Their Redemption

4: First Impressions

Ronnie

Due to both excitement and anxiety, I barely got any sleep last night. I’m not sure how mama will act during their meeting. If she does anything like she did Xavier, she’s going to go full lawyer mode and ask him all kinds of questions. My phone buzzes and it’s a text from Malcolm.

Wanna catch a movie after I meet your mom?

Yes. Let’s do that. And good morning to you too.

Sh.it, I’m sorry. Good morning, beautiful.

No worries lol. Can you come over around two?

I’ll come whenever. I dedicated my day to you so two is fine for me.

I text him my address. He said he dedicated his day to me. I can feel myself cheesing. How can I not like him? Since we’re catching a movie, I can wear something relaxing, so I grab a pair of shorts and a racer back tank shirt to wear today. After making my way downstairs, I start breakfast. I’ve been up for a while anyway, so I might as well start my day. I cook some sausage breakfast links and eggs. Mama comes downstairs as I prepare to make some toast.

“Okay, what has this Malcolm guy done to you? You’re up before 8 a.m. AND you’re cooking breakfast on a Sunday morning,” she says.

“I made you some coffee, too.”

“Okay, now I can’t wait to meet him. He must be something. He knows what time to come, right?”

“Yes, and we’re going to see a movie later.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting him and the breakfast you cooked. I know how much you hate being around Derek, so I’ll just go get Dorian.”

“Actually, ma,” I blurt and grab her hand, “can we just have breakfast right now? Dory and Derek can eat while I take my shower.”

“Okay. It’s been a while since you and I had some alone time like that.”

I fix our plates and we sit at the table. I think about Malcolm and I smile.

“Shay, you really like him, don’t you,” mama says.

“I do. I can’t explain it, but everything feels right,” I smile again.

“Just be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt,” she sighs.

We finish breakfast and I hear movement upstairs. I wash up our dishes and make my way to my room. Derek and I pass each other on the stairs.

“Good morning, Shay,” he says.

“Derek,” I say as I continue to my room.

I have to go see if Dory is up. I knock on his door and he tells me to come in.

“Poopy butt, how long have you been up?”

“I just woke up. I smell food,” he says.

“I made breakfast. Derek and mama are downstairs. I’m going to take a shower and get ready. A guy is coming over later. I want you to meet him.”

“You met someone? That’s cool. Can’t wait to meet him,” he says as he jumps out of bed.

I go to my room, grab my clothes, and go to the bathroom. I check my phone and it’s a little after ten.

“Hey Siri, play Roni by Bobby Brown.”

The song plays and I hop in the shower and sing my heart out. It plays a few times and all I can do is think about Malcolm. He called me his sweet little Roni.

I get out of the shower, get dressed, let my hair down and put on some light makeup because I don’t need anything as flashy as last night. I sit in my room and watch a little Family Guy to pass the time. The hours pass so slowly, but it’s almost time. As 2 p.m. approaches, I get nervous. I haven’t heard anything from Malcolm since earlier. I look out my window, staring like a hawk, waiting for him to arrive. A white Jaguar pulls into the yard. I rush downstairs yelling he’s here. As I stand at the front door, I try to fix my composure. Mama, Dory, and Derek come downstairs and go into the living room. I go to meet Malcolm outside.

“Hey,” I say as I walk out the door.

“Hey, little Roni. Girl, I’ve been thinking about you all night and all day.”

He caresses my face. I grab his hand and take him inside and introduce him to everyone.

“Ma, Dory, Derek, this is Malcolm. Malcolm, this is my mother Pam, my stepfather Derek and my little brother Dory—I mean Dorian.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Malcolm nods.

He’s still clenching my hand when we make our way to the loveseat. Derek and my mother stare at Malcolm. She looks at how he’s holding my hand. I know the look she has. She has her lawyer look. She starts her cross-examination of him.

“So Malcolm, tell me about yourself? Where are you from? What exactly do you do for work? Do you have any kids,” mama asks him.

“Born and raised in Charlotte, NC,” Malcolm responds. “I work at the Wells Fargo HQ in Charlotte. I am a personal financial advisor, but I also help people with businesses as well. And uh… I don’t have any kids, but I hope to one day.”

“Mm-hm... and how long have you been working there?”

“Right at two years. I spent six years in college getting my master’s degree in business administration and management.”

