At First Glance Ch. 3: Keep the Family Close
A/N: Remember when I said in 2.2 that there’d be a 2.3? I lied. This is going to be the second to the last chapter of the At First Glance series. There will a few one-shots stemming, but no more chapters after Chapter 4. Can’t believe I’m almost done. Also, Yaa and Khalida are used interchangeably. Now with the formalities out of the way, this comes just in time for one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving!!! This particular chapter has been in my archives since forever ago lol. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving with your family and friends, beautiful people!
Warning(s): Fluff, slight hints of angst, language, Yaa the Librarian has returned.
Translations: Marraine= Grandma (Creole);Rainy—>Parraine=grandpa (Creole); aibnatu=daughter (Arabic)
Tuesday, November 26, 2013, Darrow, Louisiana, 11:23 p.m.
Thanksgiving is a holiday of family, food, and the unofficial beginning of the holiday season. This was no different for the St. Pierre-Daniels family. Their first granddaughter, Yaa, was bringing her new boyfriend Winston down to Louisiana to meet the entire family. God rest his unsuspecting soul.
The couple’s flights arrived in New Orleans at around 8:30 that evening and getting the rental car took an unnecessary hour and an act of Congress, making their actual departure of New Orleans closer to 10. Their hour-long trip provided Yaa to give her boyfriend a recap on their past conversations of her family.
“One last time: Rainey expects you to help out on the ranch, Aunt Rhonda has a thing for Caribbean men and she’s been pushing my buttons since 2011, so that means we actually may fight. My cousins Dom, Erica, Whitney, Delonte, and I are the Turn Up Krewe, so don’t be surprised when we pass by the Quarter and we all turning up, and finally whatever you do, DO NOT, Winston Christopher, EVER refer to New Orleans as Nawlins, cuz that ain’t it, y’eardme?”, Yaa pleaded. Her New Orleans accent was dancing with her normal accent.
“Why not?”, Winston asked as he now had to keep himself from slipping up.
“Because, that’s not we pronounce it here. Some duckass clown from outta town more than likely and got even mo’ duckasses saying it.”
“Noted. I’m nervous, K.”.
“I mean, what if they don’t like me?”
“First of all, you’re the first boyfriend to actually make it to visiting the entire family...at the house. Second, Carrie wouldn’t have asked for you by name to come down. If Carrie wants to see you, she must want to get to know you, which is an honor. Thirdly, the family haze ain’t that bad. It may be worse for the fellas because, you know, the matriarchy, but you should be fine.”
“Wow, no pressure. That’s cool.”, Winston said sarcastically. Yaa took his large hands into her small ones and began rubbing them.
“Be yourself. It attracted me to you ,right? If it was good enough for me, it’s good enough for them loud ass folks I call my family, y’eardme?”
The remainder of the car ride was filled with laughter and some good ol’ NOLA Bounce music.
Finally, they turned onto a street where they were met with a massive mansion lit by lanterns. She’d alluded to the family home being a mansion, but Winston wasn’t prepared for the colossal antebellum structure before him. She rang the bell and was let in. After finding a good spot to park, Winston opened his girlfriend’s door and they got their luggage from the back seat. Winston rang the bell and a young, petite woman about Yaa’s age opened the door.
“May I help y--AAAAHHHHHHHH KEEDYYYYY! Y’ALL KEEDY HERE WITH HER MAN!” She ran and hugged Yaa. “WHITNEY, BITCH, WAZZAM?!”, Yaa asked now in her full accent. Winston looked visibly terrified as he walked into the house.
“Guess who decided to pass by Darrow for da holiday?”, Whitney announced into the living area as the three walked into the grand foyer. The family members in the house turned around and began to get up to greet their baby and her boyfriend.
“Keedy, cher, you look good! How’s our favorite lawyer doing? And who’s this nice chocolate King behind you? Is this the subject of Mama’s curiosity?”, her Aunt Rhonda inquired as she half-hugged her niece and made her way to Winston.
“I’m tired as hell from the flight and yes, this is Winston. Winston, this is my umi’s older sister, Rhonda. Aunt Rhonda, my boyfriend, Winston Duke.”
“Winston Duke? That has a little Caribbean weight to it, don’t you think? Where you from, dear?”
