meet everyone else so we can eat. I’m starvin.’ I didn’t get to eat breakfast at your place, since I had to work last night at the firehouse.” Zane grabs my hand and leads me outside. “It’ll be fine, baby, I’m with you.”
We make it out the door into the backyard. It’s full—I mean really full —of family members. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters with husbands, little kids running around, and an older couple are all scattered throughout the yard. We make the rounds and we’re introduced to so many people, I don’t know how I’ll remember everyone. I may have an awesome memory, but it’s just too many people.
We finally make it to the grill where Jonathan, Jackie’s husband, is speaking with a gentleman. His back is to us. When he turns around, I gasp. Now I know where Zane gets his looks and his eyes. My goodness! This man is handsome and his eyes . . . his eyes are just like the ones that look at me with such tenderness when I look at Zane. Yes, Mr. Knight has aged very well. Zane is a lucky man; he’ll still be extremely handsome when he gets older.
“Dad,” Zane says to the older version of himself, “I want you to meet my girls and my woman. Rylee, Skylar, and Faith, this is my father, Julian Knight.”
“Dad, this little girl in my arms is Skylar and this young lady is Rylee. And here on my side is my “one,” my Faith. I’ve been lucky to find her and I’m not letting her or the girls go,” Zane proudly announces.
Did he just announce that to his whole family?
“Hi, Mr. Knight,” the girls greet him in chorus.
“Oh my, now I know where Zane gets his god-like looks,” I blurt before realizing what I’m saying. “I mean—it’s a pleasure, Mr. Knight; you have a wonderful family.”
Everyone chuckles as I blush. Leave it to me to say something ridiculous.
“I know, little lady,” he replies. “His mother is a lucky lady and I am a lucky man to be blessed with such a beautiful family. Please call me Julian. Girls,” he says to my daughters, “y’all can call me Grandpa, if your mother allows.” I’m surprised at their quick acceptance.
“It’s a pleasure, Julian,” I say as he takes me in his arms and gives me a small hug. After looking at Zane and nodding, I say, “Julian, it would be an honor for the girls to call you Grandpa. Thank you.”
“Well, now that y’all have met Zane’s woman and we can see she’s not an imaginary person, let’s get everyone fed,” Jackie says.
With the introductions over, we move to get the food set out so everyone has an opportunity to serve themselves. I go inside and grab the plates, cups, and plastic-ware. The girls follow to help and grab the food we brought over to take outside with Zane’s help. He’s proudly showing us off to his family. I figure out that there are a couple people that don’t like the idea of us dating. For example, there’s an older woman I think might be a friend of Angélica, and a younger woman who I’d guess is her daughter, both are giving me the stink-eye.
I see Zane in line with Skylar, helping her fill her plate. He takes her to a seat next to Josilyn and Rylee, who are sitting at the “young adult” table. He sits her down and heads back to me.
“She’s set, babe. Now it’s our turn,” he says to me as he meets me in line and gives me a kiss.
As we’re filling our plates, I hear someone ask, “Who made the rice?”
“My sister did,” Skylar tells the young man. I think his name is Colton; a cousin.
He gives Rylee a look of disbelief. “ You made it?”
“Yes,” Rylee replies with a blush.
“You can cook?” he asks and at her nod he dramatically cries, “Marry me!”
His demand makes everyone laugh and Zane leans into me. “He’s addicted to food. Swears when he finds the first woman that can cook as good as his mother, he’s gonna marry her. Don’t worry, he’s a sophomore in college so Rylee won’t see much of him.”
I chuckle and begin to fill my
We make it out the door into the backyard. It’s full—I mean really full —of family members. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters with husbands, little kids running around, and an older couple are all scattered throughout the yard. We make the rounds and we’re introduced to so many people, I don’t know how I’ll remember everyone. I may have an awesome memory, but it’s just too many people.
We finally make it to the grill where Jonathan, Jackie’s husband, is speaking with a gentleman. His back is to us. When he turns around, I gasp. Now I know where Zane gets his looks and his eyes. My goodness! This man is handsome and his eyes . . . his eyes are just like the ones that look at me with such tenderness when I look at Zane. Yes, Mr. Knight has aged very well. Zane is a lucky man; he’ll still be extremely handsome when he gets older.
“Dad,” Zane says to the older version of himself, “I want you to meet my girls and my woman. Rylee, Skylar, and Faith, this is my father, Julian Knight.”
“Dad, this little girl in my arms is Skylar and this young lady is Rylee. And here on my side is my “one,” my Faith. I’ve been lucky to find her and I’m not letting her or the girls go,” Zane proudly announces.
Did he just announce that to his whole family?
“Hi, Mr. Knight,” the girls greet him in chorus.
“Oh my, now I know where Zane gets his god-like looks,” I blurt before realizing what I’m saying. “I mean—it’s a pleasure, Mr. Knight; you have a wonderful family.”
Everyone chuckles as I blush. Leave it to me to say something ridiculous.
“I know, little lady,” he replies. “His mother is a lucky lady and I am a lucky man to be blessed with such a beautiful family. Please call me Julian. Girls,” he says to my daughters, “y’all can call me Grandpa, if your mother allows.” I’m surprised at their quick acceptance.
“It’s a pleasure, Julian,” I say as he takes me in his arms and gives me a small hug. After looking at Zane and nodding, I say, “Julian, it would be an honor for the girls to call you Grandpa. Thank you.”
“Well, now that y’all have met Zane’s woman and we can see she’s not an imaginary person, let’s get everyone fed,” Jackie says.
With the introductions over, we move to get the food set out so everyone has an opportunity to serve themselves. I go inside and grab the plates, cups, and plastic-ware. The girls follow to help and grab the food we brought over to take outside with Zane’s help. He’s proudly showing us off to his family. I figure out that there are a couple people that don’t like the idea of us dating. For example, there’s an older woman I think might be a friend of Angélica, and a younger woman who I’d guess is her daughter, both are giving me the stink-eye.
I see Zane in line with Skylar, helping her fill her plate. He takes her to a seat next to Josilyn and Rylee, who are sitting at the “young adult” table. He sits her down and heads back to me.
“She’s set, babe. Now it’s our turn,” he says to me as he meets me in line and gives me a kiss.
As we’re filling our plates, I hear someone ask, “Who made the rice?”
“My sister did,” Skylar tells the young man. I think his name is Colton; a cousin.
He gives Rylee a look of disbelief. “ You made it?”
“Yes,” Rylee replies with a blush.
“You can cook?” he asks and at her nod he dramatically cries, “Marry me!”
His demand makes everyone laugh and Zane leans into me. “He’s addicted to food. Swears when he finds the first woman that can cook as good as his mother, he’s gonna marry her. Don’t worry, he’s a sophomore in college so Rylee won’t see much of him.”
I chuckle and begin to fill my
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