“Shiiiitt. A little pudgy? Your ass was like 300 pounds at the age of 10,” Cousin Tim teases. I see Muff starting to get upset as she rolls her eyes.
“You’re gorgeous,” I tell her referring to her voluptuous size 14 frame.
“Thank you,” she smiles.
We eat our fish around the fire as I listen and laugh hysterically at the playful banter Tron’s family members are having. No one is off limits as they make fun of each other.
“Movies anyone?” Cousin Harris asks.
“I’m in,” everyone responds simultaneously.
“Cool. It’s 7:30 now. Let’s meet up at 9,” Steve says as we all rise and disperse. I follow Tron back to the house.
“Um, not to be a party pooper but I don’t think I can go to the movies,” I tell him.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t have security here,” I laugh.
“You’re supposed to be normal this week, remember?”
“Yeah but…”
“I got you. There’s 22 of us going. Nobody will even notice you.”
“Damn you got a big ass family.”
“My grandma had 12 kids,” he laughs.
“Okay. I’m just letting you know, if I’m spotted and a fan pulls my hair, that’s your ass.”
“Why would anyone pull your hair?”
“I don’t know. People are fuckin’ crazy,” I laugh as we enter the house.
“Go get dressed, Annabelle. I’ll see you soon,” he chuckles walking away. I run up the stairs and into my room to shower and change. I dress in a pair of light blue jeans and a green flannel print top, tying it in the front, showing off my belly. I walk back down the stairs and Tron is sitting in a rocking chair sipping iced-tea out of a jar.
“Ready?” He asks. He rises from his chair, dressed in all black. Black jeans, black v-neck t-shirt and black boots. A silver cross drapes from his neck.
“Can I ask why you are always wearing a cross?”
“It reminds me of my mother,” he simply replies. I climb inside the truck wanting to ask about his mom but bite my tongue.
“What movie are we going to see?” I ask instead. “I am so excited. I haven’t been to the movies as a “regular” person in years. Only movie premiers,” I smile.
“The Conjuring 2.”
“Oh hell no. I don’t do scary movies.”
“Your ass starred in one.”
“That was different. I’m really a punk. I hate scary movies,” I laugh. He shakes his head.
“I’m serious, Tarron. I will follow you around the house all night. You’re not going to be able to leave my sight. I mean, I will follow your ass to the bathroom and all.”
Tron chuckles.
“Too late. Bubba already bought the tickets.”
“Fuck,” I mumble. We get to the movies and all his cousins are in the parking lot waiting for us.
“You didn’t have to wait for us,” I giggle, talking to Muff.
“Yes we did because Tarron’s scary ass said that we had to walk in as a group to protect you,” she laughs.
“Oh. Well thank you.”
“Aneesah, what do you want from the concession stand?” Tron asks.
“Buttered popcorn and Goobers.”
We walk inside the theater and I blend in as Tron’s cousins surround me. Tron, Steve, and about 10 other cousins are standing in the concession line when:
“OH MY GOD. IT’S TRON,” a young white girl yells as a crowd stampedes his way. He smiles politely.
“How you doing ladies?” He flirts.
“Please, please, can you take pictures with us?” The girl asks. Tron steps out of line and takes pictures and signs autographs for his fans. I smile at him as I watch him glow from the attention.
“You wanna make your presence known?” Muff whispers.
“Hell no. I like being invisible,” I laugh, thinking that when Tron’s fandom takes completely over, he’s going to miss the simple things in life like running to the store to grab some milk or picking up your own dry cleaning.
We walk inside the theater and grab our seats. Tron hands me my popcorn and Goobers. He watches me dump my Goobers in my popcorn and mix it up.
“What are you doing?” He asks.
“It’s good. When the sweet hits the salty, something delightful happens to your tongue.”
“Delightful?” He laughs.
“Just try it,” I laugh, handing him the popcorn.
