Torino spoke up. “Yep. Well. We’re gonna get going. Sequoia has a catering event.”
Kyle said, “Oh, really? If it’s anything like the one you did for my brother, it’ll be great.”
Torino led the way to the door.
“Thank you. So, we’ll talk to you both later.” Sequoia followed right behind him.
Colette said to Kyle. “Baby, call the boys from the back.”
“Kyle Jr., TJ, come inside,” Kyle yelled.
The boys came back in slower than when they went out.
“Oh, man,” Kyle Jr. said, seeing Torino and Sequoia at the door. “TJ’s leaving?”
Torino said. “Yes. Come on TJ. We’ve gotta get going.”
TJ walked up to his dad. “Okay. Bye,” he said to Kyle Jr.
Kyle asked him, “Did you meet Ms. Berry?”
She gave him a smile. “Hi, TJ. I haven’t seen you since you were a baby.”
“Hello.” He barely looked at her, only at Kyle Jr.
Kyle Jr. said, “That’s my mom.”
“Okay.” TJ gave Colette a quick smile and then held his own mom’s hand.
“Let’s go,” Torino said.
Sequoia waved to everyone. “We’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay.” Colette closed her eyes half way and then reopened them wide.
Kyle walked them out the door and to their car. Everyone got inside except for Torino, who opened the driver side door and turned around to say, “Man. I didn’t want to say it in front of Colette. I wanted to wait until I saw you again, just you and me. I didn’t bring it up the other day, either. But the DNA test I took came back negative.”
“It did?” Kyle looked like his breath was caught in his throat.
“So, I think the next move is for you to go ahead and take a test yourself. And if it turns out you’re his father, I think you should take that to court and get full custody of Kyle Jr.”
“You think so?”
“I do. If he belongs to you, why not? That’s a true daddy’s boy you’ve got there. And, if you really think Colette can get well now that she’s getting the help she needs, the help she didn’t have before, then I don’t see why you three can’t work it out as a family.”
“What about the boys? Looks to me like they’ve bonded already.”
“They’ll be in each other’s lives.”
Kyle nodded and thought to himself. He then said, “I’ll jump on that right away. Thanks.” He looked inside of the car. “Thanks, Sequoia. You’ve been one-hundred percent through all of this.”
“No worries.”
He looked in the backseat. “TJ, we’ll see you later.”
“Bye.” TJ was already playing with his DS.
Then he said to Torino, “I’ll call you, man. Thanks for everything.” They hugged the brotha hug, patting each other on the back with one hand and shaking hands with the other.
“Got it.” Torino got into the car and started it up.
As they backed out of the driveway, Sequoia said, “Sorry to say, but she looks bad.”
“Yeah.”
“I still can’t believe she lied about you being the father after all this time.”
Torino shook his head in agreement. “Let’s just hope he’s the father.”
Sequoia cosigned. “True. Let’s.”
32
Mercedes
“. . . running for city council.”
It was a month later.
Thanksgiving Day.
Claude’s birthday was the night before.
All of the family was over for the annual dinner at Mercedes and Mason’s house.
Mason had been spending his nights there for over a month, yet still not sharing his wife’s bed. He spent most of his time being in solitude, finishing his second book which came out in six months. And also, he had been interviewing with several networks regarding a job in broadcasting.
Sequoia had come over early to help Mercedes cook. They took over the kitchen with pots and pans and groceries and seasonings. Mercedes was in charge of the turkey, ham, liver and onions, cornbread dressing, and giblet gravy.
Sequoia was in charge of the side dishes like yams, cheese grits, green beans, collards, macaroni and cheese, and the biscuits.
And Star was in the kitchen every now and then, too, making desserts, like lemon pound cake, carrot cake, and sweet potato pie.
Today, Mason Wilson was not in his office working. He was in the family room shooting pool with Claude, Torino, and Star’s boyfriend Terrence.
TJ and Skyy were in Star’s old room playing Uno, again, and again, and again.
Mercedes told her daughter, looking over her shoulder at her baking skills. “Those look good, Star.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’m starving.”
