just arrived as the main dish. Nixon smirked and watched Dad pull out Yasmine’s chair so she could sit, then take the chair next to hers. The man flirted with her, telling her how nice she looked, how good she smelled. I see he still has absolutely no shame.
Nixon sat on the other side of her, relieved when Leo asked Dad a question about his taxes and forcing the conversation to veer in another direction. Stretching his arm around the back of Yasmine’s chair, he leaned in and kissed her, then heard a burst of laughter and screaming coming from a few feet away. In came his dark-haired, tall sisters, Maria and Tonya, with their husbands and children in tow.
“Dad! Nix! Leo!” Maria exclaimed.” Hi, Jamie! Wow!”
A big, loud huddle ensued with everyone hugging, cheering, teasing one another, then taking their seats. Nixon engaged in small talk with his sisters and brothers-in-law, happy to see everyone, and every now and again looking at Yasmine who was engrossed in Tonya’s tale of a recent robbery at the bank she used to work at as a manager many years ago. When the waiter came along and took their drink orders, Nixon noted Dad fixated on something and followed his gaze. Ma was on the phone, her back partially turned toward the entrance. She appeared to be in the throes of a riveting conversation.
“Hold on a second, Yasmine,” he whispered in her ear, patting her thigh. He got to his feet and went to greet his mother.
“And that is why it was there in the first place, because he forgot it from the night before.”
“Ma, Ma…”
She smiled at him.
“Joyce, I have to go. I will call you back, okay? Nix is here givin’ me the evil eye to go sit down. Uh huh… okay… all right. Love you, too.”
Ma disconnected the call and embraced him, and he inhaled the scent of her perfume. She looked wonderful with her graying dark brown hair tucked behind her ears, about chin-length and full of body and shine. She was dressed in a sky-blue turtleneck and flared jeans, and turquoise jewelry on her wrists and fingers. Taking her hand, he led her to the large table. Everyone except Yasmine stood up, greeting Mom and giving her a hug and kiss. Dad stood too but didn’t dare move a muscle. He simply glared, like some creepy Peeping Tom. Yasmine slowly got to her feet and waited patiently.
“Everybody shut up for a minute! Jesus, I can’t hear myself think!”
“Nix, you’re so freakin’ offensive! The world doesn’t revolve around you, ya know?” Tonya exclaimed, then rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, but the sun does. Whatever. Look, Ma, this is Yasmine… this is my lady.”
Mom’s lips curled in an approving smile and she walked up to his woman, enveloping her in her arms.
“Yasmine, it is so nice to meet you. What a pretty name!”
“Thank you, it’s nice to meet you, too.”
“I had no idea that Nix was in a relationship, but now that I do, I am happy that he is!”
Dad looked so smug, proud he’d been the first to get the info, no doubt. He even puffed out his chest, his eyes turning beady and intense.
“Tino, hello,” Mom murmured as she sashayed past him to take her seat, avoiding eye contact. Leo rushed to pull out a chair for her to sit on.
“Alice, hey… ya look nice,” Dad muttered before taking his seat.
“Thank you.” Ma kept her gaze averted, as if she’d burst in flames if she even peeked at him. The chatter resumed, breaking the awkward moment.
“Yasmine, Nix tells me you’re a lawyer, too,” Dad stated, grabbing his glass of water.
Soon, the coffee a few of them had ordered arrived.
“Yes!” Yasmine smiled proudly. “I’ve been doing it full time for over ten years and that’s something else that Nixon and I have in common.”
“Yeah, yeah… nice. So, did your parents want you to get into law, or was that your idea?” the old man went on. He seemed genuinely intrigued.
“It was all my idea. I had always been interested in it. I was addicted to mystery books as a teenager and I enjoyed police, law and crime shows, documentaries, just like Nixon had. We even had an attorney come to our school and speak one day, and that spurred me to keep pursuing this path. I was also interested in ways to help my community and felt that African Americans don’t always get fair representation in the penal system.” Dad