“You have two extra ones back there. Can we borrow one?” Kerem mumbled into her neck causing her to giggle.
“No one will climb these walls except for me. Anyway, aren’t you glad to finally be free of me? Go home and celebrate having your house to yourselves again.”
After living on the East Coast for a couple years after law school, I moved back home to Saint Louis and purchased a townhome. I wanted to upgrade from my townhouse after a few years. I put it on the market thinking it would take several months to sell. It wasn’t on the market twenty-four hours before an offer ten thousand over asking was made. I couldn’t pass it up, but I also had no idea where I wanted to live. The thought of moving back home with my mother and father until I found something made me sick to my stomach. As much as I loved them both, there was no way I wanted to live under their roof again. Kerem and Keeva let me move in with them until I found a new place. I found a condo in the downtown area, but it needed some renovations, so I lived with them for almost a year. They were both very gracious and never made me feel like I was intruding, but I’m sure they were glad to have their house to themselves again.
Kerem and Keeva stood in my living room making out like I was not there. I was used to their public displays of affection. Keeva was five years my elder. She and Kerem started dating when I was eight years old, and they were in middle school, so he had been a part of my family for as long as I could remember. They both graduated from college with business degrees and got married after they graduated. Keeva owned and operated three daycares;Rock-A-Bye Daycare Centers. People thought she named her daycares after the nursery rhyme, but she actually named them after her favorite scene inNew Jack Citywhen Keisha shot Smitty right before the CMB took over the Carter apartments. We didn’t tell people that fun fact because they probably wouldn’t want to take their babies to the centers. Kerem was the district manager over several bank branches.
“Alright baby, let’s go so we can get back to our empty house,” my sister practically sang.
“Okay,” Kerem responded while placing a few more kisses on her neck. “We have to stop by the Southside daycare though so let’s make this quick.”
“Bye, Vee,” Keeva hugged me with one arm while still holding on to my clothes she’d high jacked from my closet. “Your place is beautiful. I can’t wait to come over for girls’ night.”
“Thanks, Key. I love you both. Thank you so much.”
“We love you too,” Kerem responded as he hugged me too.
“I’m sure mommy and daddy will be over as soon as they get back from Charleston.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
I followed them to the front door and closed it behind them. I was finally alone in my own house again.
I went straight to my wine cooler and grabbed a bottle of Stella Rosa Black. The wine was a move in gift from someone who didn’t really know my tastes in liquor. I’m more of a brown liquor girl, but I could be dainty and sip wine too. I popped the cork and drank it straight from the bottle. I hadn’t had much opportunity to let my hair down and do what I wanted since I had been living with my sister and brother but now? No glasses for me! This bottle was going to be gone in no time.
My phone started playing my younger sister, Kenzie’s ringtone.
“Hey, Ken.”
“Hey, sugar lump. I was calling to see how everything went with your move. Sorry I couldn’t be there to help.”
Kenzie and I were three years apart. She graduated college and moved from Saint Louis to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. She had made a couple of waves in the industry but was still waiting for her big break. She and her boyfriend, Travis, have been together since high school. He was a successful music producer.
“It went well. Key and Reem helped a lot. Mommy called every hour, and Daddy sent text messages every other hour,” I chuckled.
“Is it just me or has he been texting with random memes and gifs?” she laughed.
“No, it’s not just you, but he calls them me-mes instead of memes and gifts instead of gifs. He is addicted to them,” I laughed.
We loved laughing at our Dad and his use of technology. He loved technology, but technology didn’t always love him back. He continued to buy the latest new gadget, wouldn’t read the instructions and then got frustrated when it didn’t work the way it was advertised. It usually took one of the younger family members going over to his house to show him how to work his devices.
“Well, Travis and I will be home soon. We will have our girls’ night and catch up on everything.”
“Sounds good to me,” I smiled. I loved spending time with my sisters. Getting all three of us in a room was hard, but when it happened, it was the best time.
“Alright, love you Boo.”
“Love you too.”
Averie
I’m not your maid
I’m not your toy
I’m not lower than you, recognize
I’m not your bitch