Welcome to the Queendom

Chapter Forty

"Chelsea?" she asked, grinning. "What are you doing here?" She gave me a hug before turning to Dean and smirking. "Hi, Dean."
He smiled and waved as she gestured us into the foyer. She was pretty alert for 6 in the morning.
"We just came to visit," I answered her question. "Stay for the weekend."
She nodded. "That's cool." She turned to the staircase. "Mom! Someone's here for you!"
My hand almost slipped from Dean's grip, his palms were so sweaty. I rubbed his back comfortingly and laid my head against his arm. Chalice saw and grinned.
We heard multiple pairs of footsteps descend down the steps and Dean started to bounce on the balls of his feet. Caiya came into view first followed by Caron with my mom bringing up the rear. She was the only one who looked sleepy.
"Chelsea!" Caiya and Caron screamed as they basically leaped into my arms.
"You're back!" Caron exclaimed.
"Yep," I answered.
Caron turned to Dean, awestruck. I knew he wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat. Dean waved at him and he returned the gesture awkwardly.
Caiya had to crane her neck all the way up in order to see Dean. She only reached the middle of his thighs. "Hi, Mr. Dean," she greeted, waving.
"Hi," he replied as Mom just gave him a small smile. She jerked her head toward the living room and we followed. Chalice, Caron, and Caiya sat in a circle on the fluffy white area rug where the coffee table would've been if they hadn't had thrown it out during the move years ago while Dean and I took a couch and Mom sank into a recliner across from us.
"So, how have you guys been?" Mom asked, slipping her feet out of her slippers and tucking them underneath her legs.
"Pretty good," I stated with Dean nodding in agreement. "Just wanted to stop by and visit since I haven't done so in awhile. Plus, I have some news." I smiled at Dean and grabbed his hand. "Dean and I are dating."
"Oooh!" Caron and Caiya said excitedly in unison.
"Chelsea has a boyfriend," Caiya teased.
"Okay, but what's the news?" Chalice questioned.
I sucked my teeth. "That is the news," I replied, nudging her thigh with the tip of my foot. "Nut."
"Besides, what do you mean by 'stop by'?" she continued. "I'm pretty sure you don't go through Virginia on your way to Alabama from, what was it, Louisiana?"
"You know our schedule?" Dean asked.
Everyone turned to look at him. Chalice scoffed. "Uh, yeah, duh."
Dean tried to fold himself inward. "I didn't know that was obvious," he mumbled.
I patted his leg. "It's okay," I told him.
"So you guys are staying here for the weekend?" Mom asked.
"If you'd let us, yeah," I answered.
"Of course. You guys can sleep in Chelsea's old room."
Dean and I shared a look. "Together?" he asked.
She laughed. "Yeah. I can trust you guys, right?"
We both nodded. "Okay then. Follow me."
My room was exactly the way I left it seven years ago. Some of the draws were still pulled open from when I hastily packed for HWA and didn't bother closing them. The doors to my closet were still slid open, my cardigans and old, unfit sweaters from when I was in the single D area still hanging from the rod spaced out. My Chris Brown, Omarion, and B5 posters were plastered all around the walls. I traced my finger over the Chris Brown poster taped to the other side of my bedroom door where it said, "My Hubby," in dark green marker. I laughed. I turned to Dean who was examining the posters with a frown. That made me laugh harder.
His head snapped in my direction and he let out a breath. "So this is the great Chelsea Daniella Renee's room," he stated. I nodded. "Are you sure you lived here and not some boy crazy 15-year-old?"
I chucked my plus size penguin PillowPet at him. "Shut up," I said. "I put the posters up when I was 15 and just didn't feel like taking them down. Besides, I still like these guys."
"Interesting," he muttered as he plopped down on my unmade bed and laid back. "Seriously?" he asked, pointing to the ceiling.
I followed his finger and saw a Lloyd's Southside album cover poster taped to the popcorn ceiling. I blushed and giggled.
"What, are you jealous?" I teased.
He scoffed. "Yeah, okay."
I laid down next to him. "Are you okay now?" I asked.
He laced his fingers together and cupped the back of his head. "Yeah," he confessed. "Your mom's not bad."
"Feel foolish for worrying so much, don't you?" I questioned.
"Oh yeah," he replied.
"That's exactly how I felt," I stated. "It's just something about meeting parents that give you a heart attack."
He nodded in agreement. "But I should warn you about something," I told him, sitting up.
He propped himself on his elbows and raised his eyebrows questionably. "My mom can cook," I began. "And I mean cook. So don't be surprise if you leave here a couple pounds heavier."
He chuckled. "Trust me. I'm won't be complaining."

