Nadine

Grandma Beth was doing ten times better when I spoke to her this past weekend. She was concerned about my decision to leave Libby, and said she did not understand it, because according to her, “That man is crazy about you.”

We went back and forth about what that meant if I stayed in Libby or came back to Maryland. Then Grams hit me with the mini-speech, I’ll never forget.

“Don’t come back here, Nae. Ain’t nothing for you here. That boy, Jabro, let you go by trying to manipulate you to stay and now he found you a job?” She made a ‘tsking’ noise with her teeth. “It’s more manipulation. Your mom is good now. You don’t need to worry about her and people can’t hold you to their ideals when they can’t even hold up to them. She married who was best for her and you need to do the same. Money ain’t everything. Your mama is living proof that her best life is with that there husband of hers. ‘Cause the God and the aliens know, it wasn’t before that. So, you, baby Nae, you live your best life. That boy down there loves you. Worships the ground you walk on. He’s a keeper. Work on a farm or not. You love him too. Do you hear what I’m saying to you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, not really feeling chastised, but empowered as well as amused that she never bothered to say Jabbar’s name correctly.

Grams was right and I knew Mills might be mad, but if everything he said was right, then we couldn’t be over. This conversation is what had me marching over to his family’s property fuming that I hadn’t heard from him in three days.  

By the time I get there, out the gate he was telling me that he loved me and working on a plan to keep me there. The weight and confusion that tore at me every day began to dissipate with those words. He loved me, but he was also trying to figure out a solution. The man wasn’t letting me go without his contribution. Jabbar, he easily let me go. No fuss or fight, just the notion that I was replaceable. He could get another Nadine. The man’s family was wealthy, so, of course he could. But that’s what I meant. I cared about him, but did he give a damn about me?

Pops finagled me to come over for dinner. After class, I took a shower, changed and went over to help Pops cook. I was not even in the house good, when I was met with another sort of mess. A heated discussion of another kind and I wasn’t even at the house yet, but could hear Pops yelling, more like growling. This made me stay on the lawn for a bit, before entering.

“You here any other day.” Pops voice rang out.

“Look, Tony,” Ida’s voice could be heard loud and clear. This was through the screen door, the wide-open wooden door, down the porch, and wooden stairs. “I’ve been busy. Now did you invite me over to fuss or did you want me to have some dinner?”

“Told you before,” his tone was clipped. “You here any other day. What makes today different?”

Damn, the old man was as stubborn as a rock. Here he actually called to have the woman come over and now that she was here, he was too full of pride to just say he missed her.

I climbed the steps and walked through the front door only to see Mills already in there watching the two of them with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

“Hey,” I whispered as I sidled up to my man.

He looked down at me with a broad smile, pulled me into him and kissed me sweetly.

“Hey, baby,” he murmured against my lips before pecking them again. “Just in time for the Timms’ Show starring Tony and Ida.”

I snickered into his chest and shook my head.

“Tony, you ole fool.” Ida put her hand on her hip. “Suit yourself. I’ve learned, even in my old age, that I don’t need to be where I ain’t wanted. Took me long enough.”

She turned on her heels and Pops face briefly morphed into a hardened gaze. A swift look at Mills and Pops sighed before he called after her, “Ida, dammit!”

“What!” She snapped.

“I called ya ass over here to eat, now. I done made all this here food. So, come on and eat. If I didn’t want you here, I’d never let you stay. Before and now.” He shook his head, walked into the kitchen cursing and murmuring. “Called her over here and she giving me shit. Trying to leave. Fuck if I...”

I could not hear everything he was saying but it was damn funny as Mills and I leaned against the back of the sofa laughing to ourselves.

Ida leveled her eyes on me and then she winked. I returned the gesture and kissed Mills’ cheek.

“Class was fun today.” I told him. “We combined cabbage and collards, to see what would happen. A few studies showed, but we got to do it ourselves. I’m super excited.”

He eyed me for a bit and then a broad smile crossed his features.