“Did you and Terrence eat after your flight this morning?”
“We grabbed something from Jack In the Crack.”
Mercedes laughed. She was pleased that her daughter had her sense of humor back. “Jack in the Crack? No you didn’t.”
Sequoia gave a snicker. “Wow.”
“What? It’s just what we call it instead of Jack In the Box. They don’t have one in Atlanta, so when I come home it’s the first place I go. But that was a few hours ago.”
Sequoia asked, “You call it that because it’s like crack?”
“Basically.”
“These young folks," said Sequoia.
Star said, looking at her aunt, “Auntie Sequoia, you’re young. You both are.”
“Yeah, you had too much Jack in the Crack alright,” Mercedes joked.
“Early forties. I hope I look as good as you two when I’m forty.”
“Well, thanks, Star. That’s sweet.” Mercedes hugged Star from behind, placing a kiss on the side of her head.
Star leaned her head back upon her mom’s chest. “Love you Mom. It’s good to be home.”
Mercedes said right back, “Love you more.” She stopped and took in the moment. “It’s good to have you home.” And then she walked over to the sink. “This house is way too quiet without you and Rashaad.” She wanted to also mention Mattie, but didn’t.
Star said, “I’m glad Dad’s back home. I’m just happy.”
“I’m happy, too,” said Mercedes, wondering if Star really knew that Mason wasn’t back for good.
Sequoia spoke up while adding grated cheese to the macaroni. “Hell, I’m happy, too. And I’ll be even happier when we finish all this food so we can eat.”
Star asked Sequoia, “You need help?”
Sequoia held her hand up and dropped the bag of cheese on the floor. She bent over and picked it up.
Mercedes and Star laughed.
Sequoia regrouped. “I was gonna say no. I’ve got this. You just tend to your little desserts over there.” She looked at Mercedes who had a look of hilarity on her face. “And you to yours.”
Star placed the glass cover over the pound cake and looked at the clock on the microwave. “In that case, I’m done. I’m headed to the living room to watch Rashaad’s tournament. It comes on in about two minutes.”
Sequoia poured in some milk. “Which tournament is this?”
“He’s in China. It’s the Omega World Cup or something. It starts today.”
Mercedes asked, “Is that the team tournament that lasts three days?”
“It is.” She started to walk out of the kitchen. “He’s playing with that hottie, Rory McIlroy.”
Sequoia said, “Uh-oh, you’d better be careful. Your guy might hear you.”
Star clicked her tongue. “Please. He knows. And I know who he likes.”
“Really?”
“Yep. He told me himself that he’d marry Paula Patton hands down in two seconds flat.”
Mercedes added, “If she was available. And him, too. Which he’s not.”
Star said while skipping out of the kitchen. “Well, of course. Duh. He belongs to me.” Star said from the living room. “Dang. It’s starting now.”
/> “That girl has some energy.”
Mercedes looked proud. “She does, with her genius self. You should’ve seen her in Atlanta playing in that symphony. She’s so gifted. It’s good to see her smiling.”
“It’s good to see everyone, period. Wish Rashaad could be home. And of course Cameron. Did you invite him?”
“No. I told Venus to tell him. I didn’t think I should call him myself since Claude is here. Don’t want him tripping out.” Mercedes checked the oven and looked at the turkey.
“It’s your house.”
“And it’s his birthday celebration as well as Thanksgiving. But it’s also the anniversary of Fatima dying. If Cameron finds out it’ll be because they told him.” Mercedes did not speak of the fact that she saw Claude at the cemetery.
Sequoia said quietly, “You don’t think Venus is going back to him.”
“I don’t. But, you never know. She did that one time before. Love is blind. You can’t see what other people see or feel. That’s on them. I just hope they do.”
“Hey there, baby.” Torino came into the kitchen looking at his wife. “You two are both fine, but I’m telling you,” he said checking out Sequoia, “when I look at my wife I think if beauty was a crime, she’d be a felony.” He gave Sequoia a look like he could put her on a plate and sop her up with a biscuit.