"So how's the road, kids?" Mom asked as she placed our dinner in front of us: pulled pork that came from their leftover ribs yesterday, green beans and mashed potatoes.
"Tiring," I said with a dramatic sigh. "It's taking a lot out of us."
"Yeah," Dean agreed. "I know I've been there for, like, a year, but it still takes a lot out of a person."
Mom nodded in understanding as the kids leaned forward in their seats, hanging onto Dean's every word. He noticed and chuckled.
"So, Dean," Mom started to say. "What are your parents like?" You could see Dean's Adam's Apple bob as he swallowed. "Has Chelsea met them?"
"Yes, ma'am," Dean replied. "And my parents are okay. Their getting remarried next Saturday."
"That's great," Mom said. "And you guys are going?"
"We're a bridesmaid and a groomsmen," I told Mom excitedly.
"Your from Cincinnati, right, Dean?" Mom asked. He nodded. "Shouldn't you guys be there, getting your dress and suit for the wedding?"
Ding-Dong!
"I'll get it," I volunteered, pushing myself away from the table.
"Chelsea!" my 7-year-old cousin, Chase shouted as he hugged my legs.
"Hey, Chase," I greeted just as excitedly.
I scooped him up in my arms as my uncle Joe ascended the porch steps and gave me a side hug. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We heard you were in town and wanted to stop by and see you. I just got off the road myself yesterday," my uncle explained, referring to his truck driving job. He came home on the weekends.
After setting Chase down him and Uncle Joe followed me into the dining room.
"Chase!" Caiya screamed, hopping down from her chair and giving her cousin a hug.
Even though he was older, Caiya towered over him.
"I see we made it in time for dinner," Uncle Joe said, clapping his hands.
Mom laughed. "Yeah, in the kitchen."
I sat back down next to Dean. "This is my cousin Chase," I told him pointing to Chase who was gawking at him like Dean had grown a third eyeball on his forehead. "And the one that raced to the kitchen is my uncle Joseph."
Uncle Joe peeked his head, mouth full, into the doorway and waved before disappearing again.
"Your family's way better than mine," Dean whispered in my ear, smiling.
I swatted his arm. "Shut up," I told him. "Soon your family's gonna be just as connected as mine."
"Don't bet on it," he mumbled.

That night, Dean and I were snuggled under the covers, talking about the wedding.
"I wonder what color the bridesmaids dresses are gonna be," I stated. "Whats your mom's favorite color?"
I felt Dean shrug in the darkness. "You don't know your own mom's favorite color?" I asked shocked.
"Well you have to remember that I haven't spoken to her in 10 years. You forget things between then and now," he defended himself.
"I know," I said. "But still. I remember my mom's favorite color."
"Yeah, but that's different. You're still in contact with your mom," he pointed out.
"Yeah," I agreed. "But the last time she told me her favorite color was, like, 15 years ago. When I was 10 and I still remember it to this day."
"Well, what is it?" he asked.
"Green," I stated confidently. "She used to talk nonstop about getting a Mustang in green. Her birthday's coming up next Tuesday and that's what I'm gonna get her."
"Nice," Dean replied impressed.
I turned to my side and propped my head up with my arm while his hand rested on my hip. I traced his collarbone with the tip of my pointer finger before asking, "What's your favorite color?"
He reached over and turn on the lamp on the nightstand and looked me in my eyes. "Blue," he stated. "There's just something about blue that I can't get enough of."
I giggled. "Is that the type of thing you say to all your blue-eyed girlfriends," I said, trying to sound playful but a little hostility came out as I thought about Randy and how he told me that Dean's relationship ran deeper than I thought.
He noted the tone and traced a circle around each of my eyes with his thumb. "Just one," he said. "You."

When I woke up hours later, it was 4 in the morning and Dean was sitting on the edge of the bed, his elbows on his knees. I tried to ignore him and go back to sleep.
"What did Randy tell you?" he asked out of nowhere.
I glanced over my shoulder at his back before turning back around, closing my eyes.
"I know you're not asleep, Chelsea," he said. "Answer my question."
"I don't have to tell you anything," I replied. "Besides, why would you care?"
"Because I don't want Randy feeding you lies," he snapped.
"Look," I stated, matching his tone, "we're not discussing this right now. Go to bed."
"Fine. We'll have time to talk on the plane later on tonight," he assured before getting up and disappearing out the bedroom door.
I huffed and pulled the covers over my head.