“God, I love you.” He gave me a chaste kiss on the lips. “Love that you love this type of stuff.”

I laughed and said, “Yeah, I am glad you aren’t teaching anymore though. That was such a distraction and you getting all macho on poor students that you thought were threats. That is unprofessional.”

My mouth was in a smirk with one eyebrow raised. The man simply shrugged as if given any chance, he’d do it again. He would too.

“He was an ass and needed to be taken down a few pegs.” Mills replied. “I’d gladly sign up for the job.”

“Looks like you have your hands full,” Ida walked into the living room with us.

“Yeah, looks like it.” I laughed.

“I’m the one that has my hands full, Ms. Ida.” Mills chimed in.

The old woman looked down at my bottom, since I was facing him, then she looked back to him and said, “You sure do.”

I gasped and Mills burst out laughing as he walked me backward into one of the bedrooms.

“It’s not that funny,” I hit him on the chest.

“Oh, baby. That is fucking hilarious.” He quipped, while locking the door behind me. “However, I do enjoy your ass.”

He squeezed it tight and pressed his hard cock into my front.

“I do think it’s one of the top three of your body assets.”

“You’re an ass man, huh?” I lifted my leg around his waist. “Mills?”

“Yeah, baby.” He made quick work of his pants and holstered me up, so the majority of my weight was against the door. “A quickie, okay. I just need you real quick.”

Before I realized how fast the man was working, I felt my panties being pushed to the side and Mills entering me, making me go lax on his hard cock.

“Oh God,” I exhaled.

“Yes, this is fucking heaven.” He pushed in and out, causing me to grab onto his neck and aid with his ministration.

“Fuck, Mills.” I murmured because Pops and Ida were the types to walk right in this room.

“I know, baby.” He whispered back as he continued to fuck me against the door. “I know. Meant for me in every way.”

“Yesss.” I sang the word as the orgasm slid down my body and released.

Instead of yelling and having the embarrassment of Tony Timms and Ms. Ida knowing we just had sex, I bit Mills on the neck with a low groan. This spurred him on and then he released inside of me with the same act of his teeth digging into my shoulder. Oddly enough, I felt no pain, just ownership. Plain and simple.

Mills was my one.

The revelation moved beyond the awesome sex and even the chemistry. He and I were compatible, hardworking nerds that found each other in some random place called Libby, Iowa. He loved me and showed it every chance he got. I told him I was leaving, and he lets me know that he’s beyond pissed and then goes about setting a plan. And above all of that, I love him.

By the time Mills finished cleaning me up, we fixed ourselves and return to see Pops and Ida coming through the kitchen door with panhandlers and smoking hot food in each hand.

“Bet you’re hungry now,” Pops smirked at Mills.

“Yeah, starved.” He replied while I just blushed and quickly sat down.

Mills pointed and smiled at me behind their back, but I turned my head so I could keep a straight face.

Damn.

Dinner was different. Pops asked Ida questions. Well, it was more like an interrogation.

“You been on dates, huh?” He popped a piece of biscuit into his mouth. “Anybody I know?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. You’ve been around these parts longer than most.” She nodded and dug into the coleslaw.

“Better not be that Roger over at that damn sorry excuse for a grocery.” Pops growled. “He’s a charlatan and a cheat. You deserve better than that.”

Me, Ida and Mills eyes instantly grew as we all processed what the man just said at the same time. Was he giving his blessing? What happened to Tony Timms aka Pops?

“It better not be Phil, over at the car dealer. I hear he cheated on his wife when she was alive. You don’t need that either.” He kept going.

“Oh and that Bruce. Well, I hear he needs those pills. If you into that type of thing.”

“Pops!” Mills interjected by scolding his father.

“What!” the old man snapped back. “She needs to know what she is getting into. Out there dating and all.”

The man went on to warn her against three more guys until she stopped him and asked, “Tony, you know an awful lot about the men. Any woman folks knocking on your door. I have some of my own insights.”

