Quanni's parents pictured above

"Can you turn the radio up?" I shouted from the back of our Mercedes family van. We were traveling to Dallas, Texas to celebrate with my dad's side of the family, and honor my grandma Steph for her birthday.

He increased the volume a little bit without saying a word or taking his eyes off of the road. He and I haven't been on good terms really since our disagreement a month ago. Whenever Rich is around he's distant, and to be honest I'm over it. I don't necessarily want his approval, but respect and support would be nice.

I started jumping and moving to Tye Tribbet's 'He Turned It'. I'll be the first to say that no matter what my flaws, or how hard I try to escape the fact, I'm just a true church girl.

"You just won't be satisfied until you snap your neck huh peanut?" My older brother Stephon turned laughed looking back at me with his youngest son Tre on his shoulders. He, his wife Anise and three children flew in from Detroit. He took off the whole week from his construction business to be with the family.

"Ah, hush up and give me my baby" after three tries he finally got himself a son, and he was just as handsome as he could be.

"Right, cause my kids better be the only ones you thinkin about for now little girl." He said giving me the eye.

I just shook my head and continued playing with my nephew

"So tell that lil friend you got, I mean business."

He says that every time he sees me whether or not I'm talking to someone anyway so it didn't really bother me. I was however curious to know what his thoughts were about me dating someone just a few years younger that him.

Stephon was already 12 years old by the time I came along so he was always like a second father to me. He's one of the reasons I'm so spoiled today.... He could never say no to me, even to this day. But that also meant he was extremely over protective. He gave a hard time to any guy that showed interest in me. He nearly killed Tyson when he found out he cheated on me, so I'm just a little apprehensive about him finding out about Rich.

"Tee tee, I wanna play a game on your iPad"

"Me too" my nieces Staci and Starla said from beside me.

"Okay, here Staci," I said to the oldest who was five.

"Ask me first before you switch to something else." I instructed her

"I wanna play dress up" Starla yelled. She was 3 years old going on 30.

I let them debate amongst each other about what to play first while I rocked Tre to sleep, slipping into my own thoughts. I was just about to close my eyes when my phone vibrated. I had two texts

Rich 😍🙈💋

Hi sweets, I was thinking of you. Enjoy your family this weekend. I love you 😘

Me

Awwww 🙈 thanks Richie, I love you too. I miss you 😩

I smiled at the thought of him while I opened the text from my mom. What she had to say that she couldn't say out loud I have no clue.

Mommy 👑😘💗

Honey, are you sure you didn't want to invite Richard. This would've been perfect.

At first my mom didn't even consider the thought of him and I together, but she's come around these past two and a half months. I can finally open up to her about how I feel. She says if I'm happy, then so is she. She just told me to remember who I am. Whatever that means.

Me

Of course I did mom, but do you really think it would've gone well? 😒

Mommy 👑😘💗

It'll get better.

She was once in my shoes. When her and my daddy met she was 16 and he was 21. Another reason why I'm shocked that he's acting like this

Me

I hope so. Thanks for understanding. 😘

I grabbed my headphones from my bag and pulled up my pandora app. I let Jazmine Sullivan sing Tre and I to sleep for the remainder of the ride.

************

I was sleeping good until I felt someone nudging my shoulder.

"Okay peanut, we're here now." My brother said still nudging me, doing some silly dance

"Ugh. Why are you so lame? And stop calling me that. I'm not a baby anymore." I said while grabbing my bags and getting out.

"Well, I don't care sis, you'll always be my baby. Love you lil girl" he smiled down at me and put his arm around my shoulders.

Everyone else was already in the house, he was just coming out to get the rest of the bags. I still couldn't believe I had managed to sleep the rest of the way. That almost 5 and a half hours. I guess I need to. I've been running myself raged with school. Which really has paid off because in December I'll officially be considered a sophomore, and I did it all in a span of 6 months. I finished up with work for up to two week, and since I was in good standing with all of my professors, missing a few days for this trip was okay. Yup, I'm rooting my own horn!

