth remembering. She cared. Money can't buy that."

I looked back at her before picking up the box. "Nah, you right. I'm grateful for that. My mama did her absolute best."

Time nodded with a smile. "Yeah, she's great."

"What yo' folks do?" I asked

"My dad was a Neurosurgeon." She replied. 

"Nice." I replied, "You, Ashley Banks, for real."