Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
But the rice and beans are done, something I’m certain the hungry gremlin launching herself at my mom will be happy to hear. “Beanie! You’re here! I’m so glad, I’m starving.”
Mama barely gets her spoon down before Mimi’s arms are around her, giving her a big hug. “Ma petite chou! How was your Saturday? You look so pretty in green!”
“Thank you, and it was so fun! It was my friend Sage’s birthday party. She had it at an alligator farm, and we got a private tour and saw all the alligators, and got to hold the babies! The tiniest ones were so little!” Mimi holds up her fingers an inch apart. “But we didn’t hold those. We held the bigger ones, but not big enough to bite, and we were all very gentle, so they didn’t get scared.”
“I’m not surprised, chère. You’ve got a gentle heart,” Beanie says, but she’s looking at Elly when she says it. “I knew that the moment I met you and your mama.”
Elly blushes, but she’s smiling as she says, “How are you, Beanie? Sorry to keep you waiting for a reply. It’s my fault Grammercy couldn’t text. I had my ringer off, and he had to drive out to the party to get in touch with me.”
“No worries at all, darlin’,” my mama says with a pointed smile my way. “And don’t you go taking responsibility for my boy’s shortcomings. In this family, we let the menfolk do their own apologizing.”
“I’m sorry, Mama,” I say immediately. “I wanted to talk to Elly before I answered your questions, but you’re right, I should have gotten back to you sooner.”
“At least to let me know that you were still alive,” Beanie agrees over Mimi’s head. She gives her a final squeeze before motioning to the silverware drawer. “Go fetch some spoons and napkins, bébé. Red beans and rice for everyone is coming in hot.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Mimi says, glancing between the three of us as she wanders toward the silverware. “Is Grammercy in trouble?”
Mama laughs. “Not anymore. He was putting his woman first, the way I taught him and his brother to do. You gotta respect the person you’re living your life with. That’s what makes a happy home.”
Elly stiffens beside me—we haven’t had a chance to talk to Mimi about our evolving relationship just yet—but Mimi takes the comment in stride.
“Gee is very respectful,” Mimi says seriously. “He hardly ever says bad words, and he always gets Mama sweet tea before he gets anything for himself to drink at dinner. And he puts one sugar in, just the way she likes it.”
Beanie’s eyes go round. “Is that right?”
Mimi nods seriously. “Yep. They’re best friends now.”
“That’s one word for it,” Beanie says.
Elly muffles a laugh behind her hand as my mother waves my way. “Get over here and fill the bowls with rice, son. We’ll eat, then we’ll swim and sort out all your problems. I brought my suit. I do my best thinking in the water.”
“Yay!” Mimi cheers again. “Best day ever!”
As she bounces out of the kitchen to set the table, I murmur in a voice soft enough not to carry, “Thanks for cooking, Mama, but you don’t have to—”
“Don’t you tell me what I do or don’t have to do, Grammercy Germaine Graves.” She points the business end of her spoon at my face. “Your phone’s been going off like fireworks since noon. And that’s the landline you just set up a few months ago. I can’t imagine what your cell looks like. You’re in the deep end, son. And when you’re in the deep end, you need your people in the water with you to keep you afloat until the danger’s passed. So, we’ll float, we’ll think, and we’ll get it all sorted. Now eat up. Beans are thinking food.”
It’s such perfect Beanie logic that I can’t argue. Growing up, any time there was a problem to be solved, we took it to the water. To the public pool, to the beach when we could catch a ride, and eventually to the above-ground pool she saved years to buy. Bad grades, broken hearts, the time I got suspended for beating the shit out of a guy who refused to stop coming at my friends after school, all of it got worked out in the water.
“I know you don’t want me to apologize for Grammercy,” Elly says, “but I would like to apologize for myself. I’m sorry for lying, Beanie, even if it was a lie of omission.”
Mama steps closer, wrapping an arm around Elly’s shoulders. “Thank you, sweetheart. I will accept that apology.” She beams up at Elly. “And welcome to the family. We are small, but fierce and fun and pretty damned good cooks, if I do say so myself.”
“Well, I learned from the best,” I say, some of the tension in my chest easing away. I knew my mother would never take out her irritation on Elly, but still…