things. “I just wanna know how long that’s been going on, and do we need to have a refresher course on the birds and the bees?”
“Really?” I groan.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m too young to be a grandma. Ain’t nobody got time for that.”
Okay, Sweet Brown.
We get our usual pew near the back of the sanctuary. Grandma and Granddaddy come up the center aisle together. His silver tie matches her hat. He carries a stack of empty gold plates. It’s their Sunday to staff the communion table, which means they gotta go get the crackers and grape juice.
“All right now, y’all,” Granddaddy says. He gives Jay a kiss and gets his sugar from me. “Who is this beautiful young lady with y’all today?”
“Grandma and Granddaddy, this is Kayla, my girlfriend,” Trey says. “Kayla, these are my grandparents.”
Kayla shakes their hands. Oh, yeah, this is really serious if he’s introducing her to our grandparents. “Nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I hope it’s all good,” Grandma says.
“Of course, Grandma,” Trey says, a little too brightly. He’s lying.
“We still set for after church, Jayda?” Granddaddy asks.
“Yes, sir, we are.”
“What’s after church?” Trey asks.
“We’re having a family dinner,” Grandma says. She looks at my mom. “All of us.”
Hold up. She’s not glaring at Jay. In fact, Grandma has been over here more than a minute and hasn’t made one snide remark about her yet. Then, on top of that, my mom is invited to family dinner, as in, Grandma considers her part of the family?
Oh, God. “Somebody’s dying! Who’s dying? Granddaddy, it’s your diabetes, ain’t it?”
“What?” Granddaddy says. “Li’l Bit, I swear, you jump to conclusions so fast, you gon’ pull a muscle. Ain’t nobody dying. We just gon’ have dinner. Kayla, you invited, too. I gotta tell you, I make some of the best blackberry cobbler you gon’ ever have in your life. Bring your appetite now.”
“See y’all later,” Grandma says, and she and Granddaddy walk off. She didn’t even ask me and Trey to sit with her today.
I turn to my mom. I’m so confused. “What’s going on?”
The band begins an upbeat song, and the choir marches down the aisles, swaying their arms and clapping to the beat.
“We’ll talk later, baby,” Jay claims. She stands and claps along with them.
I still haven’t gotten any answers when we pull into my grandparents’ driveway.
Grandma and Granddaddy live in “that house” in the Garden. The one that almost looks too nice to be in the hood. It’s brick with an iron fence surrounding it. There’s a second story and an expanded den that my grandparents added back when my dad was a kid. Grandma keeps the front yard looking nice. They’ve got a small fountain for birds and enough flowers to give a botanical garden a run for its money.
I can’t help the feeling of déjà vu that hits me. Jay once pulled into this driveway and left me and Trey here when things got tough. They’re not nearly as tough now, but I’m not sure I like this. “What’s going on?” I ask.
Jay puts her Jeep in park. It’s just me and her. Trey and Kayla went to the store in his car. Grandma asked him to pick up some buttermilk and cornmeal for the cornbread. “Like your grandparents said, we’re gonna have dinner and talk about some things.”
“What kinda things?”
“It’s good stuff, I promise.”
I nod. I hate that that five-year-old is still inside of me, and I hate that she’s freaking out right now. I mean, I know my mom isn’t about to leave me here again, but that fear. It’s deep, but it’s there, like it’s part of my DNA.
Jay stares at the house, lightly tapping the steering wheel. “Every time I pull in this driveway, I can’t help but think about the day I left you and Trey here. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten your screams for me out of my ears.”
I didn’t know that. “Really?”
“Yeah,” she says softly. “Hardest day of my life. Even harder than the day we lost your daddy. I couldn’t control his death. No decision I made could’ve changed that. But I decided to do drugs, I decided to bring you and Trey here. I knew that the moment I pulled out of this driveway, it would change everything. Knew it. Did it anyway.”
I can’t find any words.
Jay takes a deep breath. “I know I’ve told you a million times, but I’m sorry, baby. I’ll always regret putting you through