Whoa, Baby!

9.

Chapter Nine
There's Somebody For Everybody

I sat in the car, watching the familiar landscape of my childhood flash by as Joe drove us to my parents' house.

Ocean was in the backseat, her little fingers grasping the edge of her blanket, half-asleep. Joe glanced in the rearview mirror, giving me a soft smile.

As we pulled into the driveway, I could already see my father, Tristan, pacing in the garage, a frown etched on his face. The moment Joe and I stepped out, my father's eyes lit up. "Joe! Come here!" he called, his voice booming with that familiar urgency.

"Now, why couldn't you call one of your four sons to do that?" I couldn't help but tease, leaning against the car.

"Cause Joe is an alumnus of Georgia Tech," my father shot back, puffing out his chest slightly as my mother walked out and came to the car, greeting Joe and me before opening the door to grab Ocean.

It was a joke in our family that my dad took great pride in being a Georgia Tech graduate, even though none of his sons had followed in his footsteps. My sister Tanya and I, on the other hand, both sported the proud yellow and black of Tech.

Joe chuckled, stepping toward my dad, who beckoned him into the garage. "Come on, let's have a talk. I want to know more about the wrestling business while you fix this lightbulb for me."

I shook my head as I watched them walk away. "I'm telling you, he's in love with Joe," I murmured to my mother, Darya, who was snuggling a sleepy Ocean in her arms.

We walked to the front door and entered the house, heading to the living room. "You gave him a new friend; he doesn't know how to act," my mother replied, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Just then, Tanya walked in, carrying her daughter, Luna. "Ocean!" Luna exclaimed, startling my daughter awake. The sudden noise sent Ocean into a fit of wails, her tiny face scrunching up in distress.

"Sorry!" Luna immediately said, her eyes wide with guilt. "Where is Dad?" Tanya asked, glancing around.

"In the garage with Joe," I answered, trying to soothe Ocean, who was still crying.

"They still in that bromance stage," Tanya remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," I agreed, still a bit incredulous. My dad had always been a bit standoffish with the guys I dated, but Joe seemed to have cracked that barrier.

Luna finally settled, smiling up at her grandmother and aunt. "Hi, Luna," I said, pulling her into a hug. The scent of baby lotion mixed with her hair made me smile.

We settled into the living room, chatting about Thanksgiving plans. The idea that my brother, Tristan Jr. (or TJ, as we called him), and his wife, Gia, wanted to host this year floated through the air like a balloon that had lost its helium.

"Listen, I like Gia and everything, but I'm not going to their house for Thanksgiving. I want real food," Tanya stated emphatically.

I chuckled; Tanya had a point. Gia was a great cook, but her culinary experiments often left a lot to be desired, especially when it came to traditional holiday fare. "Maybe we could do a potluck theme this year," Darya suggested. "Let them host, and if she experiments, we don't have to eat it since we brought our own food."

"My mother is so smart," Tanya exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. I found myself wondering how Gia would react to the idea of a potluck at her house.

"Are you bringing Joe?" Tanya asked, turning her gaze back to me.

"Are you bringing Sefa?" I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, he ain't my baby daddy or boyfriend, so he doesn't automatically get an invite to family functions, but yours does," Tanya said, shrugging.

I felt a pang of uncertainty about Joe. "I don't know. I'm sure he'll want to be with his mother and his family on Thanksgiving after losing their dad," I admitted.

It was his first Thanksgiving without his father, and I didn't want to impose.

"Yeah, I would want to be with my mother if I had just lost my father on a day like that," Tanya replied.

I nodded, the weight of that reality heavy on my heart.

"Yeah, I won't ask him to come," I finally said.

"Anyway, back to you and Sefa. What's going on with that?" Darya asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Y'all were moving like Ciara and Chris Brown at the BET Awards at your birthday party, and now you're talking like you're not interested in him."

Tanya shrugged, her expression shifting. "I like him, but we're not aligning on what we want out of a relationship. It's hard because I don't want a repeat of what happened with me and Luna's dad."

"That relationship was different, and you know it. Sefa and you mesh well together. Stop focusing on the past," I encouraged, hoping she'd see the potential there.

Tanya sighed, her gaze falling to the floor. "It's just hard, you know? Sometimes I feel like I'm not ready."

I reached over and squeezed her hand. "You have to give it a chance. Just because you had a tough past doesn't mean you can't have a great future."

As we talked, I felt a sense of warmth enveloping us—a cocoon of family, love, and history. Despite the occasional spats and grievances, there was something undeniably special about our gatherings. It was these moments that reminded me why I cherished my family so deeply.

Just then, my father and Joe returned from the garage, the former looking more animated than I had ever seen him around a new acquaintance. "You guys wouldn't believe the stories Joe has!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing on his feet.

I exchanged a glance with Tanya and Darya. It was official: my dad was smitten.

"Dad, you do realize you're practically taking him on as your new son, right?" I teased, a grin breaking across my face.

Tristan waved me off, too absorbed in his newfound admiration for Joe to care. "He's a good kid, Tatiana. And did you know he can bench press—"

"Dad, please," I interrupted, laughing. "We don't need to know Joe's workout regimen."

Joe, standing nearby, chuckled, the lightheartedness easing the tension that had filled the room moments before.

As we settled into the evening, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over me. Family gatherings were always a mixed bag of emotions, but they reminded me of where I came from and who I was. They grounded me.

Maybe Joe would find his way into our family in more than just a casual sense. After all, he was already breaking through my father's stoic exterior.

As I watched them talk, I felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, this Thanksgiving would bring not only food and laughter but also new beginnings.