my chin and gave me a quick peck. “Let’s go downstairs before our spawn give your mother a heart attack.”
* * *
“Set the table for me, Nicole. Dinner is almost ready.” Mama continued to stir the pot over the stove.
“Yes, Mama.”
“And don’t forget to wash those babies’ hands.”
I inhaled softly and rolled my eyes.
“Save the ’tude, young lady.” She didn’t look up, and I was still amazed at how she knew when I was rolling my eyes, sucking my teeth, and giving her ’tude, as she liked to call it.
“Fine, Mama.” I hustled out of the kitchen and set about doing what I was told. Sure, I had a sassy attitude when it came to my kids, husband, friends, and frenemies, but I was damn near a pussycat when it came to Mama.
Even before Daddy had passed, she was always the authoritarian figure, while my dad tried to figure out ways to sneak around her to get me what I wanted. After Daddy died, it was hard to joke around with Mama. We were poor and brokenhearted. There wasn’t much to smile about.
“Dinner is ready!” my mom yelled from the kitchen while I arranged the table setting.
A stampede thundered from overhead. Could be the kids or James. They all loved Grandma’s cooking.
Everyone rushed the dining room table, but after Grandma gave them a look, they all slowed. Even JJ. My husband grabbed the booster seat and pushed it up for our son.
Mama settled on the opposite side of me. Her peach blouse fit nicely against her curvy figure and chocolate skin. She was beautiful, but I looked nothing like her. I took after my daddy; my skin tone was on the lighter register since my father was biracial.
“Let us pray.” Mama bowed her head and stretched her hands. I grasped a hand, while James took the other. She squeezed my hand twice as she’d done ever since I could remember. Never with anyone else, just me.
“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the strength to prepare this food for my family. Thank You for my handsome son-in-law who takes care of his family like a real man should.”
I rolled my eyes. Sounded nice on the surface, but I knew she was throwing shade at Daddy. The man was dead, for God’s sake.
She took a deep breath. “I also want to thank You for my beautiful and smart grandbabies.”
“I not beautiful!” JJ shouted. “I hand-sum.”
“Excuse me, Lord.” Mama giggled. She never giggled with me. “My beautiful granddaughter and handsome grandson. And thank You for my child.”
Not talented, gorgeous, accomplished? She needed to take a page from my child on compliments, but whatever. I decided to give my eyes a rest before they got stuck in the back of my head. The woman was throwing the entire shade tree at me today.
“In the name of Jesus, we pray—”
“Amen!” We all joined in.
After a few minutes of eating, my husband started our usual conversation.
“How was school, baby girl?”
Bria grinned, still chewing her food. “Great, Daddy!”
James motioned her to swallow and she complied. “I’m gonna join the talent show and Mommy is gonna finish showing me how to play the guitar!”
My mother’s fork clattered against the china dinnerware. Her eyes drilled holes into me. “You’re what?”
My heart dropped. I did not want to have this conversation with Mama around. She was like the mom from The Water Boy, but instead of foosball being the devil, it was music.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, Mama, I am. Bria is a natural.”
“Babies, close your ears,” she said to my kids.
Used to our sparring, they ducked their heads and covered their ears. James, however, looked pissed.
“You want her to end up like Stanley? Your father was a natural, too. And so were you.” She waved her fork in my direction. “And look how you ended up.” She then pointed to my wine glass.
“Kids. Leave the table.” James’s voice rang clear. He helped JJ out of the seat.
JJ protested. “But, Daddy, I hungy.”
“I know, son. I’ll come get you in a minute. Count down from one hundred.”
He ushered both kids out of the way and then returned to the dining room table.
Standing by his chair, he pivoted his attention to my mother. “Daniella. You know I love you. I appreciate all that you’ve done for us, especially when we were struggling financially in the early years of our marriage. But I won’t stand for you coming down on Nik. Bria is our daughter. She loves music, and she