“I was raised in upstate New York, but I’m…” he switched into his accent “...originally from Tobago.” Yaa was shook and a little turned on. He knew what he was doing. Aunt Rhonda and Yaa were probably going to scrap by the end of the week.
“T&T, eh? Mama didn’t tell us you were from the Islands, Winston.”
“She didn’t tell yo thirsty ass, Ma!”, Delonte yelled from the next room. The entire room sans Aunt Rhonda erupted into laughter and the couple moved to the kitchen.
The kitchen was filled with the smells of cajun and pre-Thanksgiving cuisine, not to mention the aunts and uncles that prepared the feast were standing around the large island conversing. When Yaa and Winston came in, they all got up and hugged the two. So far, so good, the family was very receptive of Winston. He kept his accent, which was a bonus for originality. After the introductory conversation, Uncle Pat asked the all-important question, “So, Winston, I’m sure you’ve heard this question a million times, but how did you get the pleasure of meeting my niece?”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind telling everyone how my life how my life has been changed.” Yaa rolled her eyes and huffed in dramatic annoyance at her boyfriend’s cheesy answer. “ANYWAYS, we met at the Black Yale benefit a month ago... today actually. Her friend Tanisha introduced us, but we saw each other before the formal introduction. She looked like an angel in her costume and I, a total duckass.” Everyone stared at Winston for his proper usage of the term. “The moment I saw her, I knew she was special. It was like Heaven put an arrow over her head as the indication that she was the one. I almost didn’t go to the Benefit this year, but I’m glad I did.” The aunts awed as they realized their niece was in love with someone that was in love with her. Winston gripped Yaa by her waist and kissed her temple. She looked up at him with a side eye. “You’re pushing it,Duke.”, she whispered.
After saying hey to damn near everyone in the house, Yaa went looking for her parents. “Aunt Heather, where’s Deej and Mustapha?”, Yaa asked her aunt.
“You didn’t see them in the back dining room?”, her aunt replied.
“I haven’t been to the back yet. Is Carrie in the Room?”
“Yes. Matter of fact, I just went back there to tell her and Daddy you’re here. She’s ready when you are. Nice to meet you and welcome to the family, Winston.”
The couple traveled to the back dining parlor, aka the actual dining room where everyone ate. Sitting at the table where Yaa’s parents Khadijah and Mustapha, along with her twin sister Farrah,her boyfriend Avery, and their younger brother Jahlil. With parents’ backs to the door, a surprise was inevitable.
“Farrah, have you heard from Khali? It’s after midnight and I’m getting worried. I want to meet this young man she’s been talking about.”, Khadijah asked.
“I texted her a few moments ago, but you can definitely ask her.”, Farrah nodded her head in the direction of the doorway. When Khadijah turned around, she fell to ground, overcome with emotion. Mustapha shot up and hugged his first-born (Yaa was an hour older). “Babycakes!”, he exclaimed as he kissed the top of Yaa’s head. “Baba!”, she replied. Yaa was in heaven as she was in the embrace of her favorite man. Khadijah joined in the lovefest as they had not seen Yaa since after celebrating her passing the bar exam in late May. Jahlil cleared his throat to break up the lovefest. “Uh...Umi, Baba, we have someone here.”, his said pointing to an innocent looking Winston. The trio separated and Yaa stood proudly next to her man. “Family, I’d like for y’all to meet my boyfriend, Winston Duke. Winston, these are my parents, Drs. Khadijah and Mustapha Abdullah, my twin sister Farrah, her lame ass boyfriend Avery, and my ugly ass baby brother, Jahlil.”, Yaa announced. Winston nodded his head at everyone. Mustapha, who proudly stood at 6’5” as well, walked up to Winston with a sincere look in his eyes as he gave him a nice sturdy handshake, which led into a hug.
“So, Mr.Duke, man to man, what are your intentions with my aibnatu?”, Mustapha’s gaze fixed on Winston’s face. Though he didn’t know Arabic, Winston understood the context clear as day. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.
“No offense, Dr. Mustapha, but I intend to make Khalida happier than you have made Dr. Khadijah. I know it’s only been a month of us knowing each other, but this is the woman God intended for me to be with. Period. You and Dr. Khadijah have created and reared a woman of grace, class, and uniqueness. So, my intentions with your daughter is to make her the happiest woman this side of the Universe.”
