It'll be

Chapter five

As the drove slowly along the neighbourhood, Sage was hyper-aware of her surroundings. Her attention was on what was on the other side of the window, scrutinising what was going to be her new home. "Home,"  she whispered it to herself realising that she had never felt that. It was just another word to her. She had often heard people refer to it as more than just that. It was a feeling, to some it was a person. Maybe she'd say she was her own home, because she could live with herself, knowing who she was fully and what she stood for.
She noticed that it was mostly white people, taking dogs for walks and playing out in the yard. She was going to point it out to her cousin Razaiah who seemed to read her mind
"The neighbourhood is predominantly white." She said looking on the outside with sage.
"Just like our neighbourhood." Sage replied, lowly her voice appearing to be sucked in by the amount of attention she had on the outside. "Our old neighbourhood" She corrected herself equally slowly, after razaiah gave her a look. That look. "Megan had a follower who called us white washed. I didn't disagree with that, we just did not have a choice. we were not exposed and did not have any black friends or  any friends for that matter but meh."  she shrugged as she finished off her sentence
"We moved here one year ago. Our old neighbourhood was mostly black people. I was in love with the culture and the love and the hate, I just love being me, and that includes loving all that my people are, you know,"  As Razaiah explained this her face brightened up with a soft smile as she described it "Mama hated it though," the youngest in the family, who said everything as it was, or at least as she saw it and bothered not to hide any detail sat between Sage and Razaiah.
"I did not hate it, I just wanted the best for y'all." Mia, Tyrell's wife, argued ever so softly fro the passenger seat, turning to get a glimpse of their kids who were in the back of the escalade.
"Living among your own people is not the best?" Sage questioned, her tone stern laced with rudeness. She just could not hold her words back, and for the first time, she felt sorry for putting the poor lady on the spot.
"Not when the schools are only places to get high, or pregnant and have nothing close to a good education. Or a week can't go by without anyone getting shot, We moved for the better." Mia explained her point slowly, her husband nodding to her point slowly as they  approached their house. "Sage, my family is my people. You are my person."  She finished of, the peace and reassurance both in her voice and eyes consoled sage immediately by wrapping up its arms around her making her eyes tingle as they got wet.
They alighted the car once Tyrell pulled up in the driveway. Sage got to scan the area better once she was out, as The rest of the kids got out of the other cars, the older kids'. 
"You will get to see the black side on Sunday, we go to church there." Razaiah said, closing the door, after she got out then walked into the house.
"You go to church?" Sage asked rushing after her. It was more of a excited statement than a question.
"Yes, and on Monday you are starting school." Tyrell said closing the door after his family was inside.
"Go upstairs and get ready for dinner." Mia said to the kids. They both watched the little kids rushed up the stairs, while the older ones were in no hurry, razaiah and sage seeming to have clicked it was a relief for both of them.
Tyrell was partially glad when he received that call. His brother's children didn't have to pay for their parents mistakes. The girls were precious, he saw them online, he loved them like his own, but he still respected their decision to stay away and never reach out.
"Now we have 12." Mia pulled him back from the pit of his thoughts. She walked closer to him, reaching out to hold his hand. He pulled his wife into his embrace, and kissed her hair.
"We have 12." He echoed his wife's  words, adoration in his words and touch.
They savoured the moments in each other's arms, in the grand foyer.
"I hate to do this but, I have to call the principle to speed up sages enrolment at Windforks." Mia said trying to wrestle her way out of Tyrell's hands who had her in a tender, yet tight hold. "You too have stuff to do sir, you have to get dinner going. I will catch up once I'm off the call with the old man." She said bussing his  cheek then cupping it. She put a little bounce to her step as she walked off knowing surely that Tyrell was watching and his approval came in an almost suppressed groan of lust and love all wrapped up in goofiness.

*****
Razaiah led sage to her bedroom, which was the farthest down the hall. The room was large, and spacious, with a sitting area and a king bed. It was too colourful for sage who was a fan of soft and earthy tones. This was a great contrast to Razaiah, to whom colour was a way of expression, colour was more than just about aesthetics to her, it was a whole language, from way back when she was a just a child.
"We used to share rooms back while we lived in our old neighbourhood. I hated it." Razaiah groaned out as she dropped onto her bed which gave her a little bounce tired, and fatigued from the unexpected trip.

******
Megan walked into the penthouse after kelis, who was welcoming her, once the elevator doors slid open. Kelis, threw her keys on a bowl that was held by a white shelve, along with several potted plants and some trophies. Megan couldn't help but stop, to see what they were for, 'business lady of the year,' 'female CEO award' The house had a calm and clean look, and its earthy tones reminded her of sage's bedroom.
Kelis kicked off her shoes in the mudroom, where sage was removing her own.
"Uh, it was such a long flight. Come, let me show yo to your room." She uttered, releasing a sigh before her statement walking past the living room with an open kitchen, down the long hallway, past several doors, presumably bedrooms, or other rooms, to almost the end. Kelis opened the door, and waited for Megan to go in, in her pace then went after her. Megan got in slowly, pulling only one of her suitcases with her, scrutinising the room, which was mostly white, which irked her.
"You can decorate it to your liking." Kelis said, as if reading her mind. She was scared, of saying something wrong or doing something wrong unintentionally to the teenage girl, who was awfully quiet. She knew she had to help her get out of that shell if she was going to join college soon, or If she wanted to be in a sorority. "Listen baby, I know this has been a tough few weeks for you, but I hope that you see the positive side of it, no matter how slim and irrelevant. Just be open and positive. I love you Megan, I have ever since I set eyes on your pictures, and I will do anything to make you happy." Kelis, said what was on her heart, what she deemed true, and right. The words stroke tears into both their eyes, both feeling optimistic that the future was brighter. Megan rushed forward and hugged her aunt who was at first confused, but soon relaxed into the embrace, happy that she had family, that she was not alone, and scared in the large apartment that she had wanted to sell for a really long time, now she might have to rethink.