Reign Delay

by Tracy Gray

  “Hi Reign.” She barely had the words out of her mouth, before the hostess appeared to seat us.

  My grandmother slid into one side of the booth, surprisingly River slid in opposite of her. Unsurprisingly, I chose to sit next to River. We were quiet as the waitress hustled over, introduced herself, went over the specials, and handed us menus.

  “How is my future grandson-in-law doing, River? Shawn is so handsome. I hated that I didn’t get a chance to talk to you two on Sunday.”

  “I know.” River said, not bothering to look up from her menu.

  I shot the only person I could think of who would truly understand, a text message.

  Me: I’m out to lunch with River and my grandmother.

  Him: Why in the hell are you doing that? You know she’s coming for you. Am I gonna have to come to Chicago to throat punch your grandmother, like you were talking about doing mine?

  Me: Maybe. Let’s let it play out.

  Him: LOL.

  “We ended up having to run to the store for Auntie Bo.” River was saying when I checked back into the conversation.

  Priscilla rolled her eyes for almost a full minute. “I heard. That woman. Throwing together a last minute party, then making you all do all the footwork.”

  “That’s what the Watsons do. It’s called being a family. We work together.” I said pointedly.

  “Plus, that’s basically how all Watson parties go down. One person brings this, somebody else brings that. That’s how we do.” River added.

  “Well, that’s not how we do.” She muttered.

  “Grandma, nah y’all don’t do that. You’re a Champion. I’m talking about the Watsons.” River chided with a grin, that had my grandmother grinning back at her.

  Me: I might have to get up and walk out of here.

  Him: Is she starting already?

  Me: I just realized that I don’t even understand the point of my being here. I thought I wanted to have it out with her, but now...I’m not even trying to waste my breath.

  “Reign, I was so surprised to see you at church on Sunday, and with Xavier Mayhew, no less. How did that come to happen?”

  “He invited me.” I said, feeling like nothing on the menu was speaking to me, but knowing that I needed to choose something.

  “It’s so nice that you two were able to remain friends, after the way he embarrassed you in front of your church family...and your real family, too, I would guess. You know, I know the little girl he’s dating.”

  My head raised slowly, as I really considered how I wanted to respond to that tidbit.

  “Well, he’s dating Reign, so I don’t know who you think you know.” River said, sitting her menu on the table.

  “He’s dating Reign?” She repeated, the disbelief evident on her face. After a few seconds, she trained her expression. It no longer looked shocked, but it looked sad. “Oh my goodness, Reign. How many times are you gonna be a fool for that boy? Is that what he told you? That you're his girlfriend now? Aww sweetie.”

  Clearly she felt badly for me, I could tell by the way she started to chuckle. I truly despised that lady.

  “I’m not a fool, Priscilla.” I said calmly.

  That brought surprise back to her face, but I didn’t stop.

  “I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Interior Design, and then I turned around and earned a Master’s in Business Administration. That’s not the type of thing a fool does. A fool…”

  She cut me off. “Oh baby, I didn’t mean to hurt your little feelings.”

  Lies! That was exactly what she meant to do.

  “I know you’re book smart.” She sweet talked.

  “You’ve always been smarter than me, Twin. You know I barely got out of undergrad.” River chuckled, trying to bring levity into the situation. But that was too little too late. I already knew that if I didn’t leave soon, things were going to end up going left with my bitch-ass grandmother.

  “So, who is this girl that’s he dating, that you know?” I asked.

  “Oh, she’s Mae Donald’s granddaughter. I think you all were in Mae’s Sunday school class when you were little.”

  I remembered Mae Donald. She was one of my grandmother’s best friends, and they had very similar personalities and attitudes.

  “Well, clearly she’s a dumb bunny, because Xavier was in town for a week, and he was with Reign the entire time. Did she not think that was a little sus?” River asked.

  “What’s the girl’s name?” I questioned, ignoring River’s assist.