The room went quiet. Mustapha and Khadijah looked at each other. Khadijah smiled and looked at Winston. “Well, son, I think I speak on behalf of the family that there is no offense taken. We teach our children to do and be better than us. I’m so elated that you’ve found happiness with Khali.”,Khadijah sat extending her arms to Winston to embrace him. “Mother is waiting for you all by the way. Go on and go to the Room.” “Yes ma’am.”, the young couple said in unison.
The two walked through a labyrinth of turns and secret doorways until they reached a red door at the end of a secret hallway beneath the back staircase. Yaa knocked on the door three times. A raspy yet kind voice answered, “It’s open, cher!”. Yaa opened the door, took her shoes off, and instructed Winston to do the same. The dark room was lit with massive candles surrounding the altar in a corner of the vast room. Relics, more candles and skulls littered the altar’s table. Carrie sat on her knees facing a much bigger altar that covered a majority of the wall. She turned around and extended her out to her granddaughter to help her up. “My first grandgirl! How was your trip down here?”, Carried asked.
“Long and tiring. It’s always the drive that gets me.”, Yaa replied. Carrie craned her neck up at Winston’s figure as she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Welcome to the family, my son. I’ve heard great things about you and I hope you the same with me. Please, have a seat.”
Carrie pulled three chairs into a triangle and re-adjusted her turban. “So, Winston, I’m sure you’re aware that I’ve been expecting you since you met my baby. I wanted to see for myself and see if you’re the one the Universe has ordained for her.” She took his massive hands into her small hands and looked into his soul. She held her hand to his heart and began shaking her head as if she was having a conversation with his heart. She smiled.
“It’s apparent that you love Khalida.”, Carrie began, “I mean, hell, she’s my joy and we have a strong soul tie. You two have a stronger soul tie than I’ve ever felt between two people than any of these knuckle-headed ass men that have married my babies. You two are without a doubt soulmates. However, your journey, like many, won’t be easy.”
Winston sat up in his seat. “What do you mean, Mother Carrie?”, he inquired with worry. His furrowed brow matched his tone.
“Well, you two are going to separate at some point. But don’t worry; you’ll get back together. The foundation of your friendship will and shall be constant. You’ll have to see each other happy with someone else to realize how much you mean to each other.I mean, I’m confident that you already do, but it’s easier said than done. But don’t worry; there will also be many more signs during your separation that will aid in your reunion. I’ve never seen anything like you two. This is nothing but the work of Oshun. I prayed that at least one of my babies would be blessed by Oshun and my prayers have once again been answered.”
Winston was visibly uneasy and overwhelmed by Carrie’s words. “But why separate? I don’t understand. We’re already long-distance as it is.”, Winston wondered.
“Because, my dear, you have to let go of the things you love the most to really understand their true value. Now, you two are tired I’m sure so go on to the room.”, Carrie instructed basically pushing them out of the Room.
When they returned to the remainder of the house, the living room was empty but the grandkids’ floor was jumping. With 21 grandkids, it’s only but so much turn up that can occur. The hallway was filled with muffled sounds of laughter, chatter, and music throughout the many rooms.
The hallway was filled with muffled sounds of laughter, chatter, and music throughout the many rooms. Because she was the first girl, Yaa was fortunate to have a room to herself at the very end of the hall. Winston looked in amazement at the beauty of the house as he toted their luggage to the end of the hall. “This room is..this whole house is...wow.”, Winston struggled to put into words everything he’d experienced since being at the house. From the vast columns that supported the house’s exterior to the smaller ones on the inside, the remodeled interior of the former plantation was indeed a wonder to behold.
Yaa’s room wasn’t as big as the other shared rooms, but it was definitely spacious enough. The dark hardwood floors and window treatments perfectly juxtaposed the off-white walls and neutral-toned furniture. Her room was the only room on the floor that kept with the modern farmhouse interior of the house.
By the time Winston got the bags in the room and got himself comfortable, his girlfriend emerged from the bathroom in her pajama shorts and her NFL ex-boyfriend’s Saints t-shirt. “Well don’t you look at peace”, Winston commented as he examined his girlfriend with a smirk on his face. She began playing music on her iPod dock and folding the comforter to the foot of the bed.
