90s Love

Chapter 17

Though Andre's shooting gave me a good couple weeks to distract my mind and Quincy's from my promise of telling my parents about us, enough time had passed.

Once the intensity of the event faded, I was over trying to tiptoe around the issue. While Andre took bullets for his family, I was being a wimp trying to keep secrets from mine. It really put things in perspective, and I was ready to reveal it all.

"I'm gonna do it today, it's the one day of the week they're all home at the same time. I promise." I insisted as I talked to Quincy on the phone. "You know it's been crazy lately."

"Okay, as long as you tell them. I gave you time, but I just want this to be right. You gotta tell them."

"I will, I promise."

"Alright, call me after or something, tell me how it goes."

"I will." I looked to the front door, catching Kelly walking into the house with shopping bags. "I gotta go, bye."

"Bye."

"Who was that?" Kelly asked as I hung up the phone.

"Better question, what is all that?"

"Stuff. I went shopping with some friends and picked y'all up some stuff." She informed, setting the bags on the couch. "What do you think about this?" She pulled out a top, throwing it to me. I caught it, holding it in front of me, checking it out with a smile.

I slipped off my t-shirt, swapping it with the new top before getting up. "What do you think? Does it look good on me?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "Go check it out in the mirror. I brought you a dress too, so hurry up." I quickly went to look at the top before switching it out for the dress. After showing Kelly, I placed the items in my closet.

Family dinners became more frequent in the summer because the only person who had to make an appearance was Kelly. So, on Mama's day off, we all got together, and it worked out well.

It was soon after Kelly arrived that everyone started to come home. Dinner got started, all of us sitting together with conversation flowing. I focused on my food, mentally going back and forth on when I should say something. I tried to encourage myself, telling myself it wouldn't be so bad and think of the positives. I wanted Quincy to know my family, and I wanted my family to know Quincy. I liked the way Quincy's parents embraced me, and I just knew my parents would do the same after seeing how much he cared for me.

I went through that a good three times in my head before I actually opened my mouth to speak.

"Mama?" I asked, catching her attention. "How do you feel about Quincy? Y'know Mrs. Walker's grandson?"

"He's a nice boy, respectful, why what's going on?"

"Nothing, I was just talking to him today and he brought up the neighborhood, said you had to remember him because he was always nice to you, called you pretty."

It was always good to start off with a compliment before dropping a bomb on my mother. She received news well when she actually liked you.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

Calvin gave me a questioning look from across the table, and I just diverted my attention back to my food, feeling too timid to continue on. Conversation moved forward, and I was left to quietly nibble at the food on my plate. It wasn't until I saw that dinner was slowly winding down that I felt the pressure.

"Am I allowed to date?" I wondered aloud, causing the whole table to stop their eating, looking my way with a mix of expressions.

"What?" Dad asked.