Try Me

39 (Jason's POV).

-family first

Thanksgiving was an important holiday for my family and this year it was made all the more important by Kira's presence there. I watched from across the room as my mother paraded her around, showing her off and introducing her to every single family member; I appreciated Kira for humoring my mother, she seemed to be enjoying it. I watched that bright, heart-filled smile grace her face as she conversed with my grandmothers and I knew that she was okay, I was worried that the whole event may have been overwhelming to her. My girl was happy, my family seemed to like her and everything made sense to me; almost everything.

The holidays were about family which caused me to think about Jaheim, I worried about what he was doing but I would no longer interfere; life for us had been smooth sailing since we gave him the ultimatum and while it was natural for me to think of him when I was surrounded by the rest of my family, I had no desire to seek him out. I planned to call him, just to make sure that he was still alive but that was it; he needed to be on his own for as long as it took for him to make better life choices.

"I really thought this nigga was gay and scared to come out." My cousin Marcus laughed, my brothers and cousins were sitting together, catching up and talking shit. "I mean I never seen this man with a woman while the sun was out, let alone out here chilling with the family." He added as he looked over at Kira who was laughing at something that Emani said.

"Nah, he been bagging broads." Another cousin, Ronnie responded, "I'm just shocked that he's tied down the way he is." He added with a shake of his head.

I was so zoned out that I hadn't realized that I was the topic of discussion, "I'm locked down, cemented in place man." I shrugged with a smile.

Both cousins looked at my brothers like I had said something wild and outrageous but they all shrugged in response. Don, Mo, Kev and D all knew the score when it came to Kira and me so nothing that I said could shock them. There was a time in my life when I didn't talk about my feelings, especially any feelings that I had for women but not with Kira; I was proud to love her and I wanted everyone to know about it.

"Who the fuck is this nigga?" Marcus pointed at me with his thumb, the question seemed to be rhetorical, "You really did a full one eighty on me fam." He clutched his heart dramatically.

I chuckled, "Have you seen her? Do I look like an idiot to you? I gotta keep her around forever." I smirked as Kira began to walk in my direction. "Speak of the devil." I pulled her down onto my lap when she was close enough.

She giggled and smacked my chest. "I was just coming to tell you guys that it's finally time to eat." There was a collective sigh of relief among us, we had been waiting for hours.

Ronnie hopped up and rubbed his hands together, "Bout fuckin' time. I swear they be forcing me to get here on time only to hold the food hostage for eight hours." He stalked off in the direction of the dining room.

I shook my head and chuckled at his antics. My family was crazy. "Thanks KP. You met Marcus right?" I nodded in the direction of my cousin.

She shook her head and held her hand out for him to shake, "I'm Kira, nice to meet you."

"It's good to meet you too. You really turned a hoe into a house-husband." He chuckled as he shook Kira's hand. Don leaned over and smacked the back of his head. "Damn Donny." Marcus groaned and rubbed the area that Don hit.

"Go get me a plate since you don't have nothin' better to do than tell jokes." Don's gruff voice muttered. Thanksgiving was doubly great for me because my older brothers had my cousins to clown on and I was on the other end of the clowning for one day out of the year.