Page 107 of Buy Back My Love

It made me laugh.

Mama was actually the reason Anika and Trevon met in the first place. Her and Trevon worked for the same company, and when their job had a Christmas party, Mama invited Anika to go with her. She met Trevon that night, and they had pretty much been stuck to each other ever since.

At one point, I watched him bring Anika a glass of water without her asking. She took it, kissed his cheek, and kept right on talking to somebody like him knowing what she needed was just normal for them.

At least one of us got it right.

I looked away before I could sit there comparing too much. I had something else to worry about anyway.

My period was late.

I had been ignoring that little fact all week, telling myself it was travel, stress, the breakup, my body still adjusting to being home. Anything sounded better than pregnant.

Then the food started getting to me.

By the time everybody began fixing plates, the smell of turkey, dressing, greens, macaroni, all of it had my stomach rolling. I normally loved Thanksgiving food, but watching people pile it onto their plates had me feeling like I might throw up right there on Anika’s brand-new floor.

I turned away from the kitchen island and Mama caught it immediately.

“You ain’t ate nothing.”

“I’m good, Mama.”

“Three bites ain’t eating.”

“I’m just not that hungry right now.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, and I got out of that kitchen before she could start putting pieces together.

The rest of the afternoon was loud enough to keep my mind busy. Aunt Josie brought the peach cobbler everybody expected every year. Melissa and MJ got into an argument over some childhood memory like they were still ten, and Trevon’s family fit right in with ours.

During the prayer before dinner, Uncle Melvin mentioned Grandma Gwen and the whole table quieted.

I stared down at my plate because I already knew better than to look at Mama or Aunt Josie. My eyes started burning anyway.

A minute later, Melissa accused MJ of taking half the macaroni, and just like that, everybody was talking again.

I was glad.

By late evening, Trevon’s family had headed out, and Aunt Josie, Uncle Melvin, Melissa, and MJ packed up enough leftovers to feed themselves for another two days before leaving too.

The house finally got quiet.

Trevon was outside taking out the last of the trash while me, Mama, and Anika stayed in the kitchen cleaning up. I was rinsing a bowl at the sink when another wave of nausea rolled through me. I grabbed the edge of the counter and stood still until it passed.

When I looked up, Mama wasn’t cleaning anymore. She was staring at me.

“When your period supposed to come on?”

My whole body froze.

“Mama.”

“When?”

I turned back toward the sink. “I’m just stressed.”

“That ain’t what I asked you.”