A Thousand and One Nights in Atlanta

Part 5 (Milo's Parents House)

Je'Rae sits in a smoke-grey Fillmore Mid-Century chair near a large pot with Aloe Vera sprouting from it in the corner. The Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat NBA Summer League game plays in the background, on the tv. Mr. Green comes back from the weakly lit kitchen, and hands a chilled Coca-Cola to Milo on the cream-colored loveseat. He walks toward the cinnamon Axel sofa, as he sits down the leather cries out. Mrs. Green stands behind the chair and finishes twisting Je'Rae's last dread and clips it in place. She proceeds to braid Je'Rae's ginger dreads in a barrel roll style. Je'Rae looks into the handheld mirror and admires his hairstyle. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Green, I really appreciate you doing my retwist for me." Je'Rae gets up and hugs Mrs. Green.

"You know you will always be a part of this family!" Mrs. Green hugs Je'Rae back, "I remember when y'all was in middle school running around here. Y'all got tall and grown now."

Je'Rae chuckles and looks around the living room. "I like the renovations y'all made around here. It has an earthy vibe to it."

Mrs. Green walks to the couch, kisses Mr. Green on the cheek, and sits beside him on the couch. Mr. Green puts his arm around her and lays his head on her.

"Maisie picked all this out. I didn't even bother to do anything but swipe the card." Mr. Green chuckles, "She has been wearing my pockets out. Who knew furniture was so expensive!"

Milo laughs and pulls his Airpods out of his ears, "You know how mom gets. I coulda told you she was gone drain your funds pop."

Je'Rae laughs, "I'm glad you spent that munyon*, it looks nice in here. It smells good too."

Milo interrupts, "Aye twin, my cousin Ace swinging by to drop off the Off-White shoes."

"Ight bet."

Je'Rae's blue Crocs screech as he slowly walks out of the living room and down the hall toward the bathroom. He walks around a flowerpot standing alone in the hallway. As he walks into the bathroom, the motion sensor light flicks on. He reaches his hands towards the sensor under the faucet and the water starts to run slowly. He rinses his hands, splashes his face with the warm water, and proceeds to wipe his face and hands off on a nearby face towel. He looks into the mirror and stares.

"Je'Rae, come here baby." Milo's grandmother calls out from the neighboring room.

"Yes ma'am, here I come." Je'Rae responds as he swiftly exits the bathroom and into the grandmother's room, "Hey Grandmother, you called me?"

"Yes, I did. Milo tells me you are going to a fancy lil masquerade party."

"Yeaaaaaa, I met a girl earlier and she's gonna be there." Je'rae sits alongside the grandmother, "Hopefully I get another chance to talk to her. I got something to return to her as well."

"Okay, so you just met her. What is it that you must return to her? What does she look like?" The grandmother asks curiously.

"Lemme pull up her profile." Je'Rae pulls out his iPhone and searches for her profile. "Yea, I met her when Milo and I went to the pop-up shop earlier. I had stolen a couple of wallets and when I ran into her, I recognized her smell and that's when I figured out that I stole her wallet."

"Stealing again? What did I tell y'all about doing that?" said the grandmother in a disappointing tone.

"I know you said when times get hard don't be too embarrassed to come and ask for money. But we want to feel independent sometimes. We hate asking for money." Je'Rae says softly as he turns the phone off and sits it on the bed quilt.

"And I hate when y'all steal, I'll rather give you the money that you need." The grandmother says in a motherly tone. She kisses Je'Rae's forehead, "I don't need y'all in jail. Y'all are too smart. I mean that."

Je'Rae looks at the black and grey pictures on the wall. His eyes follow the angels on the bedroom wallpaper.

"Yes ma'am"

"Now promise me you will return the wallet to her and that'll be the last time you steal!"

"I will. I'm just scared of the outcome. Her Dad has a lot of influence in the city. What if she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"If y'all hit it off already and she likes you, it'll be water under the bridge baby after you apologize for your actions. But all I know is that you better return it or imma be very disappointed in you."

* Munyon- Slang for money.