She giggled. “Torino, are you trying to get some in Mercedes’s kitchen? ‘Cause you know you can.” Sequoia gave Torino sultry eyes.
Mercedes looked away, about to laugh. “Let me leave the two of you alone.”
Torino said, “Just kidding.”
Sequoia was serious. “I’m not. Oh, you can get it.”
Mercedes cleared her throat. “Oh, Lord. I’ll be right back so make it a quickie. Gotta check out my son on TV.”
“Okay,” Sequoia said, standing in front of Torino hugged up. She kissed him like it was a goodbye kiss, and he wasn’t even going anywhere.
He said, “California face with a down-south rump.” He grabbed her backside and squeezed.
Mercedes looked at them and moon-walked out, then turned to head straight toward the living room to where Star sat on the couch. “It started?”
“Yep.”
“Good. You see him yet?”
“Yep.” Star said, sitting with her feet up on the couch.
“Oh my God. There he is. He’s wearing red and black today. I’ll go tell your dad.” She hurried back into the family room. “Hey you guys? Rashaad’s tournament is on.”
Mason yelled over to the birthday boy, “Hey, Claude. Would you turn on that television please? Thanks.” He eyeballed the plasma TV over the fireplace.
Claude took the remote from the shelf underneath it and turned to ESPN.
Mercedes looked at Terrence who was holding his pool cue. “Can you play?” she asked.
Mason said, “Oh, he got game.”
“Really? Where’d you learn that?”
Terrence looked proud of himself. “Actually, I played my first game with Star. She taught me.”
“Oh, so now you’re gonna brag. Just flaunting the fact that you’re new to the game. Making me look like a punk? See, now I know why. It’s called beginner’s luck.” Mason was animated. He leaned over and aimed the cue at the ball and took his shot. “Take that.” He sank the yellow ball like it was a cinch.
Terrence said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Trying to show off now that the wife is here.”
“Oh, no he’s not.” Mason took another shot and sank it. “How you gonna talk mess to a golfer who’s shooting pool? One thing I can do is get a ball in a hole.” Mason lined himself up for the next shot. It went in. “Stick to the violin, Son.”
Terrence just shook his head, watching, smiling so big he looked like his young cheeks were going to burst. He was in Mason heaven.
Mercedes laughed, happy that her home seemed alive again. She looked at Claude and asked, “How are you?”
“Good.”
“You hungry?”
“I am, actually. It smells good in this house.”
“Thank you. I hope that turkey turns out okay.”
“It always does.”
Mercedes stood next to Claude. “Wanted you to know, I talked to Venus. I did invite her.”
Claude looked sure. “She won’t come.”
“I think you’re right. Sorry about everything.”
He crossed his arms. “Everything happens for a reason.”
“I know. But anyway, I hope you celebrated your birthday last night with a big bang,” Mercedes said, watching Terrence take over. Mason seemed quieter now.
“I did. Yep. That much is true. I did.” His words stumbled.
“Good.” Mercedes looked up at the television and noticed it was a commercial. She said to everyone, “I’ll let you all know when dinner is served.
“Cool,” said Terrence.
She heard Nadia barking from the backyard and went outside to the dug-run. She opened the gate. “Come on, girl. You can come in, too. It’s Thanksgiving.” Mercedes watched Nadia run circles around her, wagging her tail. Nadia led Mercedes to the door and sat, waiting for permission. She looked up at Mercedes with her pretty blue eyes. “Go.” Mercedes waved her hand toward the inside. Nadia dashed in and ran up to Mason first.
“Hey, girl,” Mason said, looking down at Nadia and then resuming his game. He was back on a roll with his shots.
Nadia made her way around to greet everyone. She approached Terrence with caution and barked.
Mercedes hushed her.
Instead of coming close, Nadia went directly into the living room.
Mason looked up at the TV when he heard Rashaad’s voice, saying, “I need to step on the gas and be more patient, see what the course gives me. Our plan is to stay on top. Stay on top and rip it.”