"Quanni baby, come help with dinner!" My mom shouted from the kitchen door.

Her and my aunts had been in the kitchen cooking since we got here, and that was about three hours ago so I don't know what possibly needed to be done.

"Here baby, set the table" my aunt Charlie said, handing me the dish cart.

I walked into the dining room and instantly started thinking of my grandma, we had so many memories here. Family occasions will never be the same without her. I remember running into the house when I was little and jumping into her lap. She'd always brush my hair and sing Amazing Grace. I wiped a tear away as I finished setting the table. I watched as all my aunts, uncles, and cousins interacted with each other. I guess a piece of her lived on through us.

My dad was the oldest. Then there was my aunt Charlie, her husband Stan, and my older twin cousins Kory and Korine and their wives, they're 28. My uncle Preston, his wife Lisa and my big cousin Leah, her husband and daughter she's 22. Then the youngest, my favorite aunt Missy, her husband Cecil, and my big cousins Mickey, Rheanna, and Derrick and their significant others. They're 30, 27, and 25. Yup, I'm the baby of the grandchildren.

We were all sitting around the table sharing memories of grandma Steph, while eating her most favorite meal. Fried Chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cornbread.

I shared the time I got a whoopin for breaking her good China plate. Granny tore my behind up. We were all laughing and talking when my dad got up and left the table. Maybe he hot overwhelmed with emotion. Any other time I'd go see but, I figure he'd be back shortly.

"Pass the red velvet cake" my brother said nudging me yet again.

"Dang bro, save some for the rest of us" I said jokingly while passing over the dish. Baby Tre was in his lap reaching for a piece when I picked him up so Stephon could eat in peace.

"Yea, I want there to be at least one piece left when I'm done with my plate" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me.

I turned my head to see Rich standing in the doorway next to my dad. That's why he got up to leave.

"Good evening everybody" he spoke

"Hey"

"How ya doin man?"

"Sup"

"Yo who the f-" my oldest cousin Mickey was about to say before his wife elbowed him. He was the thug of the family, but at this point I didn't even care.

"Oh my God, what are you doing here?" I jumped up out of my seat and ran into his arms

He picked me up slightly from the ground and kissed my chin.

"I'm here to see my baby, apparently you've been on hush mode all day" he whispered in my ear

I looked over his shoulder to my dad. He just nodded his head at me and smiled. Maybe he did care. Besides he knows it's always hard for me when Grandma Steph's birthday comes around.

"Come, make yourself comfortable young man." My auntie Charlie said with a smirk on her face. She gave my dad some kind of eye, and I knew it was on.

"Yea, lil nigga, let's see what you about" Mickey said as he took a swallow of beer.

This was Rich's chance to show it too. Cause if things went left he was on his own. I hate to say it that way but, it's true.

"What's your name?"

"Who your folks?"

"What do you do?"

The bombarded him with a boatload of questions but he had a quick and descent answer for every one of them.

"What's your intentions with my baby sister?" My brother cut his eyes at him.

"Well first of all, I respect Quanni before anything. I'm not into playing games. I don't have to tell you that your sister is amazing. She's intelligent, loving, and funny. I really appreciate meeting her because she's made a difference in my life. Quannique is wise beyond her age. She's confident and she knows her worth. And.. Well, I just want to make her happy." He said looking over at me.

I blushed and started playing in my mashed potatoes.

"Well as long as you treat her right, you good with my fam." My brother said, reaching out to give him dap.

"Man forget all that. You tryna hit lil nigga?" Mickey spat from the end of the table

Just then my aunt Charlie reached and smacked him in the back of his head.

"You have lost your damn mind" she shouted

"You know what, we'll be out back" I said grabbing Rich's hand for him to follow me.

We sat outside for a few hours in the tree swing.

"Thank you for coming" I said softly as I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Anything for you baby" he kissed my forehead

I was still in a state of shock that my dad cared enough to invite him. It's a must that I thank him.

