"Oh Lord this turkey smells amazing Amanda." Sipping my wine I smile as my girlfriend Olivia slips behind me wrapping her arms around my waist, her head resting on top of my shoulder as she watches me chop celery, onions, carrots, pineapple, parsley to throw in the stuffing "Thanks it's my grandma Taylor's recipe. I had to nearly wrestle it out of my cousins Tay Tay's hands." "Tay is an unusual name." "Short for Taylor she was named after our Nan."
"Were you two close?"
"My Nana or Tay Tay?"
"Either one, or both"
"Yes to both Tay Tay and I are only two years apart she's older, she was my protector as we grew up."
"All of us grandkids were close to our Nana, my mom's mom. She was nonsense, God-fearing, lady who held down a daytime job for well over sixty-plus years, still found time to cook, clean a house, wrestle six out of five kids into adulthood, gave back to her church and helped neighbors who had less than her family."
"She sounds amazing Amanda I would love to meet her one day."
"You will again Liv, she'd like you, honestly you kind of remind me of her."
"When can I meet her?"
"When you get to Heaven Liv, she's up with Jesus bossing him around."
"Aw, Amanda I am so sorry." I shrug as I sip my wine throwing the Stuffing in the oven as I start the green bean casserole. "When did she pass?" I pause for a minute remembering my last day with her. "I was twenty-One I had just graduated from the Police Academy. She got to see me walk to accept my Diploma, I remember her smile, she was so proud of me the first of any of us Rollins to Graduate from high school never mind college."
"So Rollins is your mother's name?"
"Yes she never married my daddy, so she refused to give us his last name."
"My Nana meet me as I walked off the stage with tears in her eyes, in my whole twenty- One years on thy Lord's earth Liv I swear I never saw my Nana cry, but she did that day, fat tears rolled down unashamed. She gave me the sweetest hug, kissed my cheek and whispered to me. I knew you would be the one baby girl, I knew ever since you were a wee child that you would break this family's legacy, you would make our name proud."
"She was the first person I told that I liked girls, I was so scared Lord I nearly pissed my britches, but she swatted my butt and told me Amanda who you kiss doesn't mean a rat's butt to me, as long as you honor yourself, the Lord and stay humble that's all I ask for."
"How old were you Amanda?" "I was nearly 15 then. She made such a huge difference in my view, she made me understand that the world was far bigger than small-town Loganville."
"She gave you hope?"
"She did Liv, she always told me to end up with someone who was just as strong-willed, and determined as I am, she made me promise I wouldn't settle for anyone less than what she told me I deserved."
"You think I am what she wanted?"
Turning around I slip into her arms smiling our eyes connecting as her scent of cinnamon hits me. "I know you are Liv. She told me so." Her eyes light up the left eyebrow arches as the corner of her lips twist into a smile. "Oh, really Amanda how did she manage that? I didn't even meet you till you were 29. she was long gone then."
"Not true you met when I was seventeen."
Liv's fingers trace my chest as her lips make wet contact with my neck, a small groan escapes my parched lips. "How did that happen?"
"You did a conference for underprivileged youth in Atalanta, she drove me down to the ATL so I could attend I was so smitten with you that I told her that's the lady I am going to marry one day, so she marched me right up to you so she could introduce us both."
