What is Love?

23.

"When will they have a week off from dancin?" I asked Camilla, Mama Di invited her and my dad over for dinner. The smell of this gumbo got my mouth watering already.

Mani and Gabby were upstairs playing, and my dad was at the store picking up some stuff. Alex was around here somewhere, and Mama Di was in the kitchen cooking.

"I'm not sure about all the dates, but I know they'll have the first week of July off since it'll be a holiday during that week."

"You goin to G house for the 4th?"

"Yes! It's only 3 -4 times of the year where we get that good Italian cookin, and I'm not about to pass up the first day of the year." I shook my head and laughed, she too fit to be so fat. "But other than that, Glam has been annoying me about bringin Gabby to her."

"Yeah, the same with Mani, she wanted me to leave her down there for the summer."

"Gabby too, but that's not happening. A week? I can do. A month? Maybe. But a whole summer? Never."

"Yeah, but since G is close to retiring, he's almost never home, so she's probably just lookin for company. Know she spoiled."

"Know you ain't talkin. You had Adonis wrapped around yo finger." Alex popped up outta nowhere.

"Shh! nobody asked you."

"This I gotta hear" Camilla said gettin even more comfortable on the couch we were sittin on. This is not story time, and she actin like he bout to tell the best story of all time.

"Around the time she first met him, she was stressed out about everything, and she wondered how he kept his cool doin what he does fa a livin. She noticed he smoked weed, so she wanted ta try it. He told ha no, but that lil puppy dog face Amani gave me, she gave him, and he gave in. That's when we knew he liked ha a lot, he ain't neva share his weed wit nobody outside of his closest friends, especially not nobody he just met."

"Is it time to eat yet?" I asked trying to stop the embarrassment before it goes too far.

"Nah, now let me finish" Alex said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Back ta school shoppin, was the worst!" Oh God. "This nigga gave her a budget for everything; shoes, clothes, and supplies. Plus she had ha own money. Anyway, she was goin ova budget on ha shoes, but then she saw a pair of Jordans she wanted. He said no, and she asked him what was 'no,' and proceeded to ask fa ha size. She was gon pay fa the shoes ha self, but he ain't want ha spendin ha money. When they got to the register, he ended up payin fa the shoes anyway, and anotha pair. Then she wanted some phone cases, and even tho he ain't want to, he paid fa all of em, he was tryin ta stick ta his word and not let ha pay fa nothin, I think he would've snapped if she didn't suggest they leave."

"You was a brat."

"No I wasn't, I offered to pay, but he beat me to it."

"It ain't like you refused it."

"I had been through enough of them arguments wit Adonis over the summer, I was not about to go through it again. I learned it was easier to just let him have his way."

"Anyway, she tricked him into givin ha a drink fa the first time when she was like 17, ion really know that whole story. Ha spoiled ass gave him the silent treatment until he took ha ta get ha license. Every time they would talk, she would talk about savin up until she got a car, he got tired of hearin it, so he bought ha one. Bet he regret that now, she took that car and got the hell on" we laughed.

"Movin on, wait let's go back to the beginnin fa sec. Afta like a month of livin wit us, she had asked him ta stop bringin his hoes around especially when she was sleep, and he didn't hesitate ta stop doin so. My mama had been askin him to stop doin that fa the longest, but little Lia here, got him to stop afta askin one time, and one time only."

"You been had him wrapped for a long time." Milla said, and I rolled my eyes. Don't nobody wanna wake up ta moans, groans, and screams. It was only so many times I could listen to a different broad callin him 'daddy,' that shit was disturbing.

"Oh! When ha crazy ass wanted to learn how to shoot..." he started but I cut him off.

"How you know about that, you was gone by then?" I felt the expression of confusion on my face.

"He called and told me. He told ha no at first, and then gave ha some bull shit ass answa, and she knew it, so she pouted like a lil kid befoe he gave in. And since she knew she had probably stressed him out, she brought him 3 blunts." they laughed, but I ain't see shit funny.

"Yall were so cute, when did it all go downhill?" Milla asked.

"July 24."

"That's why you goin back down thea that day?" Alex asked.

I smiled. "Yeah."

"How long had yall been together?" Milla asked stretching her legs out.

"For 3 years. Mani's original due date would've marked another year for us."

"4/20 was yall anniversary?" she laughed. Didn't even realize that, but it'll explain how he never forgot it.

"I guess so" I slightly giggled.

"Food's done!" we heard just as my dad walked back in. Milla went upstairs to get the girls, I'm glad... I been craving seafood for the longest, especially Mama Diana's cooking. I been tempted to just fly down there and knock on her door.

__

"That was perfect!" I said sitting back, too full to move. It seemed like I had endless plates of gumbo, crawfish, and jambalaya. She made some red beans and rice, but I don't really eat that like that.

"You look fat" Milla said, causing Gabby and Mani to giggle.

"Did you like your food Mani?" she is an extremely picky eater, in order for her to eat anything, she has to have the plate that separates food, because she can't stand for her food to touch, or she won't eat it. And she is skeptical about trying anything new, she's slowly breaking out of it, but it's still a headache for me.

"Yes, can I have some more of this soup." she referred to the gumbo. That alone lets me know she likes it, it's rare for her to ask for seconds.

"You sure can, baby" Mama Di told her before fixing her another bowl full.

"Me too, please" Gabby asked, and Mama Di nodded.

"This has definitely satisfied my cravings. You don't know how many times I felt so tempted to just fly down and get me a plate." I laughed slightly when Mama Di came back to the table.

"You know you are more than welcomed to, but I understand why you didn't. But come whenever, my address hasn't changed." I nodded, and started to feel sleepy. Guess good food will do that to you.

"I'm sleepy." Me and Milla said together.

"Good night sleepy heads." My dad laughed.

I yawned and went upstairs, with Milla following behind. Mani and Gabby will be up in a minute, as soon as they get finished. I'm going to sleep.