Pops quickly shifted in his seat with a collective look of disgust, “Ain’t no damn women knocking on my door. Don’t have time for shit like that. The only woman that’s ever been over here with my family is you.”

I swear I saw hearts go into Ida’s eyes, but they quickly disappeared when she jerked her head and continued to eat.

“That’s true,” Mills replied, completely oblivious to what was happening around the table.

“Some good that does,” Ida murmured.

“Say what?” Pops snapped back at her in his usual tone, but this time was different.

Ms. Ida slowly turned around with squinted eyes aimed at Pops. It was about to go down and as much as I didn’t want to witness it, another part of me felt like I might be needed to save Pops’ life.

“Shit,” Mills murmured.

“I SAID!” Ida shouted. “Some good that does since I’ve been the only woman over here with you, your family and even your extended family. Not ONCE!” she shouted. “Not one damn time have you asked me out. Not once. Now I start dating and you got all this funky advice. Tony Dee Timms, you have a lot of dirty nerve. You hear me. Balls of a bull you have. Golden damn kahunas.”

She abruptly stood up, jerked her head at Mills and said, “I pray to God that you treat that godsend right, there” she pointed to me. “Better than your father has ever treated any woman. And I mean ANY! If you want to keep her, you better learn now, Mills. Cherish who you have now, because they are not guaranteed to stay. Nor will they.”

Pops jumped up so fast, his chair went flying back and fell on its side.

“Now, wait one gotdamn minute,” he snapped back at Ida. “Who the hell are you to come talking about”

“I’m Ida, you fool!” she screamed at him with a pointed finger in his direction. “I’m the one that’s been here for years. Years, Tony. You’ve ignored me over and over again and I won’t take it one more minute. I deserve more. I’m a good woman. A loyal woman. Hell, I’ve followed after you for years. Dropping hints, cooking for you and your boys. Almost at all the family events. For years, Tony. You don’t think I can make you happy? Well, fine. Then don’t worry about me, Tony Timms. Find some other woman that will lick your boots or just die a miserable old man living in the past. I won’t watch you do it. Not no more.”

Ida picked up her pocketbook, turned and walked out with a surprised Pops staring after her with his mouth wide open. Once he regained his jaw back, he turned around without a word and left Mills and me at the dinner table.

“Damn,” Mills whistled and pulled out his phone. “I’ve got to text this to J.D., Knox and Troy. They are NOT going to believe Ida finally lost her shit.”

“Mills,” I said while slapping him on the arm, “This was a rough moment for her.”

“Yeah, I know,” he was giggling like a schoolboy.

I shook my head but was pretty proud of Ms. Ida. She let Pops have it and good for her. The man needed a reality check. Hopefully, he’ll listen before it really is too late.

***

THE NEXT WEEK, MILLS showed me the wedding invitation for J.D. and Tess. It had a brown and pink theme, which was different than anything I’d seen before. It was pretty and worked in its own way, which I figured was the only way things as sticky as relationships could work.

“The bastard is making us wear a tux,” Mills scoffed. “And actual dress shoes. Not boots or even tennis shoes.”

“What’s wrong with that?” I called to him who was in my kitchen while I was cuddled up on the sofa.

It was six o’clock in the evening and we were getting ready to watch the latest episodes of The Good Doctor on Hulu. Mills was popping the popcorn and getting the drinks.

“A suit?” He yelled. “I don’t want to wear a fucking tight ass suit. The last time I wore something like that, I was a kid going to Sunday school or some shit. I don’t wear suits.”

I laughed at this man’s aversion to formal wear. He was such a man’s man who worked on a farm.

“Well, I’d love to see you in a suit.” I teased. “The things I’d do.”

“Say what?” I heard his voice louder and turned to see Mills’ head hanging out the kitchen.

Laughter burst from me again.

“I said, I would love to see you in a suit. The things that I would do.” I lifted one of my eyebrows and smiled.

“That so?” His entire body appeared in the doorway. “What are you wearing to the wedding?”

Me?

