I’m meeting my sister and her boyfriend.”
“Charlotte? The one with the weird boyfriend?”
“Yeah, I promised my Mom that I’d get Charlotte to come home for dinner on Sunday.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it. Myra, it was good meeting you.”
“You too.”
Patrick left Myra and me alone and I tried to convince her to stay for coffee as well. She declined, stating that she was meeting a guy she met while jogging in Central Park.
“Myra, be careful. That sounds dangerous.”
“Please. I’m meeting him in a very public place.”
“I know, but I meant going out with a guy you met in the park.”
“How is that any worse than letting a complete stranger move in with you?”
I sucked my teeth. “Myra, please don’t start. I thought we had a good time.”
“Chill out. I was just messing with you. Patrick seems okay.”
Realizing that was about as nice as she was going to be, I gladly walked her to the door after we made plans to go shopping the next weekend.
***
The next day I made arrangements to take Brianna to the Children’s Museum. I took my responsibilities as godmother seriously and felt bad that I hadn’t spent much time with her over the past summer, but between finding a roommate and work getting so hectic, I’d had very little free time. I planned to make up for it that Saturday.
I took the train to Harlem to meet Crystal and Brianna at my uncle’s restaurant. As I entered Home Sweet Home , the aroma of glorious soul food embraced me. Memories of Crystal and I running through the restaurant while Uncle Troy jokingly chased us with a wooden spoon came flooding back.
Folks would come from all over Manhattan to sample Uncle Troy’s sweet potatoes, fried catfish, smoked turkey, collard greens, and homemade corn bread. Had The Colonel sampled Uncle Troy’s fried chicken, he wouldn’t have bothered to open that restaurant of his. As usual, the dining room was packed; all but two tables were taken. I spotted Brianna sitting at a table near the kitchen door, face buried in a book and a plate of hush puppies cooling in front of her.
“Hey, little Miss. What are you reading?”
“Chloe!”
My heart warmed as Brianna dropped her book on the table and jumped up to hug me. As I hugged her back, I found myself wondering how a man could be responsible for such a beautiful creature and disappear from her life without getting to know her. It was a shame. I felt grateful to be a part of her life as I stroked her pony-tailed hair. Holding her at arm’s length I asked, “How tall do you plan on getting?”
Brianna giggled, “As tall as you.”
I was fully aware of the fact that Brianna looked up to me and I welcomed the responsibility. “Where’s your Mom?”
“Here she comes now.”
Crystal pushed through the double-doors that separated the kitchen from the dining room. Her long braids were tied back in a tight bun and a red apron protected her jeans and tee shirt. We shared a long hug.
“Hey girl, looking good.”
“Look who’s talking! You lose weight?”
Crystal gave a small twirl. “I’m trying to do a little something now.”
“Well, it’s working. You look great.”
“Chloe, you ready to go?”
“Bri, just hold on a minute, “ Crystal said. “I haven’t seen her in a long while, just like you. Let’s sit down a minute.”
When Crystal wasn’t looking, Brianna rolled her eyes in frustration. She was anxious to get our day together started, and so was I, but I didn’t mind catching up with her mother for a few minutes.
“Brianna, why don’t you ask Ms. Beatrice to pour us two iced teas? Take your dishes in the kitchen while you’re back there.”
This time Crystal was looking her dead in the face so Brianna didn’t have the opportunity to roll her eyes or even make a face.
“Charlotte? The one with the weird boyfriend?”
“Yeah, I promised my Mom that I’d get Charlotte to come home for dinner on Sunday.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it. Myra, it was good meeting you.”
“You too.”
Patrick left Myra and me alone and I tried to convince her to stay for coffee as well. She declined, stating that she was meeting a guy she met while jogging in Central Park.
“Myra, be careful. That sounds dangerous.”
“Please. I’m meeting him in a very public place.”
“I know, but I meant going out with a guy you met in the park.”
“How is that any worse than letting a complete stranger move in with you?”
I sucked my teeth. “Myra, please don’t start. I thought we had a good time.”
“Chill out. I was just messing with you. Patrick seems okay.”
Realizing that was about as nice as she was going to be, I gladly walked her to the door after we made plans to go shopping the next weekend.
***
The next day I made arrangements to take Brianna to the Children’s Museum. I took my responsibilities as godmother seriously and felt bad that I hadn’t spent much time with her over the past summer, but between finding a roommate and work getting so hectic, I’d had very little free time. I planned to make up for it that Saturday.
I took the train to Harlem to meet Crystal and Brianna at my uncle’s restaurant. As I entered Home Sweet Home , the aroma of glorious soul food embraced me. Memories of Crystal and I running through the restaurant while Uncle Troy jokingly chased us with a wooden spoon came flooding back.
Folks would come from all over Manhattan to sample Uncle Troy’s sweet potatoes, fried catfish, smoked turkey, collard greens, and homemade corn bread. Had The Colonel sampled Uncle Troy’s fried chicken, he wouldn’t have bothered to open that restaurant of his. As usual, the dining room was packed; all but two tables were taken. I spotted Brianna sitting at a table near the kitchen door, face buried in a book and a plate of hush puppies cooling in front of her.
“Hey, little Miss. What are you reading?”
“Chloe!”
My heart warmed as Brianna dropped her book on the table and jumped up to hug me. As I hugged her back, I found myself wondering how a man could be responsible for such a beautiful creature and disappear from her life without getting to know her. It was a shame. I felt grateful to be a part of her life as I stroked her pony-tailed hair. Holding her at arm’s length I asked, “How tall do you plan on getting?”
Brianna giggled, “As tall as you.”
I was fully aware of the fact that Brianna looked up to me and I welcomed the responsibility. “Where’s your Mom?”
“Here she comes now.”
Crystal pushed through the double-doors that separated the kitchen from the dining room. Her long braids were tied back in a tight bun and a red apron protected her jeans and tee shirt. We shared a long hug.
“Hey girl, looking good.”
“Look who’s talking! You lose weight?”
Crystal gave a small twirl. “I’m trying to do a little something now.”
“Well, it’s working. You look great.”
“Chloe, you ready to go?”
“Bri, just hold on a minute, “ Crystal said. “I haven’t seen her in a long while, just like you. Let’s sit down a minute.”
When Crystal wasn’t looking, Brianna rolled her eyes in frustration. She was anxious to get our day together started, and so was I, but I didn’t mind catching up with her mother for a few minutes.
“Brianna, why don’t you ask Ms. Beatrice to pour us two iced teas? Take your dishes in the kitchen while you’re back there.”
This time Crystal was looking her dead in the face so Brianna didn’t have the opportunity to roll her eyes or even make a face.
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