For The Love of You (On Hold)

Chapter Fifteen

A/N: Excuse any errors
Shannon

Pulling up to the home I've known all my life I could smell her cooking from the driveway. My Uncle Nate was in the garage digging around. "Lil Bit that you?" "Hey Uncle Nate." "Lord girl, look at you. Still pretty as ever. Come here." He hugged me. "What you doing out this way?" "I'm here to see Nana." "She in there. Her and your auntie done kicked me out for sneaking in the pots." Marcus finished his call and got out. Nate looked up, eyes wide. "Your mama told me about this here boy but, she ain't say he was this big." I couldn't help the snicker that came out. "Nate, this is Marcus. Babe, this is Uncle Nate." "Nice to meet you, sir." "Boy, you ain't gotta be all proper with me. What's happening?" They shook hands. "Uh Shannon gone on in the house, let me talk with your man." I rolled my eyes cause I knew it was coming. "Be easy Nate." "Bring me a piece of ham and I'll think about it."

Walking in memories flood my mind as I head straight to the kitchen. There they were standing at the stove her gospel music playing in the back. "Nana?" "My baby!!" I wrapped her up tight. "How are you?" "I'm good baby. I'm good." She pulled away, grabbing my face. "What's wrong?" "Nothing. I'm just glad to see you." She hugged me again before Aunt Stacy came over for a hug. "How you been baby?" "I've been good, Auntie" "Let me turn these pots down while you help us finish up. We got a lot to talk about." Nana said throwing her cloth over her shoulder. "Yes ma'am."

I felt like a little girl all over again helping in the kitchen. My mom made her way in as we all worked in a rhythm. "Now we heard all about this young man but have yet to see him." Soon the guys came inside. "Good lord in the morning." Marcus introduced himself before hugging my mother. "Now baby girl, you sure you can handle all that?" Stacy said low enough for only us to hear. "The real question is can he handle me?" "Ooohh"

By the time everything was finished the house was packed. Everyone soon made it to the dinning room. "James will you bless the food." Nana asked. Half of us groaned lowly to ourselves. No disrespect we love Uncle James, he is just very long winded. Plus last time he prayed over some food I got poisoning for three days. "Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you today to say thank you." He went on for another minute before cousin Maurice started. "We gonna miss the whole first half of the game by the time he finish." "Damn greens gonna be cold." Julius added. "Hush!" Aunt Stacy pinched Julius as we tried to hold in our laughter. "And we all say" "Amen!" We looked back Ju had tears running down his face. She must have pinched him in the side hard. He should know by now how his momma is.

Everybody liked Marcus. This felt like old times. Dinner at Nana's, all the cousins together. The sounds of joy and laughter filling the house. Some went to the living room for the rest of the game while the rest went our separate ways. This gave nana a good opportunity to really talk during cleanup. "Giovanni told me what's going on." "I still haven't made up my mind to go." "Come on, give him five minutes of your time. That's all he wants." I stopped scrubbing. "Since when have you been on his side?" "I am not on any side Shannon, I'm on the side of forgiveness. Not for him." "For me." I said knowing all too where this was going. "I told you the same thing when you and that tired ass boy parted ways. Look at you now. A new job, new home and a new man. Just trust me on this."

The next day, Gio and I were walking into Mighty Jay's Soul Food. "Hey!" "What's up?" "I didn't think you were going to show up." This is one of those times I'm glad to be height challenged. I was perfectly hidden behind Gio. Maybe it's not too late to turn around and go back. "Babygirl?" Damn it. "Wow." "Hey, Frank." "I deserve that." We sat down for a minute I just looked at him. He still looked the same. Some grays in his beard and hair but it's like he hasn't aged.

"Why did you give up? It's like once we hit a certain age you just stayed away. I had to beg you to come to my graduation. Yet you didn't show up. All I wanted was my daddy there whenever I needed him most. Where were you? Gio has been more of a father figure than you when it wasn't his job or place. I felt like I did something and went years going over what it could've been."