Love Is Blind (Book 3)

Part 5||Chapter 20

4 months later...

Summer was coming to an end so everybody was trying to squeeze the last bit of cookouts in. Elijah wanted to have an intimate cookout with his family and close friends. After planning it for almost a month, the cookout was finally here. Jada did a little decorating, nothing major. Jigz mother and Jada was doing most of the cooking. Even Dre's mother, Elijah's Aunt attending the cookout. Elijah Father Eli  was grilling. The smell or a barbecue was in the ear as Eli put some hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill. Eli was playing his music so they was expecting to hear all of the old classics. Eli put on the next song and sung along as the music started playing. Everybody knew it wouldn't be a black cookout if this song wasn't played.

Whoa-whoa, oh-ho
You made me happy
This you can bet
You stood right beside me, yeah
And I won't forget
And I really love you
You should know
I wanna make sure I'm right, girl
Before I let go...

Inside the house, Jada and Margaret shuffled around pine the kitchen trying to prepare all the sides. They was cooking potatoes salad, bake Mac n cheese, tuna fish salad, yellow rice and beans.

Liza made her way to the kitchen. She stood next to Jada. As she mixed the rice.
"Is the food almost done?" Liza asked Jada.
"Yes in a little, hot dogs and hamburgers are done I think." Jada said as she glanced up at Liza.
"Oh ok...I'm sleeping over at Cams tonight, I wanted to make our plates to go." Liza said.
"Tonight? It's Sunday, You have therapy in the morning." Jada said as she turned around to face Liza.

"I know...I'll be back before than."she said.
"It's at 8:30am Liza. You missed it last week because you was with him, you're not missing therapy again" Jada said.
"I won't miss it....I'm sure Lijah won't mind" she said. Jada raised her eyebrow.
"Go ask him than, but my answer is no" Jada simple said as she walked away from Liza to finish helping Margaret.
"I will!" Liza said as she rolled her eyes before heading outside to the back yard where everyone was.

"Look at your pretty self, looking like a model walking out that door" Elijah's Aunt said to Liza. Liza smiled and thanked her as she looked around for Elijah. She spotted him and headed over towards him. He was standing by his father Eli having a conversation. They both sipped on a beer as they laughed. Elijah nodded his head at Liza as she approached them.

"You hungry baby doll, there's Burgers and hotdogs done over there." Eli said. Liza smiled.
"I'm not hungry yet..." Liza said. Elijah chugged the rest of his beer before tossing it in the trash.
"What?" Elijah said. Liza laughed.
"I'm going to sleep over at Cams house tonight" she said. He side eyed her as he glanced around. He spotted his Aunt Margaret coming out the back door with Emani on her hip. He smiled at the sight. He watched as Amaza and JoJo played on the small playground he recently purchased for the backyard.
"What did Jada say?" he asked her. That made Liza screw up her face because she didn't understand why all of a sudden she always had to go to Jada for approval on everything.

"I asked her and she made a big deal" she said with a slight attitude. Elijah scrunched up his face.
"I doubt she made a big deal...what she say." He asked.
"She said I couldn't go because I would miss therapy." Liza said.
"And there you have it. That's ya answer. She wasn't making a big deal, you do have therapy early in the morning, you missed it last week, you not missing it this week so the answer is no....it's not gonna hurt to be away from him for a day." Elijah said. He was noticing how they acted like they needed to spend every second of the day together. They was young....but still. That was unhealthy and he didn't want Liza to grow up thinking she NEED a man.
"But Lijah.." Elijah cut her off.