As I pulled into my parents' driveway, I caught sight of my dad and older brother Marcel bustling around the Escalade, loading it up with bags and suitcases. The anticipation for our once-in-a-while family reunion pulsed through me, especially knowing my parents were hosting it this year at a sprawling house hours away.
I couldn't contain my excitement, partly because of the reunion itself, but mostly because I'd finally get to see my favorite cousin, Normani. We hadn't crossed paths in years ever since she moved to Cali for an internship post-college. The mere thought of reconnecting with her after all this time sent a surge of joy coursing through me.
As I turned off the ignition and gathered my essentials, my dad appeared by my side, opening the car door with a warm smile. "Hey, baby girl," he greeted, pulling me into a tight hug and planting a kiss on the top of my head.
"Hey, Dad," I replied, returning the embrace. "My suitcases are in the backseat."
He nodded, releasing me from the hug and swiftly retrieving my suitcases, wheeling them towards the waiting Escalade. I closed the car doors and hit the lock button on my key fob before joining Marcel for a quick hug and chat.
Inside the house, I found my mom and little sister Devanie, engaging in their own preparations. I greeted them with hugs and exchanged a few words before diving into the excitement of the upcoming family reunion.
As my mom, Devanie, and I dissolved into laughter, Marcel and my dad strolled into the kitchen, curious about our amusement. "What ya'll in here haa-heeing about?" Dad inquired, wrapping his arm around Mom's shoulder and planting a kiss on her forehead as she hugged him back.
"Right, sounding like a bunch of hyenas," Marcel chimed in, prompting laughter from both him and Dad until Mom playfully swatted Dad's chest, halting his laughter. "I'm sorry, babe, I was joking," he apologized, planting another kiss on her forehead.
"Mhmh," Mom replied, rolling her eyes, as Marcel added fuel to the fire with a smirk. "Well, I wasn't," he declared, "Oh, shut up," my sister and I exclaimed simultaneously, with Devanie tossing a gum wrapper at Marcel, narrowly missing him which only fueled Marcel's teasing.
"That's why you miss, punk," Marcel taunted, sticking out his tongue.
"I got your punk," Devanie retorted, attempting to swing at him, only for him to deftly dodge and hoist her over his shoulder, spinning her around as laughter filled the room. "Alright now, y'all stop," Mom interjected with a chuckle, and Marcel obediently put Devanie down.
Mom glanced at her watch and then at Dad, asking if everything was loaded into the truck. Dad confirmed, and we all signaled our readiness to leave.
Wait, where's John?" Mom directed her question at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, he couldn't make it; he has a business conference," I replied casually, getting up from the barstool pulling my shades down from my head and putting them over my eyes.
I deflected the question, not wanting to delve into the recent fight I'd had with him. I quickly made my way to the door, masking my inner turmoil with a facade of nonchalance.
Standing by the truck, a rush of cool breeze momentarily distracted me from my turbulent emotions. But a hand on my shoulder brought me back to the present. "You good, baby sis?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm good," I forced a smile, brushing off the weight of my unresolved feelings. "Sure you and John are good? I don't wanna have to fuck that nigga up," Marcel's protective instinct surfaced, causing me to chuckle.
"We're good, Mj, I promise," I reassured him, only half-jokingly.
Alright, you got my word," he said, briefly putting me in a headlock before releasing me.
