In Between Lies (14 page)

“Promises, promises. You look nice too, by the way. I will be right back.”

The thought of laying with him wasn’t a bad idea. She thought of Jazzy and was sure that she was getting her groove on…probably at this very moment, knowing her. It would mellow out her jittery nerves. She wanted Kevin to make a good impression on the family. Big Momma so wanted her to be happy, but had warned her to be careful. She wanted her to see that with Kevin there was nothing to worry about.

Slipping on her jeans and
a
nice beige sweater, she finished towel drying her hair and  pulled it back into a casually neat ponytail. She applied her eyeliner, a few strokes of mascara and some lip gloss and was ready to go. As she came down the stairs, she’d seen that Kevin had made himself comfortable at the bar area. He’d pulled off his shoes and had poured himself a drink.

“You want one?” he asked.

“No. Knock yourself out.”

She grabbed her coat and said, “Ready to do this? Let’s go.”

Kevin gulped down the last of his drink.

“Is there anything I should know about your family before we get there?” he asked. “Any deep dark secrets that you are hiding?”

“Nope, and none.”
Savannah
clasped his right hand as he drove with his left. “I did want to talk to you about something, though.”

“What’s that?

“How am I to introduce you? As my friend, my boyfriend? Or what?” Her stomach lurched as she asked the questions.

“How do you think? However you feel.”

Wrong answ
er. He intentionally missed his chance

to tell her what she was to him. “Well, Kevin, if I knew that then I wouldn’t be asking.”

Kevin checked himself in the rearview mirror. He noticed that same black Lexus a few cars back on his way to Savannahs and now here again. Not wanting to be obvious, and also not one hundred percent sure, he didn’t bother to glance back or mention it. He wasn’t sure he was being followed  but it seemed that way. 

“Kevin, since you are putting this in my lap. I can only assume that you want me to call you my boyfriend.”

Hearing the word boyfriend brought his attention back to her. “Boyfriend? Do they still use that term for people our age?”

“Well yes, I guess so. Do you have a better one? It’s just like you introducing me as your girl, or your girlfriend, or even as your woman.  I know we had a talk in the beginning, but things have progressed so much now…and I know neither one of us have said anything about a true commitment to each other.”

“That does have a nice ring to it,” he smiled and kissed her hand. Still a little distracted by the unwanted follower, he continued.

             
“Hello everybody!”
Savannah
said as they came through the front door. Jazzy and Gio were already there and Tamika was serving them some kind of fruity concoction she had made up. Jazzy lifted her glass towards
Savannah
and Kevin in response to their entrance. Gio slid a smile to Kevin as he took a sip also. Tamika took their coats and headed to the back of the house.

             
“It smells so good in here. Where’s Big Momma? Is Richard here too?”

             
“She’s in the kitchen with Lenora and no, Richard isn’t here yet. I didn’t know you had invited him too,” Jazzy responded.

             
“Well, he is as much family as you are. He knew about it and said he might come.”

             
“Yeah, well, he may come. But if he doesn’t, I will eat his share of the food.”

             
“Come to think of it, he may be preoccupied with this new girlfriend of his…I can’t remember her name but he wanted me to meet her and take her out and show her around…Anyway, Kevin, have a seat here, make yourself comfortable and I will be right back.”
Savannah
left them in the room and headed for the kitchen.

Kevin stood and paced by the front bay window and took one last look out to see if he saw the black car out there. Nothing. He sat and joined the conversation that Gio and Jazzy were having.

“Hey ladies!”
Savannah
said as she entered the kitchen. The strong aroma of barbecued meat hit her, making her stomach growl. “Wow, it smells delicious in here.”

“
Savannah
, I am glad you are finally here. Where is Mr. Man?”

“Mom, he is in the front room with Jazzy and Gio. Follow me.”
Savannah
gave Lenora a strange look as if she was a little worried about her meeting her new man. Though she had forgiven her sister, she still wasn’t completely sure about trusting her anymore.

“Don’t worry. I won’t bite.” Lenora replied to her unspoken gesture. “Besides, I am waiting on a friend of my own.” Lenora stood and gave her sister a hug. “What I said the other day, I meant, baby girl.”

“I know. I’m sorry,”
Savannah
gestured for them to follow her.

“Kevin,”
Savannah
stated. “I would like you to meet my mother, whom we lovingly call Big Momma, and my sister, Lenora. Everyone, this is Kevin….my boyfriend.” She blushed a little saying that, but it felt good to hear it roll off of her lips. 

Kevin stepped right into place as if on cue. He stood to greet them. Shaking their hands he said, “It’s very nice to meet the two of you and now I know where your daughter gets her natural beauty.”

“Oh and he’s smooth too,” Big Momma said. “I like him already.”

Lenora stood and smiled and managed to squeak out a greeting. Tamika rejoined everyone in the room and announced that the table was set.

“For you,” Kevin smiled and handed Big Momma the vase of roses.

“They are beautiful, thank you.” She took the vase and placed it on the mantle over the unlit fireplace. “They will be just fine right here.”

As they went into the dining area, Big Momma scooped Kevin around his arm and made herself comfortable at his side.
Savannah
followed behind.