“I’m not going.” My eyebrows pulled together in confusion.  

The man vacated the kitchen and was now moving towards me with the same puzzled look, “What do you mean you’re not going?”

“Well,” I gulped. “The invitation didn’t include me, so I won’t be going.”

Mills plopped down on the couch right next to me and gathered my hands in his, “Of course you’re included. What is this about?”

He had that look, the one that meant Mills was about to lose his shit

I sighed and said, “The invitation doesn’t have my name on it.”

There was no way I wanted this to be the topic of discussion today. I also did not want to bring up the other elephant that was equally as big. The plan that he was supposedly working on.

Mills snatched the invitation from the magazine table and stared at it for a beat and then his face frowned. Then the big guy was back on his feet and heading towards my kitchen.

“Mills, where are you going?” I called, thinking he was about to pull another one of his numbers and leave.

There was no answer until I heard him say in a stern voice, “J.D. Who did these invitations?!?”

Oh boy.

I hopped up and scurried into the room behind him.

“Mills,” I hissed.

“Shh,” he replied. “Who did Tess hire? A company?”

I shook my head and then leaned over the counter to see that he hadn’t finished popping the popcorn.

“It hasn’t been Rebecca for months now. You and Tess know that. How it became her, I’m not sure but Nadine is coming with me if you want me to go.”

Oh shit.

My head swiveled back around to face Mills, surprised by the tone he was taking with his older brother. They were usually very civil, except for that time when I first met him and his eye was black, purple and blue. He told me he’d been in an altercation with Knox. Apparently, it had something to do with his second oldest brother being a shit because his girl left him. I think they were still not together, but Knox had been getting his life together. That’s according to Mills and Pops, anyway.

“Because my woman is over here saying she’s not going because she wasn’t invited. Now it looks like my family is in on some sort of conspiracy when I know they hated Becca. That’s why I’m pissed.” He explained, and my heart became mush.

I slid my hand up his chiseled arm and kissed his bicep before I mouthed, thanks. He kept talking to his brother and I finished making our bowl of popcorn.

When he finally joined me on the couch, he leaned in to kiss me on the temple.

“We’re good now.” He took the bowl from me. “A new invitation is going out tomorrow morning.”

That comment had me thinking of a few unpleasant things, so instead of harboring on them, I asked.

“Am I a replacement for Becca?” I asked. “I know some men need to have a woman in their lives to keep them on the straight and narrow. Am I that for you?”

“Fuck no.” Mills snapped. “You have nothing to do with Rebecca. I wanted a partner and it’s a bonus, you’re sexy as hell, smart, nerdy like me, thoughtful, sweet as pie, and all mine.” 

I audibly sighed and shared, “I wasn’t fishing for compliments.”

“I wasn’t jumping to give you any,” he replied quickly. “Just answering your question.”

“Am I a rebound for that guy, Jabbro? He looks like he lives in a suit and I’m going to be bursting out of mine. You said you like suits.”

All of those questions had my eyebrows shoot up and apparently, he was taking after my grandma by mispronouncing Jabbar’s name.

“Why are you asking these types of questions?” I moved closer to him with my leg bent under me on the sofa.

“I thought this was the moment we ask questions about our insecurities.” Mills' eyes stayed planted on mine.

Shit.

“I see.” I nodded. “Jabbar and I broke up a long time ago but had been going through the motions. Also, I said I would like to see you in a suit. Like at the wedding. I love those dong-covered jeans entirely too much to take that away.”

It took half a second for Mills to pounce and I screamed and flipped over the couch to run in the back. The man caught me mid-run and had me in the air.

“Dong-covered jeans,” he repeated as I giggled from his busy fingers that tickled me.

“Yesss, ye, yesss!” I stuttered and kept laughing hysterically.

When we finally settled back on the couch, cuddling, eating popcorn and watching the television show, I whispered in Mills’ ear.

“Thanks for fixing that invitation hiccup.”

His head turned slightly so he could catch my eyes and said, “Always.”