Ebony, Mi Amore

Ms. Erika Feechi

Time-lapse=4 days

MASON

I sigh and lay my pen down. I look over my shoulder at Ebony who was stirring on my office sofa. My heart ached to see her like this. So helpless. So quiet. I Stretched my limbs and pushed back in my chair. " Babe? I'm done let's go have dinner?" She got up shakily and held onto my arm. At this point, Zena's absence was causing physical pain to Ebony. We went downstairs quietly. Macy's usual smile was gone and it made her look out of place. She had heard what had happened to Zena and she hadn't smiled since. Ebony waved to her while I nodded a goodbye to her. She immediately put her head against the window when we entered the car.

I took my phone out when I was situated and texted Erika to make some dinner. It was about time Ebony met her. She needed someone older to comfort her. Someone motherly.

EBONY

I hugged myself as Mason drove us to get dinner. I looked at him when he stopped in front of a house. Maybe this was his home. I guess he was going to cook or something. He made me wait for him to open my door. The gesture made my heavy heart soar a little. He kissed my forehead. And went to open the door for me. I was taken aback by the size of his home. It was then that I realized I had never even been to his home before. How weird. Also, the smell of fried food wafted from the kitchen. I turned and looked at Mason my eyes wide. He smiled. "Relax, it's only Erika she's like a second mother to me. Come on."

"Mason boy that you?" A heavy and gravelly voice called from the kitchen. Mason responded sweetly. " Yes, it's me. I brought a guest as well Erika." Mason led me to the kitchen. I was met by a tall black woman.  She resembled the fictional movie character Madea but she dressed young and she rocked it. She looked strong and serious yet loving and kind at the same time. Her black hair streaked with gray was firm pressed and the ends were buffed inward. She wore small dangly purple earrings and small pearls at her neck. Her purple midi dress hugged her voluptuous body. She wore a soft-looking pair of black loafer slippers. She smiled a broad smile. Her teeth were white and the contrast between them and her skin was beautiful.

"Hello, dear! My name is Ms. Erika Feechi!" She came over to me and gave me a huge hug and a peg. The smell of cocoa butter and lavender linger on her body. She smelled just like my late Grandmother. I sink into her body. This hug was well overdue. She pulled away quickly and looked me in my eyes. "But you can call me Erika. Your so beautiful baby girl. What's with the melancholy look?" She didn't wait for me to answer. She turned away quickly to the stove. I saw that some chicken was frying as well as some sweet plantains. A pot of rice and beans was almost done. " Ya'll go on and sit down. Mason come get this girl some water or something. Be a gentleman."

Mason rolled his eyes while getting up. "Boy, I know you not rolling your eyes at me." She spun around quickly with the frying spoon pointed at Mason. He quickly held his hands up. "I'm sorry Maame!" She narrowed her eyes and spun back around to the stove. I felt a smile tug at my lips. She was funny. I like her. Mason placed a cool glass in front of me and poured me some wine. He stole a lingering kiss from me and poured himself his own glass. Erika began serving us happily, whistling a tune I had heard before. All of a sudden I think of my father singing to me before I went to bed.

I shook the image from my head and looked at my plate. It was heaping. The chicken here rice and beans there some sweet plantains here and a little side of cornbread there. Erika sat in front of us and began to make small talk. She was mainly talking to me though. She only spoke and didn't desire an answer back from me. She told me of when she was younger. How she was the top of her class even when her arch-nemesis Mercy was trying to pull her down.

She was all over the place with her story though. It made the stories super funny. She was born and raised in Kenya. She came to America when she was 16 and she's been here ever since. She was turning 55 this year. My jaw almost dropped when she said that. She didn't look anywhere near that age. The most I thought she was, was 45. She looked years young. " Wow, you are beautiful. It seems your aging backward or something." She laughed at my complement. It's the way we are sweetheart. " Black don't crack" I smiled at her compliment.

When I was done with my dish, Erika got up and went to the fridge. She came back with two slices of pumpkin pie and a bottle of whipped cream. She placed one in front of me and the other in front of Mason. This was the most I had eaten in some days. I devoured the pie and finished the remaining of my wine. I thanked Erika and insisted on washing the dishes but she insisted that I didn't have to worry because I was a guest and Mason also had hands. He was going to do the dishes. Mason turned to her so fast.

Erika looked back. Daring him to say anything. He didn't. He went to the sink and got to work. Erika took my hand and led me outside. We walked silently around the block, looking at the stars. "You haven't said anything about yourself. Tell me. Where are u from?"Erika asked me. I answered truthfully. " So I was born here but I went to live with my Grandma in West Africa Ghana when I was 3 years old. I came back to America when I was 9. When I got back my parents were in the middle of a horrible divorce. My dad refused to sign the papers so when I was 11 years old my mom walked out of my life. It was hard because I missed her so much. She missed all the events in my life that she was supposed to be at. I haven't spoken to her in more than 12 years. I don't even know where she is. It's as if she never existed."

Why was I pouring my heart out to some stranger? Erika didn't feel like a stranger though. Maybe it was because we were both African but I felt like I've known her forever like she was just one of my aunties. When I looked at her she was already looking at me. Sadness was etched in her beautiful features. " My dear don't you worry about the past. Many things have happened to me as well but if I had kept them in my heart I would have gone crazy. Come on now Mason must be done with the dishes. Let me run you a bath to ease you of your past pains. Let us wash it away."

Hey Yall, thank you all very much for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment, thank you!💗💜-Ruby