𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘 | 𝐦. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

4

I smiled as I took a bite of the delicious apple pie that Mrs. Katherine had baked. Her cooking was always amazing. "This is really good, Mrs. Jackson," I tell her and the afro-headed boys seated around the table make sounds of agreement. She smiles kindly at me, "I try, sweetheart."

I decided to have dinner with the guys because I couldn't say no to them. Besides, I might as well while Joseph isn't here to put them in bad spirits. I was seated in between Jermaine and Marlon at the table and we conversed about different things to pass the time while eating.

I noticed from the corner of my eye that Jermaine kept stealing glances at me. Was there something on my face? Did he have something to say? Let me stop reading into things so much. He was probably just looking normally, so I didn't think anything of it.

"Nah, that's just because your room stay dirty," Tito says to Jermaine who rolls his eyes at him. "Well, that's because I'm a man, T. You wouldn't know what that feels like," Jermaine says back to him and Tito looks at him crazy because Tito knows Jermaine knows damn well.. "Man, even Marlon cleans his room better than you, you jive turkey."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Marlon interjects and I giggle a little to myself. Marlon seems to take notice of it because he looks over at me and his expression softens, his lips curving up into a goofy grin. The rest of the guys laugh at him too and I can see Mrs. Katherine getting up to collect everyone's empty plates.

She puts them in the sink and I stand up to help her. She shouldn't be doing so much by herself. She already has to take care of a big family. I walk over to her, taking a plate from her hands, "here, let me."

She looks a little shocked at my offer to help, but she takes it nonetheless, which I'm thankful for. "Really? Well, sure, darling. I am a bit tired, anyways," she says, moving over so I have good access to the sink. "Thank you," she tells me and I nod. I smile fondly as I watch her go to her bedroom.

Eventually the boys go outside to get another game of basketball in before Joseph arrives home, and I'm glad that they're having fun. Marlon walks over to me, though.

"Tonya- Girl, why you washing the dishes? You ain't no maid," he jokes. I exhale a laugh. "I'm just trying to help your mother out. It's a lot raising six boys and two girls," I tell him and he nods in understanding.

"You're way too kind, Tonya. Really. I always tell Ma that I'd help her out a little but she always insists that I do something fun instead while I can. I guess because of Joe," Marlon explains. "Oh! And where are your sisters anyways?" I question.

"Janet's at her after school band practice and LaToya's... well, probably hanging out with some boys or something like teenage girls do," Marlon chuckles as he says the last part. "Rebbie moved out a little while ago."

"Janet and LaToya miss dinner?" I ask, a little shocked.

"Well, they serve food at Janet's band practice. LaToya doesn't really eat dinner with us, but sometimes she does. I'll try and get them to come next time so we can all have a dinner together," he tells me with a smile.

I nod as I start washing a few dishes, "Well, go on outside and play around before Joseph gets back. I'll do these dishes and try to leave before he gets here if you're still worried," I look at him for an answer.

"Alright. And.. I think you can stay. Your words made me feel a little better, so maybe he won't get too upset. He should know you ain't no trouble anyway," Marlon says as he he begins to leave the kitchen, but suddenly, stops in his tracks, turning to face me. I look at him in confusion. "What..?"

"Nothing. You just look gorgeous today, doll," Marlon flirts playfully, his voice dropping an octave. I feel my cheeks heat up so I turn away from him, starting to wash the dishes again. "Boy, shut up before I throw one of these plates at your head!" I yell, but I can't fight my smile. Marlon quickly runs outside, and I hear him giggling to himself. That boy...

There were quite a few more dishes than I thought, as there were already dishes in the sink before the ones used for dinner, but I wasn't going to let Mrs. Katherine down. I heard the front door open so I assumed it was one of the guys coming to get water or something and continued to wash.

"Why you in here doing the dishes like some sorta maid?" I hear a voice ask, and it's a little deeper from the rest, so I know it's Jermaine. I laugh, "That's what Marlon just asked me a while ago. I just want to help your mother is all."

I see him open the refrigerator and take a chug from a water bottle before placing it down on the table. "Let me help you with that, huh?" He says, and before I have any time to say I've got it, he reaches over to help me. From my point of view, it looks like he's just helping me wash dishes, but from away, he looks a little closer than he should be.

"Jermaine, really, I've got it. I'm a strong lady, you know?" I say, a little playfully, and he chuckles at my words. "Yeah, and a beautiful one, too," he says as he winks at me. Huh?

I always knew Jermaine was quite a flirt. He always stole all the girls' hearts everywhere he went, but I never thought of him as more than a friend. Was I even hearing or seeing right? There's no way.

I decided to just ignore it. We finished and I began to dry the dishes with a towel. "How's your parents, by the way?" Jermaine asks out of the blue, I guess to just make conversation.

"They're fine," I reply, reaching up to a high shelf to put a plate there, but I couldn't exactly reach. I was almost toppling over trying to stand on my tip toes. "Here, I've got it," Jermaine says, taking the plate from my hands. He put it on the shelf and put his arm around my waist to keep me from falling.

"Hey Tonya, I just wanted to-" Marlon's loud voice rang throughout the room, but Jermaine didn't move a bit. Jermaine and I both looked to Marlon to see him stopping in his tracks and cutting off his sentence when he laid eyes on us. His eyes shifted down to where Jermaine's arm was wrapped around my waist, so I pulled away from Jermaine awkwardly, hoping Marlon wouldn't think I liked Jermaine because that would just be weird. There was an unreadable expression on my best friend's face, almost like anger.. frustration.. jealousy?

Before I could even find out, his expression was back to his normal goofy and bright one. He looked back up to me and Jermaine, and then only to me. "I was just gonna let you know that it's about time for Joe to be on his way, so you can get ready or leave if you want," he explains, looking over towards Jermaine, "or maybe you should leave," I hear him mumble.

I needed to read into this.