𝐍𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞

2. Dinner

Greens, Cornbread, Fried chicken, Yams, Dressing, A large pitcher of cold iced tea and a pecan pie.. momma really outdid herself with this one.

Some of these foods we ain't had since we started moving around, and daddy sho wasn't pleased cause momma spent ha' whole check on buying these groceries, and he definitely felt worse because it was all in efforts to help him get a job.

"Terry I told you don't worry about it. I saved up a couple dollars for the rent, we just won't be able to buy Troy no new school clothes this year.. again." Momma buttoned up daddy's good shirt as they stood in the middle of our home, which is standing in the living room and the kitchen and our bedrooms, the only thang separating our sleeping space is a curtain and door frame.

"I don't like it Charlotte." Daddy sighed.

Momma stood back, dusting off his shoulders and smiling before pecking his cheek with a wet one. "I know baby.. but it's gonna be ok. You're gonna get this job and we're gonna be back on our feet like once before!" She spoke courage into em, always tryna be positive, but it's like daddy couldn't see it no mo, he only nodded to keep her pleased, but anybody could see it.

The light and flicker of hope in his eyes been gone for a long time nie.

"Troy." Momma called me, and I looked to her, smiling and doing a little shimmy in my all cleaned up yella' dress. "Let's be on our best behavior ya hear?" She questioned and i nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Gone on and get the table set". She instructed and as soon as I went towards the cabinets to grab the few good plates we had left, there was a hard knock at the door, momma taking one last moment to make sure the house looked as tidy as it could and daddy going to answer it as I stopped my actions, waiting to see if he would be here as well!

Daddy opened the door, he and Mr Green and momma exchanging greetings while I continued to look, starting to fiddle with my fingers out of nervousness until I seen em.

I felt starstrucken.

He came up in dea with his curls braided back and lil hat tilted to the side looking like his daddy... a nice lil dress shirt on. It sure beat my worn out Sunday church clothes.

"Good evening Ms Troy." Mr Green bowed his head in speaking to me like I was a princess assum, and I nodded, doing a lil dip and holding the sides of my dress causing momma and daddy to smile.

"My son.. do you have something for the lady?" Mr Green stepped to the side, allowing the boy to step up to me, holding the most beautiful flowers I'd ever seen in ma' whole life!

Tulips, and they was yella'.

"Troy.. this is my son, Jerome."

Jerome...

The way it sounded made me feel like I was gone melt right then.

He extended the flowers out to me, a smile on his face, those dazzling teeth.. he can't be real.

His chocolate hand brushed against mine as I took the flowers, smelling em like momma used to do when daddy a' buy ha' some roses.

"Lovely." I told em, but then I remembered, and when I did, I quickly placed the flowers down on the wooden table, my bare feet that momma had told me to cover with my scratched up leather flats rushed across the floorboards, pushing the curtain aside revealing our sleeping space.

"Troy!" Momma gasped and daddy held her arm to keep her from lashing out on my improper manners.

I then hurried back into the same area as them, my worn scratch pad from last school year and a broken crayon in my hand, I flipped to the nearest clean page, seeing a dark and dried spill on it, but I paid it no mind, handing it to em, as I then repeated myself.