The Summer Daze

Chapter 2

            After putting on a fresh pair of khaki shorts, a black button-up shirt that I left halfway unbuttoned, and a pair of flip-flops; I left my room. I could hear some old school R&B music playing and the sound of many people talking and laughing as I reached the kitchen. I peeked outside to see a lot of people had arrived in the little time I spent taking a shower and getting dressed. No one was in the pool but they were all around it. I tried to find Tavian but couldn't. Feeling more nervous than ever, I decided to turn and make an attempt to go back to my room.

            "There you are," said Tavian after descending the set of stairs that led into the kitchen. "Come on, bruh." He put his arm around my neck and pulled me outside with him. "Hey everybody, this is my lil' bro, Dorian!"

            The music stopped and all eyes were on me. I wished he wouldn't have done that. I was anxious enough already to meet some of my paternal family members for the first time. Now I was on the verge of either passing out or throwing up. I hated being that nervous, especially in front of strangers.

            "Hey everybody," I said with a forced smile.

            "Ooh he looks just like Rashad," called out a woman's voice from the crowd.

            My dad stepped over to me and Tavian and announced, "As some of you know, Dorian will be spending the summer here in Virginia. I understand some of you only heard rumors that I had another son but I'm confirming it today. Dorian is my son and he is a part of my family. This barbecue is to welcome him and to break the ice. Terri and I have discussed everything and we're on the same page."

            "That's right," said Terri from the food table. "Now that that's out of the way, turn the music back on and y'all come and get this food before the flies beat you to it!"

            The music restarted and everyone resumed their conversations and laughter. A herd rushed over to the table to get food, and a few family members made their way over to me and Tavian. There were comparisons made between me and him, and old women pinching my cheeks, and female cousins my age hugging me while giving me looks—downright inappropriate looks—that they shouldn't have been giving me. However, the more hugs I received and handshakes exchanged, the more comfortable I became. My dad's side of the family actually were some decent people from what I was experiencing.

            It wasn't long before I was laughing with cousins and eating barbecued ribs and some of the best potato salad I'd had in my life. And dad was walking around bragging to everyone about my 4.0 GPA and how good I was at basketball. I swear he must've used the word proud a hundred times within the span of fifteen minutes. The person or group of people he'd be talking to about me would look at me and smile. Even Terri smiled at me whenever we looked at each other. I honestly didn't think that day would get any better.

            "About time," I heard Tavian say.

            I looked over to see him with a big smile on his face as he walked towards a group of girls that had just arrived. He hugged one of them, a tall redbone chick with short reddish colored hair and freckles. I figured she was his girlfriend because of the way they were hugging on each other. I picked up my cup of Coca-Cola and made my way over to them.

            "Baby," Tavian said to the tall redbone, "this my lil' brother, Dorian."

            "Little?" asked one of the other girls. "Y'all like the same size. How is he the little brother?"

            "Because he's still seventeen. My birthday was in May and his is this month."

            "Nice to meet you, Dorian," said Tavian's girlfriend. "I'm Mya. And these are my girls Cassie, Londyn and Janet."