Sinnamon & Golds

by Lady Marie

Everybody better click the link and sign up for something or you’ll be spending the holiday by your damn self.

I’ll drive the ninety minutes it takes to get to your house and pop you right in your already fat lip.

That damn thing left all six people brave enough to try it sick and throwing up for hours and all three bathrooms in the house occupied.

Oh, hell no. There were only two sweet potato pies I indulged in: mine and Queen Patti’s herself.

But the longer Von and I went without getting back together, the more she felt the need to bring him up to me. The more she brought him up, the more irritated it made me, so I’d started putting up a few walls and spacing out calls.

“Good. Now in the meantime, I have another way you can make it up to me. Whip up a few of your sweet potato pies for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.”

“Now what sense does it make for you to bring them to me on Wednesday if you’re going to be here on Thursday?”

“Oh no, don’t mama me. Baby, you have to come. It’s tradition.”

“First off, you cannot keep letting that knucklehead child of mine run you off from having a good time. Just because he decided to lose the good sense the Lord gave him and let you go means I have to suffer? Doesn’t seem fair to me,”

“Thank you. It’s very much appreciated, mama.” “Mhmm, I suppose.”

“Okay, mama. Love you.” Despite me turning down her offer, I truly did love her like she was my own mother. “I know, baby. Love you too.”

“And see, this is why I told your ass to just come on vacation with me.”

Before I could respond, a flash of gold caught my eyes. “Speaking of pretty ass teeth,” I mumbled.

His short locs were pulled away from his face and situated on top of his head, granting me license to watch as his dark eyes scanned the stall for something in particular. He wore a gold chain with a jeweled cross around his neck, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.

“Well, I can’t tell! I’ve called your name no less than four times. What the hell has you acting so spacey? Ain’t no damn vegetables that interesting.”

He had plenty on display to offer me from the back with the way he was filling out his letterman jacket and those sweatpants. I loved a nigga with a grill, and this one? This one looked like he talked big shit and carried a big dick to match.

I barely registered the call ending because Golds himself was walking toward me.

Between my height and two-hundred thirty-five pound weight mark, I’d been told more than a few times my frame could be intimidating. This man right here, though, didn’t seem the least bit fazed.

“How you doing, thick mama?”

The deep bass of his voice set off every nerve ending I had. How dare this nigga have the audacity to sound like ...

“Thick mama? That’s how you talk to strangers?” I asked, scrunching up my nose, attempting to be irritated.

He chuckled. “It is when they look as good as you do. And when they stare just as hard as you’ve been for the last few minutes. One bold act deserves another, right?”

“Okay, you might’ve ate that a lil’ bit.” But shit, I’d rather have you eating me. “So, one bold stranger to another, how can I help you?”

“What’s your number, if you don’t min...

“Damn, so you just not about to waste a...

“Nah, I meant your number for the produce stall.”

“Oh,” I said, a little more embarrassed than I expected to be.

“Got stuck doing the last-minute shop for mom?” I teased.

“Mom and auntie. And I left the list at home.”

“Well, you better have a perfect memory. You know the elders do not play when it...

Before I could even get a good hold on them, he took them out of my hands. “Nah, ain’t no way you finna be carrying these bags with me standing here.”

“And as far as my generosity, point out where you need to go, and we can head over and get what you need.”

“Spending Thanksgiving by yourself?” He shook his head as I nodded. “Something’s wrong with your ass, ain’t it?”

“Excuse you?” That attitude I was faking earlier was very real now.

“No disrespect, ma. Just looking for a reason as to why someone as funny and fine as you would be spending Thursday alone. Usually shit like that means you got enough red flags to fill a football field.”

“Thanks for the help. Could’ve done without the insults, though, so please drop my shit in the back and go handle whatever business it is you need to take care of.”

As I turned to get into the car, he caught my hand in his.

“I’m not sure what about these last few minutes makes you think I want you touching me but…”

“I wasn’t trying to offend you, thick mama. Just making an observation.”

“Yeah, well, intent versus impact. So, while your astute observation may have seemed harmless to you, it actually sounded really fucking rude to me.” “And that’s on me. My apologies.”

Maybe I was taking his comment a little too seriously. Shit, it was possible I was feeling more sensitive about spending Thanksgiving alone than I originally thought.

Just as I was getting ready to tell him that, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small wad of cash. Peeling off a couple bills, he held them out toward me.

“What’s this for?” I’d never turned my nose up at money, but there was a first time for everything.

“Just something slight for helping me ...

“And my way of putting a cherry on top of my apology. It ain’t my business to judge how you choose to spend your time. And judging it damn sure won’t get me your number.”

“I already told you. It’s seventy-eight,” before turning, making my way to the driver’s side door, and climbing in.

“Hey, baby,” answered Ms. Hazel. “Are you sure Von won’t be there?”

“Positive.”

“Okay. What time should I be there on Thursday?”

Shorty from the market really had me stuck. That little attitude she called herself having only made her ten times finer to me.