Ascendancy

Chapter X

Chapter 10

T'Kia
2041

After eating dinner with the Royal family and the Wakandan Americans, I had more alone time to bathe and check in on my aunt Shuri and Ramonda and their progress. As I'm setting up my room for my guest, I get a call from my Umama.

"I heard you were expecting a visiter and that you were having a sleepover." My Umama smirks when I answer her call on my Kimoyo beads.

"Umama," I roll my eyes. "Yes but it is my business. You have sleepovers every night, do you not?"

She laughs. "The sleepovers are with my husband. Not a man I am not courting."

"Eh," I shrug as I laugh as well. "We will be courting soon enough," someone knocks on the door before Anathi enters the room with Aviwe behind her. "Goodnight, Umama."

I hang up before she can say anything slick. I smile at Aviwe as Anathi leaves the room. "Aviwe." I walk to his side and kiss his cheek.

"Nkosazana yam," he kisses me softly. "We are alone. You don't have to kiss my cheek." (My princess)

I just smile as I grab his hand and lead him to my actual bedroom. "So I did some research and was able to find all of the best Black American 80s, 90s, and early 2000s sitcom shows." I show Aviwe the list of shows: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Martin; Living Single; A Different World; Sister, Sister; Family Matters; Moesha; The Parkers; The Wayans Bros.; and so many more.

"Wow," Aviwe whistles as he looks at the full collections of TV shows I have on my hologram TV.

"And I have music from the beginning of the 20th century until now. That was a little more difficult," I busy myself with setting up the music on a shuffle loop.  "Did you know that Black Americans in the early 20th century had songs stolen from them? That they didn't get any credit for starting genres of music? Colonizers. So vile. So stupid."

Aviwe does not say anything and that makes me turn around to look at him. He is just staring at me from my bed with a large smile on his face. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask.

"I just like how you've immersed yourself in my culture. You've gone out of your way to make me more comfortable," he just continues to smile. "I think you must really like me."

I just roll my eyes as a song by a Black American jazz artist, Fats Domino, starts playing. "I love this song." Aviwe jumps up. He grabs my hands to pull me close to him for a slow dance.

"This time I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I'm gonna need two pair-a shoes. When I get through walkin' these blues. When I get back to New Orleans. I've got my suitcase in my hand. Now ain't that-a shame? I'm leavin' here today. Yes, I'm goin' back home to stay. Yes, I'm walkin' to New Orleans. Ya used to be my honey. 'Till you spent all my money. No use for you to cry. I'll see you by and by. 'Cause I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I've got no time for talkin'. I've got to keep on walkin'. New Orleans is my home. That's the reason why I'm goin'. Yes, I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I'm walkin' to New Orleans. I'm walkin' to New Orleans." Aviwe sings in my ear. His voice is so filled with passion and it is so soulful, that my eyes water.

That's what happens when a Black man expresses his feelings in America. N'Jadaka whispers. We won't bother y'all for the rest of the night. Have fun, cousin.

"Aviwe," I pull back as the song comes to an end and another slow song (this time from a Black American group, The Temptations). "That was beautiful."