Between The Lines [Janet & Aja]

17

Janet
December 25th

I was surrounded by Aja's family at the dinner table. They were all really nice and Aja's little niece, Tiana, was so attached to me already that she was sitting in my lap on my phone playing Angry Birds.

Aja sat next to me, as she goofed off with her family members.

"Ms.Janet?" Tianas voice drew me out of my thoughts.

"Yes Ti?" I looked down at her as she held my phone.

Tiana smiled at me. "Are you going to be here every holiday?"

"Well, we surely do hope." Momma Maddy cut in as she sat on her end of the table. "I do approve of this one Aja, heavily."

"Glad that I have your approval, mother." Aja chuckled as she tugged some of her hair behind her ear.

"Hold up!" Chanel screamed and it caused Tiana to jump and the table to get quiet. "Aja Naomi King, what is that rock doing on your ring finger?!"

Everyone tuned in to Aja's hand and I simply focused on Tiana playing Angry Birds. "Pull it back a little more Ti."

"Ask Janet what it is. She's the one who gave it to me." Aja noticed I was trying to leave her by herself so she threw me under the bus with her.

When I looked up, all eyes were on me. I explained the situation. "It's a promise ring. It was my Christmas present to her."

Everyone 'aww'ed' and Aja shook her head as she changed subject. "Alright let's eat."

I saw Momma Maddy shift a bit from the corner of my eye but I didn't take any note of it.

"No, I wanna know how y'all met." Diamond exclaimed.

"Yeah. Same." Aja's sister Chanel agreed.

Aja and I looked at each other and silently agreed that we would have to leave some details out. Kids were at the table and even if they weren't, I still don't think Aja would want to tell her family that on our first meeting I barely even knew her name before her head was between my legs.

"Well, we met in a club. Janet was dancing with her background dancers." Aja looked on to me for help.

"Uh yeah, Aja caught my attention but she disappeared so I went to go look for her. She was in another VIP booth, but when all my friends were gone she came over and talked to me." I fell wordless not knowing what lie to tell.

Aja quickly sped the story up for both she and I's benefit. "We hit it off. Swapped numbers. And now we're here."

I nodded in agreement. "Yep. Here we are."

Everyone smiled at us and Aja grabbed my hand under the table. She squeezed it and I realized she was nervous as hell because Momma Maddy looked like she wasn't buying it.

"Kids." Momma Maddy called out. "Go play in the living room. Y'all can take the food. Just don't waste it in my living room, please."

All the teens and even Tiana got up. She turned to me. "Here's your phone back Ms.Janet, you're a nice lady."

I chuckled. "I try to be Ti. I'll let you play on it when we're all done eating, okay?"

She nodded as she smiled. "Okay."

Aja was looking at me and smiling and I didn't understand why. "You're really good with kids."

"I love children." I admitted smiling back at her.

My girlfriend nodded as if she had decided something that she didn't tell me about.

Momma Maddy cleared her throat. "So, are you guys going to stick to the met in the club to now story? Or are we going to get the truth?"