“Mom, I just got to my overlay!” I groaned through the phone.
“Baby, I know I’m sorry. Your brother just gave us these tickets last night, before he got on his flight with Kimberly.” My mom explained.
My first time returning to my hometown of Jones Hills, North Carolina, from Los Angeles, California, I wouldn’t be spending the holidays with my family.
“Remind me to call Xavier and cuss him out after we hang up,” I told her while making my way through Charleston International Airport.
“Well, if you didn’t take that gig in San Diego, we probably could have seen each other earlier.” She responded with a sassy tone.
Refusing to have a smart comeback, I sighed. Since graduating from Aurora College in Amethyst Falls, Tennessee, my life has been hectic as a music journalist for Melanin Vibez, a black-owned magazine out in LA. Starting as an intern and now being one of the head editors, I enjoyed my line of work. With my schedule being so packed, I rarely came home.
“Ma, I told you that Greg went back to Ohio, and I still needed an interview, so I just covered for him,” I explained; however, she didn’t care about my explanation.
“All I’m saying, Zaylee, is that your job will not keep you warm at night. You’re almost thirty-four and you haven’t given me a grandchild yet.”
I just laughed and shook my head at her comment.
“I promise you when I find the right person, I’ll give you all the grandkids in the world.”
“OK. Well, I have someone for you then, and he’s a good man. You remember Sarah’s s-” she started, but I interrupted.
“Mom, I gotta go. They just called my gate. Love you, bye!” I quickly hung up before she got the chance to finish. I loved my mom, but damn, I was sick of her hooking me up with her friends’ sons. It was one of the main reasons I didn’t like coming home. The last time I came home was four years ago, and she set me up on a blind date with her church friend, Paula’s son, Kevin. I only went because he was at the house waiting for me as soon as we got home from the airport. He was nice, but NOT my type at all. He had a light complexion with a grill on the top and bottom row of his teeth. He was wearing a faded-out white t-shirt that was three times too big for him, along with some very baggy pants that were falling off him. I didn’t look the best either, wearing some jeans and an oversized sweater, but at least I looked presentable.
We agreed to go on a coffee date, however; it turned into him making stops to pick up his drug money. Once we passed the street sign to one of the roughest areas in my hometown, I immediately pulled out my phone and asked my best friend, Raqi, to come pick me up. Now, whenever my mom tried to hook me up with her friend’s sons, I automatically shut the shit down.
Chuckling to myself, I walked to my gate, walking right into a tall figure. I thought I was going to fall flat on my ass.
“I’m so sorry. That’s what I get for not looking where I’m walking.” The tall figure with a deep voice said as he bent down to help me up.
“No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” I told him as I took his hand and looked up to see his face. My mouth instantly went dry. He had to be at least five feet eleven inches, brown sugar skin complexion, with dimples. A lean, muscular build, with shoulder-length locs. Fine as hell.
“Are you sure you’re good? Sure you won’t sue me? I know how people can be at the airport during the holidays.” He said, chuckling.
I was in a daze until he waved his hand in my face to get my attention. Blinking hard, I snapped out of my trance and smiled.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Sorry, you’re just… good-looking.” I told him bluntly.
He laughed heartily as a small dimple appeared on his left cheek. “Well, thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself. Do you want some hot cocoa or something? My apologies for bumping into you once again.”
I blushed, then looked down at my outfit. I wore a golden oversized sweater with my brown leggings and some UGG boots. Even though I lived in LA for years, I was still a North Carolina girl. Even though we didn’t get the harsh weather like New York, we still had our fair share of snow and coldness.
“Thank you,” I responded.
We just stared at each other like we were the only two people at the airport. Normally I’m not as forward, especially with men, but it was something about him that made me want to tell him.
Find out what happens next in I'll Be Home for Christmas! Coming Dec. 19th!!
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