Peyton
I was in one of the best moods I've been in in a long time. Janet's tour was officially over as of last night, and I had just received a text that she was landing. I was excited that I managed to move to LA before she got back and J still had no idea about it. So while I was more than happy to see her, and for her to be home, I was a little nervous about her reaction when I finally told her.
Also, unbeknownst to her, I had developed a very cute relationship with her mother. We had several conversations during our check-ins that ultimately resulted in her helping me decide on a place. If I found something I liked, I'd send it to her to ask for her opinion. She insisted. She admitted that she valued the moments when her children would ask for her opinion on things. Now, since they've gotten older and have their own families, they don't come to her as much. She missed it. I, on the other hand, missed the feedback and guidance of a mother figure. While I wasn't looking to replace one Catherine with another Katherine, it was nice to have a mother's voice going into this big change.
All of my furniture, new and old, had been delivered, set up and organized the way that I wanted it to, with the exception of a few things. Once I got back to Atlanta from Europe, I had to begin packing and planning to ship things as I had signed a lease the same day that I landed. Seeing as how my old apartment's security messed up by letting light bright's cheating ass through, they were more than happy to let me out of my lease without a penalty.
It was tough keeping such a big secret from J, but her being busy with the shows helped a lot. Only her mother and Rebbie, aside from my family, knew that I had moved, and I knew they wouldn't spill my secret. I told Ms. Katherine that I would love to have her and Rebbie over for dinner one night once J was back home. Latoya and I still weren't really seeing eye to eye, so her invitation was pending.
My invitations to Ms. Katherine's house, however, were not. I was on my way there to welcome my baby home from her tour. I had told her before I left that I was going to be at her house waiting for her and our boy with flowers and balloons. But when her mother said that she wanted to have a get together in the evening, and that Janet was going to stop by before she went home, I changed my plans. I just had balloons and flowers at my place for when I finally brought her and Eissa over.
I was out back on the patio, talking with Rebbie, Jackie and their mother when Randy, Marlon and Jermaine walked in. I had yet to meet them, and felt a little odd meeting them without Janet, but my new friend handled everything. Especially since Randy couldn't keep his eyes from wandering to me.
"Boy, keep your eyes to yourself. That's your sister's girlfriend you keep gawking at," she said, swatting at him.
"My sister's girlfriend? Who the hell wants Latoya?" He asked, making me laugh.
"Shut up, Randy," Latoya said as she walked out to the patio with us. "That's Janet's girlfriend. I would never."
"You could never," I muttered under my breath, but not low enough. Rebbie heard me and started laughing.
"Stop, you guys. Peyton, these are the rest of the siblings that you didn't meet. Randy, Jermaine, Marlon, this is Janet's girlfriend, Peyton." Rebbie smiled at me. She was so nice.
"It's nice to finally meet you three." I stood to shake each of their hands. "Janet told me that my relationship with my brother reminds her of hers with you, Randy."
"Oh yeah? How's that?" Randy said, trying to get closer to me.
"How we bicker all the time, and how y'all annoy us that y'all have no sense or shame. We love you, though."
"What does she mean, I have no shame?"
"You skipped right over the sense part, huh? See? She wasn't wrong." Marlon said to Randy while shaking his head. "Peyton, it's nice to meet you," he turned his attention to me. "So you're the one that has our sister telling the world that she's in love."
