A part of me hoped the DNA test results came back and said Dion was not my biological father, because having Jasmine as a sister was bound to be a pain.
Anyhow, my BFFs both responded that they would bring their list of names to the cafeteria at lunch so we could finalize my guest list.
The first part of my day seemed to drag on. My mom texted me to call her, so in between classes, I slipped into the girls’ restroom and called her.
“The tests results are back, baby.”
I inhaled and held my breath.
“Dion now knows for sure that without a doubt you’re his daughter,” my mom continued to say. “Dear, are you there?”
I exhaled. “Yes, Mom. Thanks for letting me know.”
It was now official. I was Dion McNeil’s daughter. No more pretending. Going to Cole’s basketball game didn’t have the same appeal anymore.
“Mom, I might have you come pick me up after school. I’m not sure about going to the game anymore.”
I got off the phone and went into one of the bathroom stalls and cried.
18
“Porsha, you have to go. What about Cole? You told him you would be there. Plus, I bought this new outfit. Girl, come on. Please don’t bail out on me,” Danielle pled with me after I told her and Tara during lunch that I wasn’t feeling the game anymore.
Tara agreed with Danielle. “You knew the results were coming back today. It’s not like it was a big surprise anyway. Your mom said he was your dad. That was something he was doing for himself. It shouldn’t stop you from having fun.”
I thought about what they were saying. They were right. I sent my mom a quick text to let her know that I was still going to the game. She sent me a smiley face response back.
Danielle said, “Now that it’s settled, let’s get to your guest list. Here’s my list.” She handed me a sheet of paper filled with names.
I scanned the paper. “Uh, I don’t think so. She doesn’t even speak to me.” I used my pen and scratched a line through the name. I ended up scratching out half the people on her list for one reason or another. “Tara, let me see yours.”
“I don’t have as many people on mine as Danielle’s,” Tara said, as she handed me her sheet of paper.
“Who is Cecilia?” I asked.
Tara responded, “That’s the girl in my calculus class.”
“I don’t know her, so she goes off the list too.”
Danielle gave Tara a smug look. “Now you see how it feels.”
I laughed when Tara stuck her tongue out at Danielle. I loved my two BFFs, although they could act silly sometimes.
Cole sent me a text message to let me know he was practicing and would see me at the game. I smiled for the first time since learning that, without a doubt, Dion was my father. It was hard concentrating in my classes. One minute I was thinking about Cole, and the next minute I was thinking about what was going to happen next now that Dion knew for sure I was his. So many questions and doubts filled my mind.
Danielle and I used the gym’s dressing room to change into our other clothes. We were both looking fly in our skinny jeans and colorful shirts.
“I think you should wear some red lipstick with a clear gloss over it,” Danielle said, as she took out her makeup bag and made up my face.
“Make it look natural now. I don’t want it to look like I’m getting all pretty just for him,” I said.
“Please. You better try to look good for him. It’s a lot of girls that will be there trying to get his attention.”
“Dani, thanks. Now I’m going to be self-conscious.”
“I just want you to be on top of your game. Let them chicks know you got it like that and they better step back because Cole is yours.”
From out of nowhere, Jasmine appeared. “He’s not yours yet. So, if I were you, I would wipe that off your face and start over.”
Before I could say anything, Danielle responded, “No one was talking to you. This is an A and B conversation, so please see your way out of it.”
“I just don’t want your girl to get disappointed. You know, we sisters have to stick together.” With that snide remark, Jasmine left the dressing room.
“Does she know?” Danielle asked.
I shrugged my shoulders up and down. “I have no idea. I’m sure she’ll find out soon, if she doesn’t.”
“I would watch my back. Sounds like she has her eyes set on your man.”
“It’s up to Cole. I’m not fighting over a guy.”
“Wimp. You give up too easily,” Danielle said, as she went to making up her face.
“I’m just saying . . . I don’t fight over guys. If a guy is interested in me, then he will not be all up in some other girl’s face.”
“Like your boy Kenneth,” Danielle added.
“Don’t remind me. I don’t even see what I saw in him.” I cringed at the thought of Kenneth at this point.
“Ladies, I’m about to close up this area, so hurry up,” one of the female janitors said.
“We’re almost through,” I responded.
A few minutes later, Danielle and I were headed to the gym, where the game was being held. We handed the attendant our tickets and went to our floorside seat. I noticed Jasmine and her friends in the bleachers. I switched my hips as I passed by some of the team working out. Cole caught my eye and waved at me. I waved back. I looked in the direction of Jasmine, and I could feel the venom seeping through her eyes. I smiled and winked at her and sashayed to my seat.
Cole slipped up next to us and said, “Glad you came. See you after the game.” Before you know it, he was back down the court with his other team members.
Yes, Jasmine and the rest of y’all girls who want my man, eat your hearts out, because Cole is mine.
