Page 78 of When I Thug You Like That

I grabbed a few paper plates and helped her set the food out.

“You wanna eat in the living room or at the table?” I asked Chuston while handing him his plate.

“Table,” Taina answered for him.

He looked between me and her then down at his plate. Chuston wasn’t fond of trying new things, but that didn’t stop Taina from offering them to him. If it wasn’t on his allergy list, she’d offer it to him. New foods weren’t forced on him, but we made sure to encourage him to at least try it.

“This noodles, Aunty?” He pointed to the food.

“Yes, boo,” I confirmed. “Noodles with sauce. There’s some vegetables in here too. It’s good.”

“Okay. I’m going to the table, Mom.”

“Thank you, son.”

We watched as he sat down at the table, pushing his fork around to examine his food.

“I’m noticing that when I don’t watch him and act as if it’s something he eats normally, he’ll eat it.”

“That’s smart.”

I turned away from him and reached for my own food.

“What you and your mom talk about?” she asked, putting a spoonful of rice in her mouth.

“Life.”

“Hmmm. I know that was deep.”

“Shut up.” I laughed. “We were just catching up about work, you, Chuston, and my future. Usual mama stuff.”

“Hmmm, the future. Did this conversation include a certain someone?”

“It did but not in the way you think.”

“Oh, I know that for sure.” She smiled. “But what Mama say?

“She brought up kids and me being free to explore.”

“She gon’ get her a grandbaby come hell or high water.”

“Until then, she has Chuston.” I laughed.

“I feel you. We gotta get you and Jay on date number two before we get to babies.”

“How ‘bout he gotta get my number first before we can even get to date number one?” I corrected.

“Small thing to a giant, boo. Any other advice she gave that may possibly match up with mine? I’m tryna see if I have an ally here.”

I shook my head. “She said to pay attention to how he moves and how he handles my boundaries.”

She clapped her hands. “Love her.”

“Of course you do.”

Before she could turn my mother’s advice into a campaign to marry me off to my student’s father, Chuston spoke from the table.

“Mom.”