"You ready for tomorrow?" He asked stroking the side of my face

"Not really, but just like every year, I have to suck it up"

"It's okay to hurt, just don't stay in that place for too long sweets. I'm sure she'd want you happy right now," he said

"You've got every reason to be. You're beautiful. You're in college. You're an amazing singer. You're apart of an amazing family that loves and supports you, though they show it in different ways. But you know what else?" He asked

"What?" I said raising up from his shoulder

"I'm here with you, and I love you" he said just before he pulled me into him. He lifted up my chin and looked into my eyes. Finally, his lips met mine, and he kissed me like he'd never see me again.

In that moment nothing else mattered. He kissed every bit of my pain away. I didn't just love this man anymore, I was in love, and I prayed to God that it wouldn't be in vain.

The rest of the night was spent watching movies in the theatre room. I was relieved to know that all my folks approved of Rich, and if they didn't, they were doing one hell of a job faking.

******

I was awakened by the smell of fresh brewed coffee and crisp bacon. I was trying to move when I realized I was trapped by a set of arms around my waist. I turned to see that it was Rich. I smiled to myself as I thought about him surprising me.

I leaned up and his chin. He stirred a bit and pulled me closer to him.

"Hi beautiful" he whispered with his eyes still closed.

I didn't say a word. I just smiled and laid my head across his chest.

I could get used to this.

*********

" Good Morning dad" I said walking into the room him and my mom were staying in.

"Steph, how you doin baby girl" he smiled up at me from his side of the bed.

" I'm okay dad.... Thank you... For everything" I said sitting at the edge of the bed

"Stephanie you know I love you, and I'm always here. I don't ever want you to feel like you can't be you. I just want what's best for you. I see how happy you are, and I don't want to ruin that. You're welcome baby." He said

"I love you too King" I said jumping into him for a hug.

"Good, just promise never to forget who you are..."

"I won't dad"

Why everybody keeps saying that I don't know.

I went into my room to bathe and get dressed for the day. After breakfast we had a balloon release. Everyone wrote a prayer and what was on their heart about grandma Steph on it and then let if fly. It was so beautiful. Later that evening we all went to the grave site and laid flowers and cleaned up her memorial. Rich was by my side the entire time, but surprisingly I didn't break down. Progress.

We all chilled at home for the evening until it was time for the all white dinner That was to be held at Bijoux.

"You ready sweets?" Rich asked from the door of my bedroom. I glanced at me him and nearly forgot myself.He had a fresh Taper fade and his goatee was perfect. He was dressed in a white linen Louis Vuitton suit with a crisp white blazer and a pair of Belvedere Fede White Velvet loafers. Just the sight of him made the bottom of my stomach hurt. I think I needed to change underwear.

"Baby?" He said interrupting my thoughts.

"You ready to go?" He said with a smirk on his face. He knew exactly what I was thinking. Though we never really discussed it, I knew we were both physically attracted to each other. We've come close plenty of times, but I always stop before it gets too far.

"Yea, just a sec" I replied putting on a coat of my NYX Matte Red lipstick. I took a glance in the mirror for last minute approval. For tonight's outfit I chose my white tiered long sleeved dressed with bulky shoulder pads. I accessorized with my diamond tennis bracelet and necklace. I wore my hair in a high uniform bun to accent my bold red lip. I slipped on my Multi-colored Pigalle Louboutins and we were out the door.

Dinner went by smoothly. We laughed, talked, took pictures, and even decided to stop by a karaoke place on the way home. Everyone had to sing... Including Rich

Once again I was caught by surprise at his song choice

All my life

I prayed for someone like you

And I thank God that I

That I finally found you

All my life I prayed for someone like you

And I hope that you feel the same way too

Yes I pray that you do love me too

He looked into my eyes the entire time while my family ooohed and ahhhhed. Everything about this man was doing something to me.

I think he's the one.

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It gets real next chapter. You determine the wait ☕️