“It’s cool,” he says shrugging his shoulders. He digs his hand in my bucket for seconds.
“Just cool?” I question.
“Okay. I like the delightful taste it’s giving my tongue,” he laughs.
“Where’s mine?” I ask when he puts a cherry slushie up to his lips.
“You ain’t say you wanted one.”
“Whatever,” I suck my teeth. “Gimme.” I snatch the drink out of Tron’s hands and sip on his slushie.
“You know, if you wanted a taste of my tongue, all you gotta do is ask,” he smirks.
“No thank you. I just want to taste your slushie.”
“I have a whole lot of other things that you can taste that I’m sure you will find delightful.”
“Whatever perv,” I laugh as the lights go out and the movie starts. So, I spend the majority of the movie with my hands over my eyes or my face buried in Tron’s shoulder. Like I said, I hate scary movies.
When the movie is over, we head out of the theater and drive back to the house.
“You really are a punk,” Tron chuckles.
“Shut up. I gotta sleep with the lights on now,” I pout.
“You better not. Pops don’t play that shit when it comes to his electric bill.”
“He’ll have to get over it,” I shrug.
We pull up to the house and I jump out the truck.
“Smoke?” Tron asks.
“You know it,” I respond, following him over to the field and climbing inside the abandoned truck. I lie back and stare up at the stars as we pass the blunt back and forth. Tron reaches in his pocket and pulls out his phone. I notice that Kai has called repeatedly but instead of calling her back or at least sending her a text, Tron turns on his Pandora as we smoke in silence, listening to music.
“Got a one room apartment…to little tiny space,” Tron sings Chico Debarge and Joe’s “No Guarantee” remix.
“What you know about this song?” I ask. “I was like in the 10th grade when this came out, which means you were probably what? Nine,” I laugh.
“Good music is good music,” he says, passing me the blunt.
“And is that your singing voice I hear?”
“That’s my playing around voice,” he smiles.
“When you gonna let me hear you sing?” I question. He turns his head to look at me.
“I told you, I’m not ready for you to fall in love with me yet,” he smirks.
“Whatever big head,” I giggle.
“I know you’re wondering what I mean,” Tron sings.
“Nothing in life is guaranteed,” I echo Joe’s part.
“I never know where I’m going, lady.”
“I need direction in my life,” we sing together before bursting out laughing. Tron turns his head, facing me.
“and I’m, tryin’ to keep my cool…and I, got to make a move…and I, life’s not guaranteed, baby, baby, baby,” he sings as smoke seeps out of his mouth.
“Oh, oh, ohhhh…oh, oh, oh, ohhh…” I laugh, finishing up the song.
“Okay, I hear you some. Still can’t sing me out of my panties though.”
“Like I told you, I’m just clowning around.”
“Yeah right, but what I heard is good. Just that little snippet, I can tell that you are a little above average.”
“A little?” He questions with a smirk.
“Yeah. A little.”
“Okay,” he chuckles. “Come on, Annabelle. I’m tired,” he says rising from the truck. I stand up next to him as we walk back to t
he house.
“Night,” he says when we get to my door.
“Night,” I respond walking inside the room. I take my clothes off, settling in a tank-top and panties. I turn off the ceiling light and hop in the bed. My mind immediately drifts to the movie.
“Like hell if I’m sleeping in the dark,” I mumble, turning on the lamp and getting comfortable. It’s been a long day and I quickly fall asleep.
When I wake up the following morning, the light is turned off. I laugh thinking about Pops walking into my room in the middle of the night. I hope I was covered up and didn’t give the old man a mini erection.
I change my clothes and walk downstairs to the empty kitchen.
“Hey. Where’s Pops with breakfast?” I question out loud, use to having a hot breakfast in the mornings. I walk out back to the barn to find Tron. He’s sitting with Charlotte, petting and talking to her.
“There, there. You’re doing a great job,” he whispers.
“What are you doing?”
“She’s in labor.”
