Allow Me

Christmas

Mercedes POV

"What is it?" Ms. Graham shook the box, smiling at Aubrey.

"It's in your hands, just open it already," he smiled.

She shook the box in her hands once more before she sat down and began pulling the wrapping paper off of it. She instantly smiled when she saw what was inside. She smiled at him before pulling out the Louis Vuitton purse that I helped him pick out.

"Thank you Aubrey, you know me too well."

"Ahh that was all Mercedes."

"Well thank you for the help girly. I love it."

I smiled at her and waved it off. I was just happy that she liked it.

Today was Christmas and I had no other plans so I was spending the day with Aubrey and his family. Hospitality just seemed to be in the Graham family bloodline as everyone was so nice to me.

Ever since the blowup with me and Jeremiah a few days ago, Aubrey and I had been spending so much more time with one another. I would go to work in the early hours of the day and spend the afternoons with him, we'd hang out at his and I'd be home around 11. Jeremiah was still on the same shit, not bothering to even look at me so it's not like he really noticed my absence.

The ringing of the doorbell could be heard and Sandi jumped up to answer it. In walked Aubrey's cousin Ryan, and more aunts and uncles. His family was so big that I was losing track of who was who.

Aubrey stood to greet them and I stood behind him. He hugged his Aunt who he had called Cindy, and we locked eyes, "Oh, Aubrey, Is this your girlfriend?"

He chuckled nervously before shaking his head. "No, this is my friend, Mercedes. Mercedes this is my aunt Cindy."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," I smiled, holding out my hand.

"Child, we give hugs in this family," she laughed before she pulled me in for one. "Oh, she's so pretty, are you sure she's not your girlfriend Aubrey?"

He laughed, "Yeah, I know but we are for sure friends."

My heart fluttered a little bit at that but I kept my mouth shut to avoid saying something dumb.

We sat and I became more acquainted with his family. There were nothing but laughs and smiles around the Graham household on this day. As me and his cousins sat around the lounge-room table playing uno, my phone began to buzz. I picked it up, the word Husband displayed on the screen. I sighed before answering.

"Hey."

"Where are you?"

"I'm with friends."

"You need to come home now, my mom is here and she wants to see you."

"Bu-"

"I promise your little boyfriend can have you later. Get here. Now," he spoke authoritatively before hanging up.

I sighed and slid the phone into my back pocket before standing up.

"Everything okay?" Aubrey asked as he set his hand down.

"Yeah, I just need to get home. My mother in law is in town and she'd like me to see me."

"Oh okay. I'll walk you out," he stood to his feet. I smiled at his cousins who sat with us and bid them farewell before following Aubrey back to the living room.

"Benze is gonna head out," he spoke first as I stood behind him shyly.

"Aw, leaving so soon?" Sandi said, making a pouty face.