Page 25 of Rah

“You want some company? I came by to see Rah, but I see he isn’t here. He isn’t answering the phone either.”

“Moses had an emergency.”

We stood there awkwardly. He was waiting on permission to come along. I was trying to figure out if it was a good idea.

The way he longingly looked at me told me that it was a bad idea. Averybad idea. When I asked Rah to come with me,as usual, he claimed to be so busy. He never found much interest in going to the home with me to visit mama.

Because of that, I appreciated the concern in Fabe’s eyes and told him, “You should come with me.”

Yet, to keep the distance between us, I talked to my Aunt Sheree on the phone during the twenty-minute ride to the home. As usual, she spent the entire time convincing me to relocate to Houston.

“I miss my niece. Now I have a great–nephew. You guys would love it down here. The weather is beautiful. I know you’re sick of that snow. It’s a great place to raise the baby. Not like that God awful city.”

My Aunt Sheree was two years older than mom, but she was cool with me like a big sister. Therefore, I shared a lot of things with her. She relocated to Houston five years ago, when she lost her job at Chicago State and lucked up on a big HR position at the University of Houston. Before I met Rah and enrolled into cosmetology school, she thought I was lost and needed a fresh start. She kept promising me that she could easily hook me up with a job at the university.

“I’m doing okay here, Auntie,” I promised her as we arrived at the home. “I’m on maternity leave right now, but I will start school again soon. Plus, I wouldn’t want to be away from mom or to take Junior away from his daddy.”

She sighed, saying, “You’re right. Well, wishful thinking.”

“I’m here at the home now, Auntie. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay. Tell my sister that I love her and that I will be to see her as soon as the weather breaks up there.”

“Will do. Love you. Bye.”

Fabe was already out of the car and getting Junior out of his car seat. For a second, I sat in the driver’s seat and marinated in the smell that he left behind.

“Ooo shit,” I muttered to myself quietly with a deep sigh as my insides quivered. Then, I forced myself to shake off the lustful feeling and climb out of the car. Luckily, it was too cold outside to pay attention to the oddly comfortable feeling of having Fabe with me.

Once inside, the receptionist was happy to see me. “Your mom told me that you had the baby! Let me see!”

Fabe sat the car seat on the counter as the receptionist and a few nurses glanced at Junior.

“Ah, he’s so cute.”

“Look at those ears. He is going to be a chocolate lil’ thing.”

As they coo’d over him, I noticed my mother’s nurse, Brenda, approaching me.

“Hey, Brenda,” I said as we hugged. “Is she herself today?”

Peering over at Junior with a smile, she told me, “She’s doing okay today. I’m glad you brought him by. This will make her happy.”

Reluctantly, the nurses dispersed so that I could take Junior in to see mama. When Fabe and I appeared in the doorway, as usual, it took her a minute to recognize me. Dementia caused that from time to time.

“Hey, mama.” Yet, when she heard my voice, she smiled at the realization that it was me.

She was an older version of myself. She was fair skinned with light brown eyes, full lips, a small waist, and hips and butt for days. I caught many old men in the home looking at my mother with longing eyes. Old age didn’t stop anything in these homes. The nurses had told me so many stories about catching these old freaks getting it on.

“Hey, baby,” she said with a smile as she attempted to stand from the chair she was lounging in by the window. When Fabe rushed to help her, she smiled bashfully like she wassixteen. “Thank you, baby,” she told him while giving me curious, googly eyes. She asked me with a smile, “Who is this?”

“This is Rah’s brother, Fabe.”

“Well, Fabe is fine. Look at you. All tall and chocolate. I like dark meat.”

Fabe giggled bashfully.

“Mama, stop that!” I warned her.