“Wins, I worked a half day, flew for hours, suffered through airport bullshit, and still had to drive to get here. I’m not snapping on you at all, it’s just a relief to finally take my fucking bra off. It’s waaay past time for me to do so.”, Yaa responded. There was a knock at the door. “Who is it?”, Yaa asked. “Bitch, it’s me.”, Erica responded semi-annoyed. Before Yaa could respond, the barn doors slid apart. Her cousins Delonte, Erica, and Whitney practically ran into her room and onto her tall bed just like old times. The trio climbed on the bed ever so awake, as though it wasn’t almost 2AM. “Where’s your man, girl?”, Delonte inquired. Yaa pointed to the bathroom door. Winston had the shower on. “Tay, I really wish you could’ve seen the look on yo momma’s face when Wins broke out in his accent.”, Whitney said holding back laughter. Delonte shook his head, “Bitch, I felt her thirst from the den. You ain’t gotta tell me shit.”, Delonte said in an embarrassed tone, “But enough about my wild ass Rhonda, let’s talk about how Ms. Khalida over here got her groove back. Looks like you got yourself a good one. ESPECIALLY if Marraine asked for him by name.” Yaa’s other cousins turned to her looking awaiting her response. Yaa threw a pillow at Delonte, “Shut the fuck up.” A beat. “Nah, but for real, he’s an amazing guy. He’s sweet,observant, cultured, funny, well-versed, intelligent, and just a good time overall. He done fucked around and softened a thug.”, Yaa failed to keep the grin she had from forming.
The three cousins looked at each other in disbelief. Their super hard, mean, and physical embodient of “Knuck if you buck” cousin was in love. Granted, she felt something for her previous boyfriends, but nothing came close to how Winston made her feel. She was glowing with joy and bliss. She was so enamored with her thoughts that she didn’t realize Winston and more cousins had come in her room. “Ooohhh, our lil triple OG for a cousin done caught feelings.”, her oldest cousin Daniel proclaimed,causing her other cousins to snickered. “Daniel, if you don’t get yo ugly, pea head ass out my goddamn room, nigga. I ain’t that soft. Get the fuck on!”, Yaa barked. Daniel swiftly did as his younger cousin told him.
Everyone conversed for another hour until Yaa kicked them out. Winston and Yaa were finally alone and cuddling each other to sleep. Yaa was almost there until Winston began striking up another conversation.
“Pumpkin?”, Winston called softly.
“Why aren’t you sleep?”, Yaa replied half-sleep and slightly irritated. Her back faced Winston’s face.
“Aren’t you worried about what your grandmother said this evening?”
Her eyes flew open. “I mean,yes and no.”
“Nigga it is...3:54 in the goddamn morning and you asking me shit like it’s 4PM? This ain’t Oprah.” A beat and and drawn out sigh. “Look, I don’t think anyone wants to break up a great relationship. It concerns me like I’m sure it does you, but you gotta trust the process. Carrie and even her and my Rainy. However, unlike them…” she finally turned around gazing into Winston’s eyes, “...we had this detected early. I’d rather the plane’s malfunctions be detected before take-off and assessed on the ground than while we’re 10,000 plus feet in the air. But like she said, our bond as friends will help us along with other signs. I don’t want to let go either because I just got a hold to you.” They both snickered. “But I have to come to grips with the fact that this is going to help us. You gotta fight for who and what you believe in.”
Winston pondered on her words. He loved that she always knew what to say and how to say it.
“Well until you said it like that, I--”
“--You get it! Now goodnight.” She kissed his nose and placed his arms around her waist before she turned around and went to sleep.
“...and it is in this that we all say asé.”, Rainey prayed. The family responded back with scattered “asé’s” around the dining rooms. It was finally time to eat. After Rainey gave thanks to the ancestors through libations and prayer, everyone practically ran into the kitchen for the food. A handful of family members grabbed the various dishes and brought them to the main dining room.
The silence of the room was interrupted by the consistent and almost rhythmic clinking of silverware to the plates. Winston occasionally moaned in pleasure for his newfound love of Cajun-style fried turkey and fried catfish. The family laughed as their newest addition’s initiation was off to a great start.
Waiting to reach a reasonable pause, Rainey finally struck conversation. “Keedy, have you heard anything from your dissertation committee? It’s almost graduation time, you know?”, everyone at the table looked to Yaa for her answer,Winston included. “Yeah, babe. Who was that you were on the phone with on our way back from the orchard? Dr. Stoudemire,I think?”, Winston said coaxing her eyes to meet his.