  “Amayah. And she’s just gorgeous. She was an awkward, little ugly duckling when she was a pre-teen, but she blossomed into a beautiful young lady. I mean, she can’t compete with my grandgirls, but she’s a pretty thing.”

  While she was talking, I was typing furiously into my phone. When I got to what I was looking for, I held the Instagram page up to Priscilla’s face.

  “Is this her?” I showed her a picture of the girl that I knew to be Meeyah Donna.

  “Yes, that’s her. Mae told me she did something on the internet. Look at that tight little waist, and that…”

  While she was talking, I decided that I was over it. I was over her.

  In an instant, a thought popped into my head. She’s my grandmother, but she ain’t my fam. She’s my grandmother, but she ain’t my fam.

  “She’s my grandmother, but she ain’t my fam.” I muttered, typing into my phone.

  Me: I’m coming to Portland. I’mma help you pack for training camp.

  Every year, from the time he was a college freshman, up until his rookie year in the league, I’d helped him pack for training camp.

  Him: Bullshit. On my mama?

  That was the only way to prove your honesty to Xavier.

  Me: On your mama, Baby.

  Him: When?

  Me: When you want me? Please say tomorrow.

  While I waited for a response, I tapped back into the conversation River was having with Priscilla.

  “No, Indigo is a YouTuber. She makes videos about makeup and skin care and stuff like that. Your girl is an Instagram hoe. She posts pictures of herself laying on fur rugs with her ass out.”

  “River Cheyenne! Your language.”

  “What?”

  My phone chimed with the tell-tale signal of an incoming text. When I saw the content of the text, I wasn’t even surprised, but I was a little bit giddy. Xavier had sent me an electronic confirmation of a flight leaving that night.

  Yes, Zaddy. I thought to myself.

  “Uhm, I can’t stay for lunch.” I announced.

  “Why?” Priscilla questioned, eyes narrowed and face frowned.

  “I need to go. I’m heading to Portland. Let Mae Donald’s granddaughter know that I’m finna help her man pack for training camp. If she don’t like it, she can come see me..in Portland...with her man...boo’d up.” I slid out of the booth.

  “Come through, Michael Corleone.” River said in a stage whisper.

  I leaned over and gave my sister a hug. “I’ll text you.” To my grandmother, I said not a word.

  Xavier

  8

  Reign was quiet in my truck when I picked her up from the airport. I didn’t care. I was just frantic as hell that she had even come. There was no way on earth that I was going to chance putting my foot in my mouth, at least not until we got away from the airport, where she could buy a ticket and hop on a return flight.

  I parked in my underground parking lot, walked around the ride and opened her door for her. Then I grabbed her suitcase from the backseat. We walked to the elevator, and rode up to the penthouse in silence. Once I unlocked the door to my unit, I led her inside. Closing the door behind me, I backed her up against it.

  “You know you fucked up, right?” I asked, my lips against her lips.

  I could feel her grinning under my mouth. “How long have you been waiting to back me up against this door?”

  “Since I bought this place.”

  Sh
e leaned into me.

  “I told you if I got you to Portland, I wasn’t letting you leave.”

  “I’m not too concerned about that. Right now I’m not trying to leave, and by the time I wear out my welcome, you’ll be heading to training camp.”

  “You know you can’t wear out your welcome.”

  Narrowing her eyes, and twisting her lips to let me know that she didn’t believe that, she spoke, “yeah well, we’ll see if you have that same energy on day four.”

  “I don’t even know why you’re tripping. You know I can’t get tired of you. Been waiting too long for you.” I bent my head and kissed her on the lips, not sure of how much further to take it, until she wrapped her arms around my neck, and slid her tongue into my mouth.

  Kissing Reign was hypnotic. My tongue wound around hers, sucking and exploring as we consumed one another.

  “Am I putting you in my room or in the guest bedroom?” I asked, keeping her pinned to the front door.

  She pretended to think about it. Although knowing Reign, she wasn’t pretending. She was probably weighing every pro and con, trying to figure out which room was the smartest choice.

