ICY

thirty six.

                                      JETSON

"Is that Jetson, my eyes must be playing tricks on me?"

My Dad moved his glasses further down the bridge of his nose dramatically the moment I was revealed as the person on the other side of the door.

"How many times we gotta go through this Pops" I chuckled, sliding past him as he opened it fully to let me in, "I haven't been gone that long this time"

"As much as we see your brothers and sisters, it sure feels like it. How you been boy"

"Good, great actually" I smirked, "It smells good in here, Mom must be really throwing down"

"Yeah, something about this new young lady you've been seeing. Tell me, is she anything like that wench Natalie? Cause if so ~"

"Nah Pops, she's nothing like Natalie" I dismissed his thoughts before he could even create them.

Just saying her name left a bad aftertaste in my mouth, but I knew my father wouldn't be the last person to ask about her. Anyone I knew would automatically tie me to her and a newly single Jet was something people probably thought they'd never see.

"Alright now, fool me once" My father jokingly scoffed.

I could do nothing but shake my head at him, and as expected, it was a lot of pressure on me when it came to introducing Isis. I relocated to the kitchen, not surprised by the abundance of food laid out - my stomach grumbling just by the sight of the soul food.

My mother wasn't alone, instead accompanied by three of my sisters who were elbow deep in a few dishes of their own. Updos and dirty aprons was suddenly surrounding me, and I knew the food would have me in a coma by sundown.

"We then talked him up, there go his missing in action ass right there" Megan pointed to me, her amber eyes slicing me the moment I walked in.

"Talking about me? I hope it was something good"

"Always baby" My mother smiled, her arm reaching out for a hug that I accepted, "How have you been?"

"Great, Mom" I planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Yeah, I bet. Heard you got a promotion, both at work and in the bedroom" Joy bounced her eyebrows.

"Aht, I don't wanna hear none of that" My mother flagged her hand.

"Whatt,  it's true Ma" Megan teased, "I saw it with my own eyes. She's cute too, so at least we ain't gotta worry about that"

I rolled my eyes as Megan began to replay her version of what happened the day she spotted me and Isis making out in the Whole Foods parking lot, and I could admit that wasn't my usual style but with her I wasn't my usual self.

"Mhh, I still don't know how I feel about you doing all this public affection with some random girl. That leads to deep feelings Jet, and we all know how you get when you really like a girl" My mother side eyed me.

"Well thanks to you, she's now meeting my parents and siblings. Can't get much deeper than that now can it Mom?" I challenged her.

"Watch yourself boy" she warned me with the wooden spoon.

"He's right though, unless it's serious there's no need for all this. He just got out of a four year relationship, an engagement - you think he's going to go right back into locking something down" Kai, my youngest sister stepped in - taking a break from dressing the salad in front of her.

"Well Jet, is it serious?" My mother asked, everyone's vision now fixated on me.

"We're enjoying each other's company" I shrugged with a smile.