“Oh my god. What do we do? Should I call a doctor or something?” I ask like she’s human. Tron chuckles.
“I am a doctor. Just stand there and don’t get too close. You’ll scare her and then she will try to get up to deliver the foal somewhere else.”
“How long does it take?” I whisper.
“She’s been in labor since last night. We’re going on hour eight. Isn’t that right, girl?” He says petting his horse.
“Should I call Pops?” I ask feeling helpless.
“It’s Saturday. He’s at the farmers market selling goods. I’ve done this over a hundred times. I’m fine,” he smiles looking at me. I slowly sit on a log and watch Tron talk and pet his horse, applying wet towels to her body and making her comfortable. Charlotte tries to stand but Tron stops her.
“Easy girl. It’s just me,” he talks to her as she pees all over the place. He smiles. “See. Nothing but your water breaking. You got this,” he pets her. “You wanna lay back down for me?” He whispers to her.
“Aneesah, can you step out please? She’s not going to deliver with you sitting there.”
I step out of the barn, peeking my head in to watch from outside. I see little hooves coming out of Charlotte.
“You want some help?” I hear Tron ask her before digging and pulling a whole horse out. My fuckin’ jaw drops, and I am in pain like I just gave birth to the horse myself. Then this nasty sack thing comes out of Charlotte. I think I’m about to throw up. The little horse, or foal or whatever Tron called it makes a little whimper sound as it looks around.
“Can I come in?” I whisper. Tron nods his head for me to enter. He’s just standing there observing.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Letting nature take its course,” he responds, taking off his gloves.
I watch the foal become familiar with its surroundings. After ten minutes or so, it tries to stand.
“Oh wow,” I say in astonishment. It clumsily moves around before collapsing in front of its mother.
“We should go so Charlotte can teach him how to nurse,” Tron says.
“Do we just leave them here?” I ask.
“Yeah. There is nothing left for me to do,” he replies as we walk out the barn.
“That was so fuckin’ cool,” I smile, mind still blown. Tron smirks before letting out a yawn.
“Tired?”
“Yeah. Been up with her since three this morning. Good thing you left your light on. Had I not come into your room to turn it off, I would have never heard her.”
“So, you’re the one who turned off my light,” I laugh, stepping inside the house.
“Yeah. I didn’t know you had your nipples pierced,” he smirks.
“Perv. What the hell were you looking for?” I ask, slapping him in his arm.
“I’m a man. If I didn’t look that means there is something wrong with me,” he laughs.
“Whatever.”
“You cool on your own for a minute? I need a nap,” he yawns again.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
Tron runs upstairs to his room while I sit in the living room trying to find something to watch on TV.
“Hello,” I answer my phone for Pree.
“Where you at? You coming over today? I haven’t talked to you since Wednesday. Figured I’d give you some space for you to grieve. You okay?”
“I’m actually great. I’m in Tennessee at the moment,” I hesitantly tell her.
“What the hell you doin’ in Tennessee? I thought you already completed that show.”
“I did. I’m…I’m with Tron. I’m having a good time too. Learning farm life and chilling with his family and stuff.”
“So, you met the family, huh?”
“Yeah. We’ve been hanging out. We all went to the movies last night.”
“What did you go see?”
“The Conjuring 2.”
“That movie is rated R, right?”
“I don’t know. I guess so,” I answer in confusion.
“You wasn’t hanging out. Bitch they needed a chaperone,” Pree laughs into the phone.
“I don’t like you today,” I mumble.
“Well I love you every day, Stella,” she giggles. I hang up on Pree and text her the middle finger emoji.
PREE: Now was that necessary
ME: YES. Ur being mean. LOL
PREE: Cut it out. I’m just fuckin’ wit ya
ME: Whatever. I kno he’s young. U don’t got to remind me. Keepin it PG
PREE: U better bc I don’t feel like bailing you out for statutory rape (laughing face emoji)
ME: (angry face emoji)
PREE: Just be careful. Too much limelight over there with him being with Kai n all
ME: We’re just friends. Nothing is happenin ova here
PREE: Yeah…okay Stella
ME: Bye. I don’t want to talk to u n e more
I walk upstairs and pass by Tron’s room.
