HARDAWAY | trilogy

V2 - Chapter Twenty Seven.

𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍

               Crowded room of homeless families waited on in line for the rectangular styrofoam plates to be contained with various choices of the national holiday food heated in the stainless steel serving trays lined on the long rectangle table. Salvation Army volunteers, lucid Memaw, and me stood on the other side of the table assisting with scooping food onto the divided plates. My hair brushed sleekly in a ponytail with a black rose embroidered baseball cap. The red apron tied over my ivory colored cut-out balloon sleeve sweater and mid-rise boyfriend jeans.

"Where is Mercedes?" Memaw asked close by my ear.

"Um..." I looked around as I spooned more candied yams on the plate, "I thought she was helping with the drinks; I'll go find her."

She nodded and I handed the catering spoon off to the male volunteer beside me before walking to the back of the building to find Auntie Mercedes. Just as I approached I overheard her voice emerging from another room. "What the fuck did I say Rico? There is nothing you can say or do! I have to study. So, stop fucking calling me!"

When I rounded in the room, white Converses padding against the tile floor, my eyes darted to the opened medical textbooks on the table. Then, I eyed Auntie Mercedes. She paced with one hand on her waist and rubbing her forehead stressfully. A olive long sleeve hugged her upper body and black wide-legged trousers. Slow and steady her pointy toe heels knocked on the tile conjoined with her pace.

"Auntie 'Cedes?"

She turned to me quickly. "Y-yeah? Everything alright? Memaw okay?"

"No, Memaw is fine," I assured her and exhaled in relief. "She's asking for you. Wants you out there."

"Oh yeah," She grabbed her textbooks. "I meant to come back but the call interrupted me."

"Are you okay?" I queried in concern, "I know with everything going on; studying for your final test medical exam, helping with Memaw, dealing with. . . Rico. I know you're stressed."

She smiled as she heeled towards me. Cupping my cheek she says, "I am fine, Giovanni. Don't worry about me." She kissed my cheek and left.

My phone rung suddenly after I was alone in the room. Jace contact flashed on my screen and I answered. My smile widened when I saw his face.

"Hey there, handsome."

"Baby! How's your holiday?"

"Volunteering with Salvation Army; handing out plates. You?"

"Driving to the store for my Grandmother," he mentioned as I stared at the tan leather seats of his car.

"Maryland cold?"

"Real, uh, chilly and rainy."

"Are you holding your phone while driving?"

"Nope, it's on my dash." He winked and clicked his tongue.

"Good. Now how is your family?"

"They're... uh, good."

My eyebrows knitted. "Why are you sounding so weird?"