Does He Do It Like I Do It

Chapter Eight

I woke up to the smell of my mom's cooking. It was thanksgiving day and I knew she'd be expecting me to help her out in the kitchen. She always told me the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I felt like this was just conditioning me to be a housewife of some sort. It's nothing wrong with being a housewife but that definitely won't be me. I feel my husband would accept me, whether I can cook or not. It was the only time of year when I would be upset with my dad. He'd just sit in front of the tv and watch football, never offering to help my mom do anything. Not even set the plates or say the prayer over the food. I watched my mom slave in front of a stove every year just so he can kick his feet up with a black and mild. I kicked my feet from underneath the covers and drug myself to the bathroom to freshen up. My phone vibrated from a notification. I picked it up from where I had it sitting on the sink and saw a text from Naheim letting me know when to go to his house for dinner. I had completely forgotten he invited me over and based on the time he gave me, I have about an hour and a half to get ready and get over there.

"Yeah, we're all going to my aunt's for dinner and she invited Rock ... I mean Roxanne."

My brows scrunched up at the sound of what I believed to be Jodeci. I quickly wiped my face and ran down the steps. Jodeci was dressed in jeans, a cardigan, and some ankle boots with her hair lying beautifully on her shoulders as usual. She looked at me with a smile I knew she only had painted on her face because my parents were standing in front of her. I didn't even hear her come in the house.

"Why didn't you tell us you were invited with your friend to her aunt's house for dinner, Roxanne?" My mom asked me. I opened my mouth to say something but the lie didn't come to mind fast enough. I didn't know what the hell was going on.

"I'm sure she just thought it would be better to spend time with the both of you," Jodeci said innocently. "But like I said before, my aunt wasn't aware of it and has already made arrangements for her."

I looked between my parents and Jodeci, waiting for someone to say something. Typically my mom wouldn't give a shit about arrangements someone else made but from the look on her face I wasn't sure that was what she was going to say this time.

She sighed. "As long as you're back in time to at least have dessert with us."

I cleared my throat and smiled. "Uh, thanks mom. Come ... help me get ready, Jodeci."

"Nice to see you again," Jodeci said to my parents then followed me up to my room. I closed the door behind us and looked at her confusingly.

"I was invited to your aunt's house?" I asked her.

"Girl, no. I don't even talk to my aunt. I was invited over to Naheim's house and I was instructed to get you away from your parents so you could come too."

I rolled my eyes. "I was going to try and do it myself."

"Yeah, and be unsuccessful. Hell, I'm surprised my lie worked."

She went and sat in front of my vanity mirror and started touching up her hair.

"Will Kahli be there?" I asked her. She looked at me through the reflection of the mirror.

"Why? What's up?" She asked.

"I just saw how y'all were yesterday at my party. Looked like he was upset about something."

I saw the sadness in her eyes but she quickly hid it. "He was mad because he found out about Marcus." She looked at me again. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

I sucked my teeth. "What do I look like talking to Kahli about some shit you got going on?"

"You might not talk to Kahli but you damn sure talk to his best friend. And we all know lips tend to get loose when it comes down to someone you're fuckin' with."