Page 44 of Atlas
“Yes, Sheppard and Skai are about to graduate so this is their early graduation gift from all of us to them. We’re proud of y’all,” Josh says.
“You and I are gonna talk about this,” Savvy tells Josh. While Skai goes around the table hugging her uncles and Josh. Sheppard slaps all of them up, grabs another taco still eating one already, and starts to head out to see his truck. As soon as he gets to the door Savvy tells him to have a seat. He looks like a toddler that has just been told they can’t play with their favorite toy.
Movement catches my attention and I turn to see Jabarri can’t take his eyes off of Skai, once she gets to him she skips his hug and gets swept up in Atlas’ arms. Once he puts her back on the floor, Jabarri asks “where’s my hug Skai, I chipped in too.”
“How much was your portion?” she asks and he gives her a figure. She turns and asks Jag for that exact amount. He pulls out his phone and she asks him to transfer it into Jabarri’s account instead.
“There ‘s your hug, in your bank account,” she says.
Before he can respond the door opens again and in walks, another young lady and I swear I hear Jabarri growl, and Atlas just shakes his head. After the young woman comes back from washing her hands she speaks to everyone.
“Ms. True, this is Alayna, my girlfriend. Alayna, this is Uncle Atlas’ girlfriend., ``we greet each other and she digs into the tacos.
“Um hell no!” Savvy says “we are not going to ignore the fact that Seph was seen with a woman that none of us knows about. Who is she Seph and why haven’t we met her?”
“It’s not serious, Savvy, that’s why. We have an arrangement, nothing more,” he says.
“MmmmHmmm,” she says with her lips tooted up.
“Let it go baby,” Josh says. And she sucks her teeth.
Atlas goes back out to the car and grabs the toys we won from the giant mouse and passes them out to everyone. We hand out slinkeess, pinwheels, bouncy balls, candy, pencils, cotton candy, and a bunch of other stuff.
“Tell me you didn’t actually go to this kiddie arcade and actually play games to win these prizes,” Asher asks laughing.
“Yes I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself,” Atlas says indignantly.
“I think that sounds like a fun afternoon,” Savvy says, looking at Atlas with a huge smile on her face.
“GrandPeter!” Skai says and Peter freezes With his taco halfway to his mouth. He looks down the table at Skai who's looking at him like she didn't just in essence call him her grandfather.
"Yes baby granddaughter" he replies and I swear he has tears in his eyes.
"Do you have hotels in Bali? I think Alayna and I want to go there for our graduation trip. But I'm only staying at one of your hotels. "
“No but…
“Peter, do not buy a hotel in Bali just so those girls can go vacation there!” Savvy says
“You don’t tell me what to do with my money Savannah, and I wasn’t going to buy a hotel for her! You act like you made my money for me. Skai you chose any hotel you want to go to and I will pay for the hotel, and all your expenses. As a graduation gift. And Sheppard let me know what you want and we will work on you getting it. Stop pouting Savvy, I am allowed to spoil my grandchildren.” Peter says as he looks at Savvy daring her to say her children are not his grandchildren. To my surprise, she doesn’t say anything.
We sit in there eating and drinking for a few hours after that and everyone chips in with the cleaning and we have the place set to rights in no time. I pull Jabarri to the side and let him know what I need and he tells me he’ll have it ready for me by the next day. He seems pissed and he has not taken his eyes off Skai. Skai however has not bothered to spare him a glance.
“And you!” Josh’s voice booms and he gets Jabarri’s attention “We’re going to talk about that shit!”
I swear I can hear Jabarri swallow. Hell, I’d swallow too. I would hate for all of that attention to be focused on me.