Danielle and I cheered along with the crowd as our home team outscored the visitors by a few points. The last few minutes of the game, the scores were tied. I scooted to the edge of my seat as the score kept going back and forth. With only a few seconds left on the clock, I held my breath when the ball was thrown to Cole. I glanced at the scoreboard clock. With less than ten seconds and a half court away, he bounced the ball, and within seconds the ball was in the air. The buzzer ending the game sounded as the net swooshed and the ball entered through the rim. The crowd jumped up for joy as Cole’s shot gave Plano High a victory.
Danielle and I jumped up and hugged each other. “We won! We won!” Danielle yelled.
People from the stands chanted Cole’s name. I beamed with pride as his teammates and others congratulated him. Danielle and I waited in the stands as the crowd dispersed. My cell phone vibrated. I glanced at it. “Dani, Cole wants us to meet him out front.”
“I hope he brings one of his cute friends with him.”
“I’m sure he will. He wants all of my attention, and he won’t be able to do it with you in my ear.”
19
Cole invited his teammate Eric Boyd along with him, and he and Danielle seemed to get along great. When we walked into Chuck’s Burgers, people stopped and cheered for Cole and the rest of his teammates. Cole placed his arm around me and led us to a table near the back. I couldn’t help but notice the jealous stares from some of the girls in the place.
A waitress brought over two sodas and placed one in front of Cole and one in front of Eric. She said, “These are from the girls at that table.”
All four sets of eyes turned toward the table. Trashy was the only word I could think of. Those girls knew Cole and Eric were with us.
To my surprise, Cole said, “You can take the drinks back to their table. I can buy my own drinks.”
Yes, I screamed inside, a huge smile covering my face.
Cole and I talked in between his teammates stopping by his table. He introduced me as his girl, and I beamed with pride. Afterward we dropped Danielle and Eric off at home. I didn’t live that far from Danielle, so Cole took his time driving on the side streets.
“Finally, I have you to myself,” he said, as
he reached across the seat for my hand.
My heart rate increased as his hand held mine. “I had a great time tonight,” I said.
“Next time, it’ll just be me and you,” he assured me.
By now, we were pulling up near my house. “I only have ten minutes left before my curfew,” I said.
Cole turned and looked in my direction. The light from the moon beaming allowed our eyes to focus on one another. “Porsha, I’ve waited all night to ask you this. Will you be my girl?”
Without hesitating, I responded, “Yes.”
He removed his seatbelt, moved across the seat and, as if in slow motion, I watched as his lips came toward me. No, this wasn’t my first time being kissed by a boy, but it sure felt like it. When his lips touched mine, time stood still. His soft lips covered mine. I wondered if he could hear my rapid heartbeat.
Although the kiss took only a few seconds, it left a lasting impression on me. I had to get out of the car and fast. “Cole, I don’t want to be late, because my mom will kill me.”
“Let me walk you to the door,” he said as he shifted back in his seat.
“No,” I blurted. “I’ll wave to you when I get in the house.”
“You sure?” he said.
I reached over the seat and gave him a quick peck. “Good night, Cole.”
Cole waited until he saw me enter the house. I turned around and waved. He blinked the car lights. He didn’t pull off until after I closed the door. I peeped out the window and watched him pull away.
“Did you have a nice time?” my mom asked, startling me.
I wondered if she saw me and Cole in the car. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Well, get you some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”
I avoided eye contact with my mom and went straight to the bathroom. I took a quick shower and then got ready for bed. I noticed I had a few missed calls from Cole. I made sure my door was closed and then slipped in bed and returned his call.
“You’ve made me the happiest boy at Plano High,” he said, as he thanked me for agreeing to be his girl.
“I’m pretty lucky myself,” I responded, blushing, as I slipped under the covers.
“We get senior rings next week. I want you to wear mine,” he said.
“Really? Wow!” Things were moving fast. Cole was smart, he was cute, and he was the star basketball player. What more could a girl like me want?
When my eyes closed that night, my thoughts were on Cole and the fact that I had a new boyfriend. One I absolutely adored, and who seemed to adore me too. At least one thing was going right in my life. Tomorrow would bring its own set of problems, but for the night I would concentrate on the joys of being Cole’s girl.
My vibrating phone woke me up out of my sound sleep the next morning. “Hello,” I said sluggishly.
Cole’s voice was on the other end. “I can’t get you off my mind. I had to hear your voice before I left for practice.”
Aw, how sweet, I thought. “What time is it?” I asked.
“It’s almost ten.”
“Really? I guess I need to get up and start my day,” I responded, although I had no immediate plans.
“I’ll call you later,” he said.
Once our call ended, I sat up in bed. I stared off and recalled what happened when he dropped me off at home. I was still in that love zone when my mom entered my room, without knocking, mind you.
“Dear, you can’t stay in the bed all day. Dion is coming over later to talk to me and your dad. I just wanted you to know. He’ll be here around three.”
“Did he say anything about seeing me?” I asked, forgetting Cole for a moment.
“I’m sure he’ll want to see you.”
I pouted. What if he didn’t? I didn’t even want to find out. “I’m getting dressed now,” I said, slipping off from underneath the covers.
“By the way, I saw the young man who brought you home. Next time, introduce us, otherwise, you won’t be going to any more games.”
