Chapter 12
From what Aubrey could remember, Sierra Black lived two streets away with her parents, three siblings and their grandmother, L’atoya Black. Before heading to the Black’s residence, Aubrey stopped at a coffee shop for a hot cup of coffee to warm up her insides and give her the boost she needed to officially start her day. Despite her crappy mood, Aubrey was determined to keep herself occupied for as many hours as she could manage. Hopefully, Eric would be gone by the time she returned home later in the day.
By the time she got to the Blacks’ impressive brick home, Aubrey realized that she hadn’t been there in years and a lot had changed. The building had been repainted, the lawn now had a smattering of colorful flowers and there was a swing under a tree in the front yard that she had never seen before. How long was it since I last came here? She asked herself as she walked up the front steps towards the front door.
The Blacks still did not have a doorbell, so Aubrey had to use the huge brass knocker on the door to announce her presence. Some things never change, she thought wryly.
When the door opened, Aubrey was greeted by the aged yet agile matriarch of the family, L’atoya Black herself. The older woman blinked a few times as if trying to make sure that her eyes were not deceiving her.
“Is that you, Aubrey Silver?” Ma Black, as she was fondly called by the townspeople, asked curiously.
“Yes ma’am, it is,” Aubrey confirmed with an understanding smile. “Good morning,” she added, knowing Ma Black was a stickler for formality.
“Why, good morning my dear girl. Don’t just stand there, come on in.” She held the door open for Aubrey to enter.
Just like the surroundings outside, the interior of the house had also been given a makeover. The house looked even larger than Aubrey remembered, with its welcoming furnishings done in a combination of pastel colors that flowed together smoothly. Aubrey was sure that Sierra’s mom, Dione Black was responsible for the transformation, being that she was a successful interior designer who ran a thriving interior decoration business in town. Her taste in color and decorative pieces was second to none.
“Come into the kitchen with me, dear,” Ma Black said invitingly. “Dione and Jared are baking cookies for Summer’s play date with her friends. Those little monsters will be here to turn the house upside down after school.”
Jared was one of Sierra’s brothers who lived with the family with his 9-year-old daughter. He was a divorcee and worked as a realtor by day and a craftsman at night. He could make the most amazing art you’d ever seen with scrap metal, and the sales he made from selling them earned him a small fortune on the side. As they neared the kitchen, the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies wafted out through the open doorway and Aubrey’s stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t had breakfast this morning.
“Look who came visiting,” Ma Black announced, as they entered the kitchen.
“Aubrey Silver?” Dione couldn’t believe her eyes. “Hello! Welcome!”
Jared’s jaw dropped. “I’ll be damned,” he muttered in awe.
“Don’t be rude, Jared. Say hello,” Ma Black ordered her grandson.
“Hello, Aubrey,” he greeted obediently.
“Hi Jared. It’s good to see you all,” she said awkwardly. “Where’s Sierra?”
“Oh, Sierra left for Chicago this morning with Reese. Vanessa is due to have her second baby any minute now, so Sierra went over there to help out with taking care of Lily. She’ll only be there for a few days though because you know Sierra, she can’t stay away from her babies for too long,” Dione informed Aubrey.
The Blacks and the Browns became related by marriage when Sierra’s sister, Vanessa, married Ryan’s brother, Reese. The two have a toddler named Lily and they lived in Chicago. No wonder Vanessa wasn’t at the Feast last night.
“I didn’t know Sierra had kids,” Aubrey admitted.
“I bet you two haven’t spoken in a long time then,” Dione said. “Sierra got married six years ago and she has twin sons, Fred and Frank. They just turned four last month.”
“Oh,” Aubrey said in a small voice. How time flies!
“Did you come here to see Sierra?” Jared asked her.
“Uh, yes,” Aubrey admitted, a little embarrassed. “I didn’t realize that—that a lot had changed since I last came here.”
“Well, that’s life. Change is constant,” Jared said with a shrug.
“That is true. I thought it would be nice to drop by and say hi to her…” she drifted off.
“Well, she’s not here. We are. Now pull up a chair and watch us make cookie magic,” Dione said with a big smile to put Aubrey at ease and quench the awkwardness in the room.
Relieved, Aubrey gladly obeyed and sat down at the island where Dione and her son, Jared, were elbow deep in cookie dough. Ma Black offered to fix Aubrey a quick breakfast, since the family already ate before she showed up, and she didn’t have the heart to say no. Besides, she hadn’t had soul food in years, and nobody made it like the Blacks—they were legendary for their delicious home cooked meals.
Aubrey sat with the family, laughing at their jokes and listening to the latest happenings in the family. For the first time in years, she truly felt at home.