"I get the bowl!" I called dibs before Jay could.
He shot daggers my way as if I had done the unthinkable. And I had because every time my mom was baking a 7up pound cake he got the bowl to lick while I got the beaters or spoon.
"You know that the bowl is mine."
"Not this time bro." I grabbed the bowl before my mom placed it down on the counter.
"You two need to stop." My mom laughed as I jabbed him in his stomach with my elbow.
"No. This year it's my turn for the bowl." I pouted while running my finger around the edge. "I'm tired of being treated like a stepchild."
"Here she go." Jay rolled his eyes.
"Yes, here I go."
"You're the most spoiled of us all yet you're the stepchild." Jay snorted.
I stuck my middle finger up at him when my mom turned her back.
"Ew that's incest!"
"You better cut it out Nicole." My mom said without turning around.
"Jalani, you should really try to be more like your niece. She's five and doesn't snitch the way that you do and you're damn near thirty."
"And you're damn near about to catch this fade." He stuck his tongue out at me.
"And both of y'all are damn near about to get y'all ass beat. It's no cursing in my damn house!"
"But mom you just cursed." Jay pointed out.
"It's my house so I can do that."
"Actually, it's Dad's house. He moved y'all out here to the suburban area, y'all hanging with the white folks." I giggled.
"Do it look like they bad and bougie?" Jay mocked making me die laughing.
"You can go eat thanksgiving dinner somewhere else."
"I'm going to go hang with the guys anyway." Jay walked out leaving the two of us in the kitchen.
---
"Taste these greens and tell me what they need." My mom pushed the fork in my face.
The smell was making my stomach turn and I tried to ignore it. The taste was even worse. I forced myself to swallow.
"They're good, add some more red pepper seeds." I said. When she turned around I got up and made it to the bathroom just in time.
My morning sickness issues were now over but if I ate something that the baby didn't agree with then it was coming up. I rinsed my mouth with listerine that I had found in the cabinet and walked out only to be met with my mom.
"So it's you."
"What's me? Did I do something?" I played the lost role.
"You're pregnant aren't you?"
"No." I moved to get past her but she blocked me in.
She was staring me down hoping that I would crack under pressure. "I asked Jas and Jay if it was them and it's not. You're the only one left."
"It could be you." I looked her in the eye.
"Quan already told me that you are."
"What? He knew that we were waiting to tell everyone that I-" I stopped talking realizing that I had fell for her trick and told on myself.
Siani you're stupid.
"Fine, I'm pregnant."
"Why did you wait so long to tell me I'm going to be a grandma again?"