Busted. “He’s Cole. He’s our star basketball player.”
“Star or not, you know how I feel about boys.”
“But you said I could date. Are you backing off that now?” I blurted out.
“We have no problems with you dating, but we need to know the boy and something about his family.”
“He’s Cole, Mom. He’s a nice guy. He gets good grades. Ask Dad. He knows about him,” I said in Cole’s defense.
20
Thirty minutes later, my dad was interrogating me about Cole. “Your mom told me you’re dating again.”
I went on to tell him about Cole. “I thought you liked him.”
“He’s a good ballplayer, but I don’t know enough about him to say I want him dating my daughter.”
“He’s a good guy, Dad.”
“So when do we get to meet this young man?”
“I can call him, and he can come over today.”
“Today’s not a good day. Dealing with Dion later is all the excitement your old man can take in one day.”
“Pick a date, and I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to meet you.” I went on to tell my dad about his autographed jersey Cole had adorning his wall.
“The young man has good taste, but still I need to check him out.” He hugged me and then left me alone with my thoughts.
I sent Cole a short text informing him that my parents wanted to meet him. He was excited. Normally guys dreaded meeting my parents. Maybe we could make it happen next weekend, I thought.
After going back and forth via text with Cole, I got online and surfed the entertainment gossip sites. I also chatted with Danielle and Tara in our own private chat room. They sent me congratulatory messages when I informed them of my new girlfriend title. I stuck my chest out with pride knowing my friends approved of my decision.
Time seemed to drag on as I kept watching the clock hoping that three o’clock would hurry up and come so I could see if Dion wanted to see me.
The doorbell rang, and I rushed to my window to see who was outside. I noticed Dion’s car parked in the driveway. I gave myself a quick glance in the mirror. It seemed like I was holding my breath when my mom shouted, “Porsha, can you come here?”
The steps I took to reach downstairs doubled as each step took me closer to a new destiny. There, standing at the end of the stairway, was Dion. His reassuring smile eased some of my fears.
“Porsha, it’s good seeing you again,” he said.
“Hi,” was the only word I managed to say.
My dad said, “Angie’s fixed dinner, so let’s go to the dining room.”
Everyone was polite over dinner. Dion and my dad talked about sports, while my mom and I seemed to be on edge.
“Porsha, how’s school?” Dion asked.
“Everything’s fine.” Even if it wasn’t, I didn’t feel comfortable sharing that news with him just yet.
“Porsha’s a straight-A student,” my dad said with pride.
If only he knew my grades had slipped. My A was slowly fading to a borderline B, and only points away from a C. “I do all right.” I wouldn’t look in anyone’s eyes.
“She’s also active in many school organizations,” my mom added.
What were they doing? It’s as if I was in an interview for a job or something. They both needed to quit.
I was glad my two little brothers were gone. It made me wonder when my folks were going to reveal to them about my real dad. Or were we supposed to keep it a secret from them?
My mom went and brought out dessert. One of my favorites, strawberry shortcake.
“Dion, I have a question.”
We all looked in Mom’s direction.
She asked, “Do your other kids know about Porsha?”
My head swung in his direction. He cleared his throat. “No, not yet.”
“So when do you plan on breaking the news to them? Because my child will not be your little secret.”
“I plan on telling them tomorrow. In fact, Porsha
, I would love it if you could come over tomorrow, so I can make the introductions.”
“This is all moving so fast,” I blurted out without thinking.
“I want us to build a relationship. I want you to know your sisters,” he responded.
My dad said, “Give her some time. Maybe, next weekend.”
Dion said, “They go to the same school. I think it’s best that I make the introductions face to face.”
My mom agreed. “Dear, Dion might be right. We will bring her,” she said, emphasizing the word we.
My dad clenched his fist. I wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed, but I did. “Fine. What time?”
“Around the same time. I’ll throw some food on the grill.”
After dinner, my dad rushed Dion out the door. “We have to go pick up our sons, but we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Sounds good. Oh, before I forget, Porsha, here’s all my numbers.” Dion reached into his wallet and passed me a card.
I looked at it before my hand fell to the side.
We all stood there and watched him get in his car. Once the door was closed, my mom said, “See, that wasn’t too bad, now was it?”
“Did you have to side with him?” my dad asked in a harsh tone.
“Dear, I wasn’t siding with him. Porsha needs to meet her sisters, so why not tomorrow?”
“This is what I was worried about. Already, you’re blocking me out of the decision-making,” he said and stormed out of the house.
“Trey,” my mom called out in vain.
He threw his arms up in the air and jumped in his SUV and pulled away.
My mom started sobbing.
I placed my arm around her. “Dad just needs time to cool down. It’ll be okay.”
“Things will never be okay again,” she said, as she sobbed in my arms.
Why am I comforting her and I’m the one with a new daddy? Stranger things had happened, and we held on to each other for dear life.
21
I knew something wasn’t right when my mom allowed me to sleep past nine on a Sunday morning. Once again, we were missing Sunday church services. I thought now was the time for us to draw closer to the Lord, not pull further away. I said a silent prayer before starting my day.
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