  “Don’t overthink it, Raye. Choose and have a fuck it attitude about it.” I looked into her eyes.

  Her gaze was laser focused on mine, and I could read exactly what she was thinking.

  “Yeah, you can do that, Ma.” I confirmed with a nod. “Just give yourself permission to do it. Who the fuck is gonna judge you in Portland? Me? I ain’t about to judge you. You know that. Be free. Give zero fucks, and just live.”

  “Your bedroom.”

  “Maybe your pops was right. Maybe I am a bad influence on you.”

  “Nah.” She shook her head back and forth. “Nah, you just always encouraged me to be me. Everybody else wanted me to be who they wanted me to be.”

  I backed away from her, grabbed her luggage from where I’d haphazardly dropped it on the floor, and started heading for my bedroom. I was in my own head with the thought, “Calm the fuck down, Dude. She’s here. You got her,” playing on a constant loop, when I realized that I didn’t feel her energy behind me. Stopping my forward motion, I turned around. She was still leaning against the door.

  “Come on, Raye. Portland isn’t like Chicago, stuff closes around here and if you wanna eat, we need to make moves before everything shuts down.”

  She pushed herself off of the door, and started to follow me. “Uh, we probably need to run to the grocery store and get you some real food. Training camp starts on Sunday. I saw how you were eating in Chicago, X. I’m not gonna contribute to you not making weight. Where are you supposed to be on Sunday?”

  I grinned at her. Three years since she’d helped me get ready for a training camp, and she fell right back into her role as motivator. “I’m good, Raye.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I asked you. Where are you supposed to be when you weigh-in on Sunday?”

  She looked so serious that I made myself get serious, as well. “235lbs.”

  “And how much do you weigh right now?”

  “235lbs.” I said proudly.

  She watched me silently for a few seconds.

  “What?” I asked, frowning.

  “Where’s the scale?”

  I frowned again, my eyebrows meeting in the middle of my forehead. “What’re you tryna say? You think I’m lying to you?”

  “I saw you eat the tacos, Baby. I saw you eat the fried chicken the very next day. Who knows what you were eating when we weren’t together?”

  “I know what I wanted to be eating, that I wasn’t eating.” I muttered.

  She looked up at me. “I heard that, boy.”

  “Then, feed me, girl.”

  Smirking, she ignored me. “Where’s the scale?”

  I led her into my bedroom, dropping her bag by the foot of my bed as I made my way into the master bathroom. I turned around, walking backwards, facing her.

  “You want me to strip?” I teased. “I mean, you should get an accurate reading, if you’re gonna be on my ass about my weight.”

  Again, I could see her weighing her response in her head. She didn't used to be so ruled by self-doubt. She used to do whatever the fuck she wanted, and deal with the consequences when they came.

  “Ay, you were right.” I told her.

  “About what?”

  “Remember when you told me that I have to get to know this Reign. You were right, because all of this indecisiveness is 180 degrees different from Long May She Reign.”

  “Yeah, well after you ghosted me, my self-confidence took a little hit, X. My grandmother took every opportunity to remind me of how stupid I was for dedicating myself to you, when the only thing you were dedicated to was football. Oh yeah, and my church family was all too happy to join in, with the whispers about how I should’ve seen it coming. So...yeah. If you went through the level of public humiliation that I went through, you would start to weigh every decision differently, too. Bet that.”

  Then I felt like shit. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry you went through that shit, Reign. It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t cool, and I realize that it changed you. I’m sorry for making light of it. The only person taunting me, and fucking with me, was me. But you had all of these other motherfuckers chasing you down to treat you like shit.” I took a deep breath, because every time I thought about it, the shit pissed me off. So, I could only imagine how it made her feel.

  We stayed hugged up for another minute or so.

  Finally, she broke the embrace. “You don’t have to strip. Just hop up on the scale, Baby.”