She took a nice sip of wine and finally met his gaze. She crept one of her hands into both of his large,slender chocolate hands. You can do this, sis. She finally opened her mouth to speak, “Yeah. That was her and I’m sorry…”, her voice trailed off as she choked on her words, now softer than Janet Jackson in a confessional. The family looked to her to finish her sentence. “Pumpkin, what are you sorry for? Talk to me.”, Winston whispered.
“I-I’m sorry that...you all...uh...are gonna have to ask ‘which one?’ everytime you hear Dr. Abdullah because it’s now three of us at the table.”, Yaa said tried to contain her laughter. A natural-born actress. Despite the groans of those who were suckered into her act, almost everyone else celebrated the newest doctor at the table. Yaa hugged Winston’s neck as he whispered, “You play all day.”, into her ear.
“So that’s it? That’s all you had to say? So much for the surprise failure from Little Miss Perfect.”, Aunt Rhonda groaned. The table chatter quickly subsided as everyone else at the table looked at Aunt Rhonda, Yaa, and Carrie. Yaa’s aunts and uncles shook their heads as they knew Carrie, their niece, or a mix of two were about to cut the fuck up. “Ma, please don’t do this today...or ever. Just be happy for Keedy.”, Delonte pleaded. “Nah, fuck that. She always doin’ shit and never falling. Perfect life, perfect career, Hell, she even got the perfect man. Knowing her, he’s prolly not even really her boyfriend. How you go from that trash ass Quincy to Winston without missing a beat? What was the prayer,Dr. Keedy?”, Rhonda spat with such vitriol and sarcasm.
Yaa continued eating her shrimp etouffee and sipping the last of her wine as her aunt vented her frustrations at her. Yaa waited patiently for her to end.
“Well, Rhonda, since you want to act like a fucking child, I’m going to address as such. I’m human, so I’m not perfect, and you should have more common sense to understand that. Second, I don’t understand why you’ve had a problem with me since 2011. Now,I’ve allowed you to hurl all of your verbal punches at me for this long, and now tonight is the night.”, Yaa pointed her fork across the table towards Rhonda, “Woman to child: stop it. Grow the fuck up. As for us in this family, we don’t acknowledge that bastard’s name or presence. You understand me? In closing, as for my Winston, he is mine. Period. The prayer? I saw Uncle Wes’s new boyfriend and I said to the ancestors, ‘I see what y’all are doing for Unc, and I just ask that y’all slide me the same.’ Someone pass me the Pinot noir.”
Everyone covered their mouths in disbelief. Leave it to Aunt Janice to summarize the thoughts of the room. She,too, poured herself a glass of Rosé as she said, “Rhonda, we tried to warn you. That gal is Momma in a younger body. You knew better to touch the hot stove and now you burned yourself. Do what Tay said and just be happy for the baby. She done worked hard to get this doctorate a whole semester early.” In fairness, if Rhonda was going to bring up Quincy, then by the laws of pettiness, Yaa was obligated to bring up Rhonda’s ex-husband and Delonte’s dad Uncle Wes, who came out earlier in the year.
Khalida excused herself from the table and ran upstairs to her room, Winston trailing behind her after giving a fifteen-minute head start. Knock, knock. “I wanna be left alone.”, she said choking on her words. “It’s me, Pumpkin. We can talk through this locked door if that’s what you prefer. I just wanna see if you’re ok.”, Winston said loud enough for her to hear through the door. A few moments passed before Winston the unlocking of the doors. He walked in and walked onto the balcony where she had just finished rolling up. “I’m sorry about what happened back there, Pumpkin.”, he began, “I just came up here to make sure you were ok.” He pulled a loc out of her face and cautiously wiped the cold stray tears from her eyes. She kept her silence as she continued to cry and smoke her blunt. “There’s nothing you should be apologizing for, baby love.”, she spoke barely above a whisper and sniffled. Pulling the last of her blunt, she walked into the warmth of her room, motioning for him to follow suit. Eyes low, she looked into his concerned eyes and smiled. “I should be the one apologizing. I came out of myself in front of the whole family and you.” Winston shook his head no. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her light brown locs. They held each other for what seemed like eternity. “You know, the family was expressing their shock for your read down there. They weren’t ready for that.”, Winston chuckled. Khalida answered, “Well,shit. Wait till I tell them I’m going with you to Tobago for Carnival instead of Mardi Gras next year.”
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