Object of Desire [Editing]

Chapter 32

Remy A. Taylor

"Merry Christmas best friend!" Dayvid screamed over the FaceTime call, making me laugh.

I was in the kitchen helping Ms. Sheila prepare a whole bunch of everything, seeing as some more of her family would be coming over.

"Merry Christmas to you too, honey, I love and miss you."

"Bahja with her family so me and Nat really feeling some type of way. I think we gon take Zaire out to eat." Dayvid responded, putting Natalia and her baby boy in the camera.

"Aww, well I promise I'll bring you guys back some of this gumbo. I never had a seafood boil for Christmas but the way it's smelling in here, I'll eat this for every holiday."

"And since you my daughter in law, I might jus' give you tha' recipe." Ms. Sheila smiled, kissing me on the cheek as she left the kitchen.

"Augusts' mama is so gorgeous ugh I wish I had your life Rem." Dayvid rolled his eyes and I laughed.

"Trust me, we can trade any day. I gotta finish cooking so I'll call you back tomorrow okay love ya'll."

Everybody chimed in for a goodbye and I hung up.

"Oowe, look at my baybeh, cookin' gumbo. I gotta marry ya now." August returned from the store, dropping the bag on the table beside me before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

There was some commotion in the living room and I set my spoon down, making my way there.

The room was slowly filling with men, women and children. The majority of them identical to August so I made the assumption his family was starting to arrive.

I turned to go back in the kitchen but Ms. Sheila stopped me.

"Remy! Remy, come ova' hea' girl. Ya'll this is my baybeh's girlfriend. Remy, these are some of Aug's favorite cousins." Sheila introduced me to three women who looked completely different but were gorgeous all the same.

"I'm Karen, the oldest. These is my sisters, Brooklyn and Eris." The tallest woman spoke up and I shook their hands.

"Do ya need any help in the kitchen?" Brooklyn asked and I nodded, guiding them back into the kitchen.

We were getting along pretty good and they helped me cook the rest of the food for today.

"So, Miss. Remy. You and my lil' cuz serious?" Eris asked.

"Bitch if she spending Christmas with the family I think that's pretty serious." Brook said, rolling her eyes.

"Well last time he was pretty serious da girl died so I was just wonderin'. I'on want him hurtin' like dat no mo'. That Naomi was a sweet girl. Kinda weird and quiet, but sweet." Karen chimed and her sisters agreed.

"I know it be eatin' him up that he got involved wit' da wrong kinda people." Brook shook her head and I agreed.

"He ain't got you in no shit has he?" Eris asked and I told her no, not daring to speak about Miles.

"Well that's good. Two beautiful girls' death on his hands would be just a crying shame. I love my cousin but you be careful with his ass." Karen instructed me and I nodded.

"Remy, your parents are here!" I heard Ms. Sheila call out just as the food was done.

When I walked in to greet my family, irritation was evident all over my mom and Sheila's faces.

"Hi, mom. Hi, daddy. Merry Christmas." I hugged my dad and he smiled.

"Merry Christmas to you baby. It smells good in here."

"Remy helped me cook. We havin' crab legs and shrimp, all the finest Louisiana food you could ask fa." Ms. Sheila bragged and I noticed my mother roll her eyes.

"So you all eat seafood for the holiday? Interesting." She took off her fur and hung it up before proceeding to the dining room.

"Let me get your coat daddy." I helped my dad, hanging up his coat before helping him to the dining room as well.

Everyone was already seated and August had an empty seat next to him. Brook was on the other side of me.

"We gon' say grace and then help ya'selves." Ms. Sheila announced and everybody bowed their heads.

"Father God I'd like to come and thank you for bringing all my beautiful loved ones together again. I pray that you protect them, cover them in every way, knowin' we don't see each other as often as I'd like. For those who aren't family and are filled with rage, wherever they may be, bless them with happiness on this fine holiday. I pray that this food be the best we ever tasted. And last but not least, thank you God for another Christmas with my boy. Lord knows I love him and he's been through so much. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

Everybody murmured an 'amen' before digging in.

"This gumbo is delicious, Sheila." One of Augusts' uncles yelled.

"Oh don't say nothin' to me, Aug's girl made it."

I smiled and Aug squeezed my knee comfortingly.

"I feel like I knows her from somewhere." Karen said from a few chairs down, gesturing to my mom who kept her head down the entire time.

The doorbell rang and Sheila went to answer it, returning with...

"Ashton!" Eris was the first to exclaim, jumping up to hug her other cousin.

"Both my boys is hea'!" Ms. Sheila was smiling from ear to ear now and I watched Aug make his way to his brother hugging him.

After everyone greeted him, he sat down to eat, waving at me and I smiled, waving back.

"I figured out whea' I know her from!" Karen blurted in the middle of dinner.

"What you talkin' about, Kay?" August asked.

"You rememba' dat boy Quincy you used to hang around wit'? His daddy had a step sister..."