  “I will, but I need to stay here for a minute, Reign. I need to make sure you’re cool, because you like to gloss over your feelings. If you can’t forgive me, you can tell me. It’s gonna fuck me up, but…”

  “Xavier, I’m committed to forgiving you. You hurt me, but it wasn’t malicious, or hell, even really intentional. My biggest issue is forgiving myself. I’m pissed that people at church talked a lot of shit to me. People took liberties with me, and I didn’t deal with them. I didn’t correct them, I didn’t address them or call them on their bullshit. I’m mad, because the shit-talking went on way longer than it needed to. I was the topic of conversation long after I should’ve been, or would’ve been if I had stood up for myself.”

  “You weren’t yourself, then.” I said soothingly.

  “Apparently, I’m still not myself.”

  “Yeah, you are. In the ways that matter.”

  Sighing, she looked up at me. “Not in the ways that matter, X. I can’t even make a decision without second-guessing myself the entire time.”

  “What about when you decided to come to me?”

  “That was an easy decision.” She admitted.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah, because I let you leave with everything between us still up in the air.”

  “So, are things down on the ground, now?”

  “Ugh, Baby.” She threw up her hands. “You can be so annoying at times.”

  “What? I’m just saying. Do you know where we stand, because I’m still over here in the dark. Are you mine now, or what?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m giving myself permission to get healed in your love for me.” She paused and kind of looked up at the ceiling. “By your love? With your love? I don’t know. Your love is gonna have to heal me. That’s probably the most unhealthy way to approach it, but...it is what it is.”

  I didn’t say a word, I just stood there letting her work through her thoughts on her own.

  “Get on the scale, Dude.” She said finally.

  “You sure you don’t think I should strip? I would feel better if I was naked, like the reading would be more accurate.”

  She gave me the grin I was working for. “Are you over the weight or something? Why’re you stalling?”

  I stepped on the scale.

  “237lbs, Baby.”

  Shr
ugging my shoulders, I said, “I told you to let me get naked.”

  “So, chicken breast and salad for dinner. Let’s go to the store.”

  After we ate, and spent some time chilling on the sofa watching television with her feet in my lap, Reign was starting to doze off.

  “Ay Raye.” I said, softly nudging her.

  “Huhm?” She mumbled.

  “Let’s go get in the bed.”

  “Okay.” She said, making absolutely no moves.

  I gathered her in my arms and carried her back to my bedroom. When we got there, I deposited her gently on the bed. I stood there watching her, while several thoughts went through my head - the most prevalent being that I should undress her. I was telling myself that she would sleep much more comfortably without the restriction of clothing. But before we decided to chill on the sofa, she had changed into some little, itty bitty ass, coochie cutting ass cotton shorts, and a baby t-shirt featuring my last name on the back, but (get this) in Busy’s team colors, and with his number under the name “Mayhew.” Basically she was wearing Busy’s shirt, at my crib. So anyway, she was comfortable, if I chose to undress her, I couldn’t use discomfort as an excuse. Right when I was about to say fuck it and undress her anyway, because hell, why not, she awoke.

  “Hey. What are we doing?” She asked, sleep still coating her voice.

  “You’re asleep. I’m about to undress you.”

  She grinned at me from where she lay flat on her back. She looked beautiful as hell. Youthful. Like the Reign who used to lay in my bed at Hale Williams University.

  “For real, Baby? Why were you gonna undress me? Can’t stand seeing me in Busy’s shirt instead of yours?”

  She knew me too well. “That’s definitely part of it.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “I wanted you naked. I always want you naked.” I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

  “You trying to get romantic?” That was her verbiage for us having sex.

  “Hell yeah. I’m always ready to get romantic with you, Raye, but the same shit still stands. I’m not having casual sex with you, so...what’s good?”

  “Hey, remember when I used to help you study the muscles of the body? Let’s see how many I can remember. Every time I get one right, I get to touch it.” She suggested, still managing to look innocent, even though she knew that game was gonna lead to her giving up the ass.