Family Lies

Dottie

"You don't have to go. You're choosing to go— knowing I need you here. Knowing we need you here." I took a deep sigh as I quit packing my suitcase and sat up on my knees. I got up from the floor to leave our closet and went to kneel on the bed behind my husband, Irving. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and kissed his light skin. "I ain't been home in so long Irv... I ain't even go home when my Mama died cuz you was campaigning and you needed my support."

"You're talking like this right here ain't home. What do you want to go to Cali for? Huh? Ain't shit for you out there."

"Isn't there though babe?" I asked softly and Irving only sighed. "I miss my family."

"We're your family!" His voice boomed as he stood to his feet, obviously angry.

"I know that baby. Come here, sit down." I pulled him back down and got to rubbing on him and kissing his strong jaw. "They goin' through a lot over there. Dollie back on that shit... and Donna been strugglin' to take care of them kids by herself all these years. You know there ain't no where in the world I'd rather be other than by your side. I just feel like I left everybody hangin' a long time ago and I wanna make it right babe." He looked back at me clenching his jaw. "What you mean by make it right?" I shook my head. "I just wanna go see 'em baby."

"I know I ain't the only one who remembers what happened the last time you called yourself going out there to help because Dollie was on that shit. Weren't you the one who said you never wanted to go back there again?" 

And just like that my mouth went dry.

"But that was before Irv..." He huffed like he was tired of me already. "Alright. You can go." 

I grinned while kissing on his cheek. "Thank you baby. My flight leaves tomorrow morning and I been cookin' all day so y'all should have enough to last until I get back.”

Irving stood up and turned to face me with his bottom lip tucked in his mouth as he stared me down. "Sounds to me like you was plannin' on leavin' no matter what I said."

I smirked and raised an eyebrow. "And what you gone do about it?"

My husband chuckled. "Oh you think somebody playin' witchu." He pushed me back to lay between my legs and try to screw me into submission in true Irving Edwards fashion.

Friday — Four PM — California

I stood outside of Donna's house knocking on her front door and a couple seconds later my niece Domonique was opening the door for me. "Hey aunt Dot!" I smiled as we pulled each other into a hug. "Hey Nique. Oh my goodness girl, you grown now," I said with a chuckle as we pulled away. "Where's your auntie? She home?" I asked as I stepped inside and Sahari and Blaze got up to hug me.

"Yeah she actually just got home from work. I'll let her know you here. Mamaaaa!" Nique went running up the stairs and I just wanted to shake my head. Mama? Good Lord, Dollie done fucked these kids up. I took a seat to wait for my sister to come downstairs and when she did the girl came running. I stood to my feet giggling as Donna held onto me so tightly and I almost shed a couple tears too. "Don't let go girl," she mumbled in my hair and my ass broke down like an old car.

"That's alright. You can cry. This why yo ass can't stay away for no twelve years." I laughed through my tears as Donna pulled back and started wiping my face for me. "You still the same after all these years. You still pretty and you still a cry baby." I laughed and rolled my eyes at the same time.

"Come in here and sit down. I'll make some tea." She pulled me into the dining room and pulled out a seat for me before going into the kitchen. When she came back she took her seat at the head of the table and I decided to spark up some conversation. "So... the rest of the kids around?" Donna shook her head.