“Babe, why you gotta overreact on every fuckin’ thing?” I hear his voice coming through the door.
“Because. I don’t understand how you invite that bitch home to meet your family and stuff and I have never met any of your people,” Kai’s voice replies. Why I gotta be a bitch though?
“All I’m doing is trying to cheer a friend up. Thought you would be more understanding about it. I could have lied to you, you know?”
“It was her fuckin’ bodyguard, not her grandmother, Tarron,” Kai snaps.
“Is this how we’re going to spend our conversation? Discussing Aneesah? If so, let me know now and I’ll call you later. I’m tired and agitated. I just want to sleep.”
“Why are you so fuckin’ tired? It’s after two in the afternoon.”
“Because I delivered a horse today.”
I stifle my laughter because even though that is the truth, that shit seems like the biggest lie ever.
“A fuckin’ horse. Seriously? You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe. I’m going to sleep. I’ll talk to you later,” he says. I don’t hear anything else so I’m assuming he really did hang up on her.
I hear a car come up the dirt road and run up to the window to see Pops old school Cadillac driving towards the house. I run down the stairs to greet him.
“Hey Pops,” I smile, opening the door for him. “Guess what? I watched Charlotte give birth,” I tell him excitedly. Pops chuckles.
“That’s good little lady. You liking the country life?”
“I actually do. It’s relaxing.”
“Well, I’m about to cut some trees. You want to come?”
“Huh?”
“Wait here. Let me change my clothes and we can go cut trees,” he says walking up the stairs. I don’t know what the hell Pops is thinking but I’m not cutting down no damn trees. Pops comes down the stairs minutes later wearing a white wife beater and some black old man pants.
“Ready?�
�� He asks opening the door. I reluctantly follow him out and around back, into the woods. We walk for approximately five minutes.
“Here we are,” he says opening the shed. My mouth drops, and I am staring at rows and rows of marijuana trees underneath infrared lights.
“What the fuck, Pops?”
“Watch your mouth young lady,” he scolds.
“Sorry,” I apologize and watch him tend to the trees. He grabs about 5 bushels before we head back to the house.
“You want to test the product?” He asks.
“Sure do,” I smile.
About 20 minutes later, Pops and I sit are sitting on the back porch, passing a joint back and forth and sipping on fresh squeezed lemonade.
“This is the life,” I exhale.
“Yup,” he agrees while puffing on the joint as we listen to his records.
“This is you playing?” I ask, listening to the music.
“Yup. I was something else back then,” he chuckles, passing me the joint.
“You’re something else now,” I laugh.
“I’m happy one of my kids, well, grandkids followed in my footsteps. They are all musically gifted but Tarron seems to be the one that was able to make it big. I taught that boy everything he knows. Didn’t think he would be a rapper though. We always assumed he would sing.”
“So, he can really sing?” I question.
“I take that he hasn’t sung to you yet,” he chuckles.
“I mean, I heard him do a little something, but he swears that he’s better than that.”
“Yeah. He hasn’t sung to you yet. You won’t believe all the little girls that used to chase him around. Every summer, every time he would come for a visit, all these little girls following his every move. Reminds me of me back in my day,” Pops laughs.
“So, you were a mess too?” I giggle.
“YOLO,” he shouts.
“Pops, what you know about some yolo?” I chuckle.
“I keep up. Gotta keep up. My grandson is in that lifestyle,” he says passing me the joint. “So proud of him,” he beams with pride.
“You’re a farmer, a jazz musician, and you grow your own bud. What else do you do?”
“I’m an all-around ladies’ man,” he chuckles.
Unveiled Page 21