Mason said with energy, “That’s my boy.”
Nadia greeted Star. She could be heard saying, “There’s Nadia. My pretty girl.” She sounded like she had found a long lost friend.
~~
Out of the thirteen chairs at the formal dining room table, six on each side and one at the head of the table, four were not taken. One for Venus, one for Rashaad, and one for Cameron, and the one at the head table for Mattie.
Mason led the prayer that included being thankful for His goodness mercy and love. And everyone said, “Amen.”
~~
Less than an hour later, the platters and bowls that lined the table were half empty and the individual dinner plates were all but licked clean.
Nadia lay under the table being a good girl.
Skyy ate her food so fast that she looked like she was a starving student.
“Slow down,” Mercedes said, smiling to her niece who worked on her second helping of turkey. Most everyone else was done.
“I can’t believe how much Skyy has grown,” said Sequoia.
Claude looked proud. “She’s a big girl.” He said, sitting next to her, “Slow down, pumpkin. That food isn’t going anywhere.”
Skyy asked her dad after swallowing, “Isn’t Mommy coming?”
“No.” He then asked his nephew, “TJ, are you still hungry?”
“No.” TJ looked impatient.
“He just wants to play,” said Sequoia. “He’s waiting to make his getaway.”
“Well, I’m done. That was good,” said Star, taking her lap napkin and placing it on her plate.
“It was. Dessert time,” said Terrence.
Star said, rubbing her belly, “Excuse me.” She stood up. “I need to make some room first. I’m headed back to finish watching the tournament. Rashaad and Rory are in third place.”
Mercedes said, “Oh, we can’t have that.”
Torino talked like he knew the game. “It’s early. And if not today, there’s always tomorrow. They’ve got three days.”
Mason took a sip of black coffee and sat back. “Not always. Like Rashaad said, in golf, you’ve got to get a head start right from the beginning and stay on it. Wh
ere you start is where you can end up. That’s got to be in your mind. It’s too easy to lose your lead and I’m telling you, one hole, one stroke, can change the whole game.”
Terrence asked, “You miss the competition?”
“I do. I was talking to my manager about opening my own golf course here. Probably out in Valencia near Magic Mountain. Have some competitions and train some of the young folks.”
“Count me in. I’d like to learn.”
Mason nodded. “Okay. You end up in L.A. and that’ll be a done deal.”
“Got it.” Terrence wore a happy face.
Sequoia asked, “You still get your golf on with the fellas?”
“Not as much lately.”
Star said with volume from the living room. “That’s because he’s busy running for city council.”
Mason did not look excited. “No. I just don’t think that’s for me.”
Terrence added, “I can see it. I think you’d win.”
Claude said, “Don’t give up that idea, Mason.”
Mason said, “I hear ya.” He stood. “So, let’s see how Rashaad and his teammate are doing out there in China.” He looked back at Terrence. “And then I’ll meet you back in the family room to get my revenge.”
Mercedes asked, looking surprised, “You won, Terrence?”
“I did.”
Mason mumbled as he sat in the reclining chair. “Boy coming over here dating my daughter and spanking her dad in his own house. That’s cold blooded.”
Torino said, “Gotta give him credit for bringing it.”
Mason leaned his chair back. “Beginner’s luck.”
TJ asked Sequoia, “Mom, can me and Skyy play shooting pool, too?”
Sequoia said, “I don’t think so.” She giggled. “And it’s not called playing shooting pool. You say shoot pool. But what we can do is we can all take the gifts from over there into the living room.” She looked at Skyy. “I’ll bring the lemon cake over there so we can sing Happy Birthday to your father.”
Skyy hopped up after finally pushing her plate away. “Okay.” She and TJ ran to grab the gift bags that were near the table, taking them into the living room.
Nadia dined on leftovers.
The family sang Happy Birthday and ate dessert, watching the game, shooting pool, and enjoying each other just as the Wilson family had always done through the years. A few less family members, but laughs nonetheless. Making the most of being, together.
Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel Page 21