Page 25 of Rounds (Love In Scrubs)

M y nerves were on edge, but I was excited as hell. We were on our way to Delaney’s mother’s house. I didn’t know why I was nervous though. I was never nervous about meeting anyone. Delaney slid her hand to mine and asked, “You okay, baby?”

I smiled at her. “I’m good. I’m kind of excited about meeting someone in your family. It makes what we have feel solidified. Then we get to go see my dad again as a couple. He’s so hype about it he didn’t even take a nap today. He’s been texting me every five minutes it seems.”

As if right on cue, my phone chimed. I chuckled as Delaney smiled. “Well, I’m excited to see him again, too, especially since I know he’s been calling me his daughter-in-law. That means he really likes me for you.”

“Mm-hmm. I like you for me, too.”

I lifted our joined hands and kissed hers as the GPS guided us to her mother’s house. When we turned in the driveway of the two-story beauty, I saw Delaney smiling in my peripheral. She looked so excited to be here. “When was the last time you saw your mom?”

She frowned slightly as her eyes searched the sky for her response. “I don’t know. Maybe two months ago.”

My eyebrows lifted. She’d told me about their dynamic, but I couldn’t imagine going that long without seeing my parents.

I saw them almost every day and had dinner with them every Sunday.

It was weird to me, but I wouldn’t dare make her uncomfortable about it.

Once I parked, she looked at me excitedly. “My dad made it!”

I smiled at her, then got out to go to her side and assist her.

When I opened her door, she excitedly spun her body in the seat and grabbed my hand.

She looked so beautiful. Those big ass titties were showing off in the off the shoulder shirt she wore.

I swore I wanted to nurse on her shit all day.

Her distressed jeans looked like they’d been painted on her.

I pulled her in my arms and gripped her soft ass.

She was a little taller today since she wore heels, so I didn’t have to stoop as far.

She moaned after I laid my lips on hers.

When I pulled away from her, she smiled and gently wiped at the lipstick on my lips with her thumb.

I pulled her forward and closed the door, then allowed her to lead me to the porch.

Before she could ring the doorbell, it opened.

A woman that resembled her smiled big. I recognized her. She had to be her mother.

“Hey, Delaney! Come on in!”

We walked in, and her mom hugged her. It looked somewhat awkward, kind of like they didn’t know how to really show affection to one another. It seemed a little more natural when her mom kissed her forehead. She turned to me and smiled.

“Hello, Doctor Israel. I’m Maxine Boutté, Delaney’s mother.”

“Hello, Miss Boutté. Call me Glover.”

She smiled again, and said, “Y’all come on to the front room where everyone is.”

We followed her mom through the foyer and around the corner. A man stood and smiled big, and I knew that had to be her dad. My previous assumption was wrong. Delaney looked just like her dad. She went to him with a huge smile on her face and hugged him tightly. Their embrace didn’t look as awkward.

She turned to me, so I approached them as she said, “Dad, this is my boyfriend, Doctor Glover Israel. Glover this is my dad, Cedric Boutté.”

I glanced at her for being all professional. We shook hands, and I said, “Nice to meet you, Mister Boutté.”

“Likewise, Doctor Israel.”

“Please call me Glover. That doctor stuff is for the hospital and my office.”

A small smile appeared on his lips. “Noted. Well, this is my girlfriend, Kaniesha.”

The curvy woman stood and smiled at us. “Hi, Delaney. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Delaney smiled politely, and said, “Nice to meet you.”

I had to assume she hadn’t heard a word about her. I wanted to chuckle, because I could tell Delaney was being fake. She wasn’t excited to meet her dad’s girlfriend. I was sure I would get the play by play on that situation when we left.

“Delaney, this is my boyfriend, Denver.”

Delaney frowned, showing her confusion. “Hi. Your name is Denver, and you live in Denver?”

He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. I’m not from there though. I transferred there for my job in marketing at IBM.”

“Oh okay. Where are you originally from? I hear a slight accent.”

“I’m from Memphis.”

“Okay. Well, this is my boyfriend, Glover.”

I nodded and shook his hand. Thankfully all the introductions were over. Delaney and I sat on a small couch opposite everyone.

“We’re just waiting for Denver’s daughter to arrive with her boyfriend, then we’ll eat.”

We all nodded. It was awkwardly quiet until Denver asked, “What type of doctor are you, Glover?”

“I’m a primary care physician. So, I see everybody, whether they have health issues or not.”

He nodded. “And you have your own practice. That’s impressive for such a young man.”

“Yes, sir. When I want something, I go for it with all I got.”

I could feel Delaney’s hand tremble. I glanced at her to see her face was red. “Judging by Delaney’s red face, I take it that you mean that in every aspect of life,” Ms. Maxine said.

I chuckled as Delaney got even redder. “That’s true. She didn’t want a thing to do with me at first. She thought I was running game.”

I chuckled and rubbed her hand between mine.

It seemed my nervousness had transferred to her suddenly.

Once again, it got quiet. Ms. Boutté stood and put on some soft music.

That seemed to make things a little less awkward.

When the doorbell rang, Ms. Boutté went to answer it. “That must be Denver’s daughter.”

He followed behind her as I leaned over to Delaney, and asked, “You okay? Did I do or say something to make you upset?”

“No. I’m okay. I just didn’t want my dad quizzing me about what happened to Jaunté or how I met you. I was pretty sure he wanted to. He reads between the lines very well.”

I nodded as Delaney’s mom and her boyfriend returned. A man followed them, but when who I assumed was his daughter rounded the corner, I could have swallowed my damn tongue. “Everyone, this is Denver’s daughter, Charleigh and her boyfriend, Malcolm.”

Everyone nodded as Ms. Boutté approached Delaney and me. Charleigh’s eyes widened, then she gave a one-sided smile. That shit looked cynical as hell. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be on no bullshit. Apparently, I was holding Delaney’s hand tightly, because she asked, “Are you okay?”

I nodded and loosened my grip. “Glover and Delaney, this is Denver’s daughter. Charleigh, this is my daughter, Delaney and her boyfriend, Glover.”

She shook Delaney’s hand and said, “Nice to meet you.”

She extended her hand to me, and I hesitantly shook it as she said, “Nice to see you, Doctor Israel.”

I nodded but didn’t offer any words. When I released her hand, I grabbed Delaney’s. I could feel her gaze on me like bees stinging me. As we followed everyone to the dining area, Delaney said, “It’s her, isn’t it? The one you thought you might have problems with.”

I didn’t know how she figured that shit out, but I supposed I wasn’t really hiding my disdain with the situation. “Yes.”

That was all I could verbalize at the moment, because I didn’t want anyone else to hear what I had to say about Charleigh.

It was a small fucking world. Too fucking small.

Her calling me Doctor Israel didn’t help matters either.

I wasn’t introduced to her that way, so it was obvious to everyone that we knew one another or were at least acquainted.

I pulled out Delaney’s chair, only to see Charleigh was being seated right across from us. Great. Once Delaney sat, I helped her scoot up, then sat next to her.

“Mom, what did you cook?” Delaney asked.

“I made blackened fish, broccoli rice casserole, a garden salad, and garlic bread.”

“That sounds delicious.”

She smiled and left the dining area with Denver right behind her, heading to the kitchen.

The table was set beautifully already, and there were glasses of water by every plate.

There was also a pitcher of what looked to be tea on the buffet.

I was so damn uncomfortable. Charleigh hadn’t said anything, so I was trying to be cool, but my gut was saying to keep my guard up.

That was probably what my nervous feelings were about before we got here.

It was like my spirit was picking up on some foul shit that would happen.

She was talking to her boyfriend, but I knew she was watching me.

I could see her from my peripheral. I chose to keep my attention on Delaney’s beautiful ass.

When her mother and Denver came from the kitchen, they were both holding two big dishes.

Denver held the platter with the fish and the one with the broccoli rice casserole.

I could imagine that those two were the heaviest. As they set the platters and bowls on the long table, Ms. Boutté said, “There’s tea on the buffet, and I made a cheesecake for dessert. ”

“I can’t wait to get a piece of that,” Delaney’s dad said as her mother rolled her eyes.

That must have been his favorite, along with Denver’s, because he said, “You and me both.”

Everyone chuckled, then Denver had us all grab hands to bless the food.

I glanced over at Delaney as she watched me reach out to grab Charleigh’s hand.

I wanted to jerk my hand away, especially when she started caressing my shit with her thumb.

I could feel my anger climbing to higher heights.

Her dad needed to end this damn blessing so I could let her hand go.

He just kept rambling about family and us all being together.