chapter four
Houston

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When Zilla invited me to Houston, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had heard so much about his family—his mom's side especially—but meeting them in person was a whole different experience.

I'd met a few of his cousins, friends, brothers, and his mom, but there were still so many people I hadn't had the chance to connect with yet. Arthur, Ejay, his cousins, aunts, uncles... and his adorable niece, Sienna.

We'd been talking about me coming to visit Houston after Zilla came to Chicago, and when the opportunity came, I knew it was time. It felt like a big step, meeting his whole extended family, especially with how close-knit they all seemed.

When we arrived at the house, it was immediately clear this wasn't going to be some small, quiet family gathering. It was an all-out celebration, and my stomach twisted a little with nerves. But Zilla seemed at ease as usual, giving me a reassuring smile when he noticed the surprise in my expression.

The door opened, and there stood Leata, Zilla's aunt, a warm smile spread across her face. She pulled me into a tight hug that almost knocked the air out of me. It was so sudden, but it felt so welcoming. I hadn't expected this kind of warmth, this kind of immediate openness from everyone.

Leata stepped back, her smile still beaming. "Kayla! I'm so glad you're here," she said, her voice filled with a kind of genuine enthusiasm that made me feel instantly at home.

As I stepped inside, I was taken aback by how many people were there. The house was buzzing with activity. Everywhere I looked, there were people laughing, talking, moving around, and most importantly—food. The smell of it was intoxicating, and my stomach gave an appreciative growl. Was all of this for me? I wasn't sure, but it certainly felt like it. Zilla chuckled at my wide-eyed reaction.

"You good?" he asked, his arm casually around my shoulders, leading me further into the house.

"I didn't expect this," I said, my voice almost a whisper as I looked around, still in awe of the sight before me. "This is a lot of people. And food."

Zilla laughed, clearly amused by my overwhelmed expression. "Yeah, this is just how my family is. We're always celebrating something. I don't even think they know how to do small gatherings."

I smiled, appreciating the warmth that was already washing over me. It was such a stark contrast to the quiet, more intimate gatherings I was used to back home. But this... this was something else.

"Alright, nephew, I see you," I heard one of his uncles say from across the room, dapping him up in a loud, playful exchange. I could see the pride in Zilla's face as he exchanged a quick hug and handshake with his uncle, then made his way over to me.

"Oh, that's your girlfriend?" Zilla's grandma asked, and I could see the sparkle in her eyes as she moved toward him. She didn't wait for a response before pulling him into a tight hug, squeezing him like he was her precious baby boy. She then did the same with me, pulling me into a bear hug that left me feeling warm all over. She was so much smaller than I expected but carried herself with so much power and love.

I couldn't help but notice how many people seemed to be watching us—no, watching me. Aunts, uncles, cousins. Their gazes were kind but curious, like they were sizing me up, trying to figure me out. And honestly, I couldn't blame them. Zilla and I had been together for a while, but this was different. This was meeting the whole family. Everyone was so lively and easy-going, and I was starting to feel like maybe I was the outlier here, the one who didn't quite belong—yet.

Then, as I was slowly getting passed around from relative to relative, I heard someone mention my hips.

"Perfect hips to bear children," one of his aunts said with an approving nod.

I blinked, unsure how to respond to such a... direct comment. I felt my face flush and looked at Zilla. He caught the look of shock on my face and, sensing the need to rescue me, he immediately came to my side.

"Yo, save her, Isayah!" Naio, Zilla's older brother, shouted with a grin from the other side of the room.

Zilla didn't miss a beat. "Excuse me, Auntie, I need to make Kayla a plate," he said with a calmness that made me feel like he was used to this kind of thing.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen, where I was happy to see a huge spread of food laid out. As soon as we started putting our plates together, I felt like I could breathe again. Zilla's calm demeanor was infectious, and after a few minutes of navigating the bustling kitchen, we finally settled down at a table.

Zilla's niece, Sienna, who couldn't have been more than four or five, slipped into the seat next to us. She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes wide and inquisitive. I couldn't help but smile back at her. She was adorable—her big, curious eyes taking in every detail as she pushed her food around her plate.

She didn't say anything for a while, but then, out of the blue, she wrapped her little arm around mine, leaning her head against my shoulder. "Auntie Kay, you're pretty," she said, her voice soft but sincere.

I felt my heart melt in that instant. She had no idea how much I needed to hear that today, how much I needed to feel like I was doing okay, that I fit in with this whirlwind of a family. I smiled back at her, my voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Sienna. You're beautiful too."

A moment of silence passed before Sienna piped up again. "Are you gonna marry Uncle Zilla?" she asked, her innocent gaze flickering between me and Zilla, as if this was the most normal question to ask.

I let out a surprised laugh. It was such a sweet, straightforward question that I didn't know how to respond. I looked at Zilla, searching for some kind of answer. He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Sienna's boldness.

"Well, your uncle has the answer to that question, right, Uncle Zilla?" I said with a playful grin, nudging him gently.

Zilla, who had been enjoying his food and looking at me with that unbothered smirk of his, took a bite before answering. "Well, Sienna," he said, his voice teasing but calm, "your Auntie Kay and I are still figuring that part out."

Sienna furrowed her little brows for a moment, clearly trying to process the answer. "But... why?" she asked, sounding almost perplexed that we didn't have that figured out already.

Zilla shrugged, playing along. "You know, sometimes grown-ups take their time with stuff like that. But we're happy, so that's what matters, right?"

Sienna seemed to think about this for a moment before nodding solemnly. "Okay. You're happy. That's good."

I chuckled softly, feeling a sense of relief that this was going better than I expected. Zilla's family, for all their boldness and questions, seemed to genuinely care about each other.

I could see that their loudness, their openness, was just their way of showing affection. They were curious about me, yes, but it wasn't invasive—it was simply their way of making me feel included, of trying to understand who I was and what I meant to Zilla.

After dinner, we spent time laughing, chatting, and getting to know each other better. The awkwardness that I had felt earlier began to melt away. Zilla's family wasn't perfect, but they loved hard, and that was something I could definitely respect.

As the evening wound down, and everyone began to say their goodbyes, I realized something important: I was starting to feel like part of this family. Like I truly belonged here.

Maybe it was because of the way Zilla had embraced me from the moment I stepped through the door, or maybe it was because of how Sienna had innocently asked me about marriage. But whatever it was, I knew this visit to Houston was just the beginning of something special.

And when I looked up at Zilla, his eyes meeting mine with that warm, knowing look, I couldn't help but smile. I was ready for whatever came next.