Brown Eyes | Alren

| 45 |

- Ally -
The top most favorite holiday is less than 24 hours away and this whole house is beyond ecstatic. We love the vibe Christmas brings, the happiness, the love, the atmosphere and the people it brings; family that we see nearly every few years because they live pretty far.

We just love Christmas, and everything it has to offer.

We have a Christmas Eve dinner, and we also Christmas Day lunch every year. This will be Lauren's first time attending.

Currently, we're helping my aunt cook and cut up things. It's always nice talking with Aunt Wanda because she's so funny and energetic.

She not hard to get through to and she understands us. She too went to NYU and graduated with her Masters and Bachelors.

After Sierra left with Brandon to the store to get a few more items we needed in order to cook everything else, Aunt Valerie, me, Aunt Gina and Lauren were the ones in the kitchen. Everyone is scattered across the household, attending to their own business with either cleaning, sleeping, getting dressed or watching tv. Who knows. Who cares.

"So," starts Aunt Valerie said as she cut up the potatoes for her famous Sorghum Glazed Sweet Potatoes. Aunt Gina was slicing limes to make her Cilantro Lime Chicken, Lauren was making the Buttermilk and Hatch Chile Grits and I was making a Shaved Brussels Sprout and Chestnut Salad. We try to change up the menu each year but Aunt Valerie keeps her Sorghum Potatoes in no matter what. "How long have you two love birds been a couple?"

Lauren blushed and refused to lift her sight from her task so it was up to me to answer. "We met like two weeks after New Years and made it official mid March. We've been together since ."

Aunt Valerie lifted a brow with a sly smile, "Really?"

My cheeks flamed up, "Yes."

"Mmmm," She smirks. "Well I'm not gonna ask what I wanna ask so, imma just be quiet."

Lauren and I looked at each other, blushing. We knew what she was talking about.

"Valerie," Aunt Gina chuckled. "Leave 'em alone. If they did or if they didn't, that is none of our business. But if they did, Allyson better be the lucky she's not a boy."Aunt Gina looks at Aunt Valerie and they both snicker evilly to each other.

"W-Why'd you say that?" Ally questions bashfully, also thinking about how Lauren actually has a penis.

"Well..." Aunt Cynt shrugs, glancing at me. Oh my gosh, here she goes. "Being good in bed runs in this family, so, if Ally was a boy, there would be a possible chance that Luna would be the youngest Auntie you ever meet."

I choke on my saliva, reading between the lines of Aunt Cynts explanation. They have no filter.

Aunt Cynt started again but mom walked in.

"Will you two leave the these kids alone, please? You got both of theirs cheeks red as hell. Stop interrogating them." she tells them while walking over to the refrigerator.

"I'm just tryna loosen 'em up." Aunt Valerie smiles before putting the potatoes in a pot of boiling water.

"Well ask 'em about their career or something, you're making them tense." My mom responds, pointing at Lauren who's shoulders unconsciously shrunk up to her ears.

I walked around the island and wrapped my arms around Lauren from behind and I feel her body melt in my embrace. Her shoulders fell slowly and I heard her take a really deep shaky breath. She turned her head a little to look at me and I softly pecked her lips before pulling away and walking back to finish my task. I really should not have done that but, it's too late to take it back. It's not like a regret it.

"We're baaack!" Sierra calls loudly before entering the kitchen with grocery bags in her hands, Brandon following behind with bags too.

"Did you get everything I asked you to?" Mom asked Sierra.

"Yes auntie," Sierra playfully rolls her eyes.

"Mhm," Mom squints her eyes before taking everything out the bags.

"Actually you didn't," Mom says after everything is laid out across the counter. I drop my head and laugh. I just knew it. It never fails.

Sierra has never been the right person to be asked to do a grocery run for someone. It's never been one trip and boom, she's back with everything. No. She's had to make at least three because she never gets all that was said.

Brandon on the other hand, he's not so bad. But he just went with her to bring the case of water in.

"Patricia I told you that you should've given her a list," Lauren giggles. Brandon looks over at Lauren, "Right. I tell her this all the time."

"I don't need a list," Sierra places her hands on her hips.

Aunt Gina tsks, "Like hell you don't."

"I don't," Sierra whines.

"She's in denial," Aunt Valerie shakes her head.

"Stooop," Sierra whines again. "You're making me seem slow."

"We're not trying to, Si." I shrug. "We just believe that you having a list to go by at the store will be so much easier for you because you'll have it written down on paper where you can see it if you forget."

"I do not need a list, auntie." Sierra says quickly, watching as mom writes down everything she didn't get on a index card.

"Sierra callate la boca and take this paper," Mom says sharply before handing Sierra the slip of paper and Sierra takes it lazily. "Now go and hurry back."

"Brandon hand me the keys,"Dinah sighs.

"No ma'am," Mom shakes her head. "He's going with you to make sure oh get everything this time."

"What? Mom!" Brandon whines. "I'm tired of getting out there in that heat. It's not cold like it was on Thanksgiving. It's hot outside. You know Texas weather is confused."

"You can take a shower when ya get back." Mom insists.

Brandon and Sierra both sigh, "Fine."

Mom smiles, "Gracias. Now go!" She says happily before smacking theirs butts, the both of them squealing and running out the kitchen.

"Now Pat, you know those children are too old to be getting smacked on the butt."Aunt Cynt narrows her eyes. "Brandon is a grown ass man."

"No they're not," denies mom. "Just like they're not to old to get popped across the head. Ally, you better tell her."

I lift my sight quickly and Lauren quietly giggles. "Why I gotta be an example?"

"You're my daughter," She says knowingly. "Last night I popped Ally across the head because she let Luna have candy at eleven o'clock at night."

"She told me that you said you didn't care if she did,"I defend myself.

"And you really believed her?" Mom chuckled out. Ashamed, I nodded.

"Luna totally played you, then." Lauren adds before laughing again.

"Exactly," Auntie Gina and mom says at the same time.

"Ugh, whatever." I roll my eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom."