Page 41 of Surrender

I grinned. “If you missed me, just say that.”

She rolled her eyes as she brushed past me. I chuckled to myself. We usually saw each other three to four times a week. Since we got back in town, I’d only seen her twice and talked to her a handful of times. She said she wanted to give me space to enjoy married life.

“Hey, sis!” she said, pulling Kachelle in for a hug.

“Hey, boo.”

I smiled at their interaction. I loved that they were getting along and building a relationship outside of ours.

“You mind if I tag along on your house tour?” Jess asked.

“Of course not.”

I was surprised that she even asked. Usually, she popped up when and where she wanted, no invite needed. Maybe Kay would be a good influence on her. She was becoming considerate, and that was big for her spoiled ass.

“For the record,” Jess said, looking back at me. “I did miss your big head ass. I’m trying to get used to not spending so much time with you, but it’s been hard.”

She stuck out her lip like the brat she was. Kachelle wrapped an arm around her.

“That’s so sweet! You know you don’t have to stay away, right? We’re getting to know each other, but I wanna get to know you, too. You should come out with my best friend and I. She wants to throw me a post-bachelorette celebration.”

When she told me about the party, I told her to have fun and even offered to drive and pick them up so they could get there and back safely.

“Oooo! Turn up! I’m there!”

“Y’all ditching me already?”

Kay rolled her eyes. “I’m coming home to you, sir.”

“Just one question,” Jess interjected.

“What’s that?”

“Are you one of those girls that gets drunk and leaves your girls for your man?”

Kachelle laughed as she walked over and wrapped her arms around me.

“I mean, have you seen my man? Y’all might end up on your own.”

Jessa made a face and shook her head. “I don’t know what you see in him, girl.”

I shot her the middle finger as I grabbed my wife’s hand. “Bring your ass on so we can get going.”

This was going to be a long day.

We’d viewed seven houses today.

Each of them were beautiful in their own right, but I could honestly say, none of them felt like home to us. Could we see ourselves living there? Yes. Would we be completely satisfied? That was another story. I wasn’t in the business of buying multiple homes or starter homes. I wanted a home I could grow into, and Kachelle felt the same way.

Currently, we were on our way to the final showing and my baby was giddy with excitement. She kept looking at the listing and pointing out what we could do in different areas. I could tell she had her heart set on this one and I prayed that it didn’t disappoint.

When we pulled up to the gated community, she and Jessa looked around in awe.

“Oh, y’all trying to be fancy,” Jess said. “I ain’t mad at it. Just let me pick a room in the house.”

“Lies you tell,” I said as we slowly drove through behind Elizabeth. “What’s that saying Grandma had? Come see me ain’t like come live with me.”

She waved me off. “Remember that when you need a babysitter. I don’t know Kay’s sister, but I’m already claiming the title of favorite auntie.”