“So, this is Mr. Styles. Did you know that I watch you every night on the news? Now I have a celebrity in the house. Who would have thought that one up?”

“Who would have thought that a bachelor like myself would end up surrounded by such beautiful women? Gio and I are feeling pretty lucky right about now.”

“Oh,
Savannah
. You’ve got yourself a real live charmer here….” Big Momma replied.

Everyone was seated. Gio was next to Jazzy. Just on the other side of Jazzy sat Kevin and
Savannah
. Directly across from
Savannah
was big Momma with Tamika and Leonora beside her, leaving an empty chair that was set for Richard.

“Looks like Richard isn’t coming,” Big Momma said. “I thought for sure he would be here. You know he is usually the life of the party when he is around.”

“I think he’s busy this evening. I do believe that he said he would try to make it if he could. I can probably swing by his place later with a plate, if you don’t mind, mom?”

“Ok…dig in…make yourself at home,” Big Momma announced. “Oh, but wait! Who wants to bless this food?”

“I will do it this time,” Jazzy responded.

After the grace, everyone dug in. Potato salad, collard greens, barbecued ribs and chicken, cornbread dressing, macaroni and cheese, rolls, pasta salad and candied carrots filled every plate at the table to the rim. For a while no one spoke.

After
giving
her taste buds a run,
Savannah
was the first to speak. “This is so good, mom.”

“Thanks….so tell me, Kevin,” Big Momma turned her attention and eyes to him. “How did you and
Savannah
meet?”

“Uh, we met at my jazz club, The Blue Horizon….” He cleared his throat. “Actually, I first saw her at the park jogging one morning and knew then that I had to meet her.”

Startled,
Savannah
replied, “What? I didn’t know that. You never told me that.”

“Yes, remember that lady that was talking to you all the time?”

“Yes.”

“That is my mother, T. Short for Theresa She told me that you two jog together there all the time”

“Small world.”

“Anyway, Kevin,” Big Momma interrupted, “you ever been married or do you want to get married soon?”

“Mom!?”
Savannah
said with embarrassment written across her face.  

“I mean, I understand that you two have been playing house over there, so might as well make it official.”

“Mother, that’s enough. You just met him and you are asking questions like we have been together for years,”
Savannah
blurted.

“I’m sorry baby, I was just making conversation. I figure if you talk, it might as well be about something  meaningful.”

“I’m sorry, Kevin,”
Savannah
apologized, “I didn’t know that we would be put on the spot like this.”

“It’s okay. Big Momma,” Kevin said, “may I call you that?”

             
“Sure.”

             
“I have the best intentions for your daughter. I really do care her, in fact, I think she’s perfect. And I do understand your concern. I know that she has been terribly hurt before and it’s not my intention to hurt her in any manner.”

             
“I just want her to be happy. And she seems to be with you. But I did have to ask.”

             
After hearing the words roll from his lips, he realized that he really did care and didn’t want to hurt her at all.  Naomi crossed his mind again. He liked her too. Hell, he liked them both, but
Savannah
was one that a man would settle down with, while Naomi was one that catered to his wilder side.

He thought he was ready to settle until Naomi stepped back into his life and bed. 
Savannah
was the lady and Naomi was the freak. Which one to choose? The logical choice would have been
Savannah
, but his loins begged to differ. Now he wasn’t so sure what he wanted. And he was really in no rush to come to a conclusion. Happy with things just the way they were, he took another bite of food as the conversation steered in another direction.

             
“So Jasmine, did you meet Gio in the same place?” Lenora asked.

             
“Yep. We all met the same night, same place.” Placing her hand under the table, she squeezed Gio’s  thigh and smiled.

             
After drinks and a light dessert, they all went to the sitting room to relax and continue their spirited conversations. Lenora ended up going to her room and Tamika was called away shortly after. “Quit listenin to grown folk talk, and come up here with me,” Lenora had yelled.

             
“That went well, I guess,” Kevin said as they were leaving. “Your mom was a handful back in the day wasn’t she? I can tell she put it down back then. Straight and to the point.”

             
“She still is actually. But I’m happy. They seemed to like you. It really means a lot to me because I am really feeling you and I would hate to have my family not like you. I do plan on keeping you around and I hope you feel the same.” She was almost questioning.

             
“Im not going anywhere, baby. I’m not doing anything to make you unhappy. I want to keep you happy.” He meant that too.  “Now…I have somewhere I’d like to take you if you feel up to it.”

             
“Right now?”

             
“No better time than the present.”

             
Savannah
sat back in the passenger seat and let him have his way. The crisp, cool night air was perfect as the full moon reached its maximum brightness. Kevin popped in a slow jam CD as they cruised through the calming city streets.  His fresh woodsy aroma aroused her senses as did his closeness to her to the point of her reaching sheer bliss. Perfect… was all she could think and feel.

Chapter 10

             
Trying to rush the car ahead of her through the yellow light and almost running a red light, her car screeched to a halt. Naomi felt flush as she realized she almost crashed into the back of the car in anticipation of the driver taking the light. Cutting the radio off, she was immensely annoyed at the fact that Kevin chose to spend his time with her. Now after seeing her again she was sure that this
Savannah
woman was the distraction that was in the way of her getting what she wanted.