“You have a master’s degree? You must have a lot of debt.”

“Actually, I don’t. You see, my great grandfather believed in creating generational wealth. So, he saved up all his money to ensure that he could start a tradition within our family. I have a nice trust fund and part of it paid my tuition. Truthfully, I choose to work but I don’t have to.”

“Woah. So my sister has a YBR man interested in her,” Dory says.

“What’s YBR Dory,” I ask him.

“Young, black and rich,” he grins.

“I guess I fit that description and I am very interested in your sister,” Malcolm smiles at me, but my mother is still staring at him.

“So, you have a trust fund,” Derek asks.

“I do,” Malcolm nods.

“I was a trust fund baby myself. How often do you use it?”

“Not too often. I make a decent amount to survive on with my bank job. I’ll probably use the money in my trust fund to jump start my kid’s trust fund,” he says.

“Malcolm, let me ask you something,” mama says seriously.

“Okay,” he nervously answers.

“What does a 26-year-old want with an 18-year-old?”

“Really ma?! You just had to ask,” I say with annoyance.

“Keep quiet, Shay,” she snaps at me.

“Actually, it’s fine. It’s a legitimate question,” he says as he strokes my hand with one of his fingers. “Honestly, I didn’t expect her to be eighteen. I thought she was older. She carries herself maturely, but I knew there was something about her from the moment I laid eyes on her at the coffee shop.”

“I don’t understand how you both feel the way you do,” mama groans. “Shay never stopped smiling when she came home last night and she spent nearly the entire morning smiling.”

What the hell? I can’t believe my mother is exposing me like this right now.

“I’m not gone lie to you, Ms. Pam,” he says. “I don’t quite understand it myself, but something about your daughter just makes me feel good. I spent the entire night smiling and thinking about her, too.”

Mama looks at us and exhales, “Listen, I don’t want any grandchildren any time soon.”

“MA,” I shout.

“What, Shay? I don’t. Besides, I don’t know what he’s thinking. He might want to have s*x with you tonight. He might only want to be with you for s*x! You’re only eighteen. Some men like their women young.”

I curl on the couch with embarrassment and she smacks her lips at me.

“I’m not that kind of guy,” he assures. “So there won’t be none of that, I promise. I’m more interested in her mind and soul than her body.”

She stares at us again. Malcolm is still holding my hand and he’s staring at me.

“Okay, I approve. You better not hurt my baby,” she threatens. “She’s my little girl and I want what’s best for her.”

“I promise you; I won’t hurt her. I’ll treat her right and with the utmost respect,” he says.

She still has her lawyer face on and says, “It’s already after three. I guess you two better get going.”

I’m glad this is finally over but she approved of him, so that’s a good thing.

“Give me a sec, and I’ll meet you outside,” I say to Malcolm.

“Alright. It was a pleasure meeting you all,” he says as he goes out the door.

“I can see why you’re so into him. There is something about him that’s attractive. He’s very well established too, so I guess that’s a good thing as well. He may be alright,” mama says.

Hearing her say that makes me so happy. I hug her, run upstairs and grab my phone and keys.

“I’m gone,” I yell as I run out the door.

I meet Malcolm outside. He’s standing by his Jaguar. It’s very nice. It’s an XF.

“That was pretty fun,” he chuckles. “Although I am wondering why did your mother refer to you as Shay?”

“For as long as I can remember, mama has always called me Shay. It’s my middle name. Well, Lashay is my middle name. I didn’t even know my name was Veronica until I started school. Everyone in this country ass place knows me as Lashay, so I’d prefer to be called Veronica. I asked mama years ago why she never calls me by my first name, and she said it’s because I’m named after my father. He was the one who named me and when he died, it was too painful for her to call me that.”

“I see. So, don’t call you Shay? Because you can call me Jamal, if you’d like.”

“Please don’t call me Shay,” I croak. “And I’d rather call you Mal and you can call me Ronnie.”

“I like the idea of you calling me Mal and I’ll stick to calling you Roni ‘cause that’s what you are,” he says. “You ready to go see a movie?”

“Yes, I’m ready for some alone time with you.”

He stares at me with his brown eyes for a few minutes, eyeing me from head to toe and smiling at me. He then opens the car door for me. We waste no time leaving to go to a movie theater in Charlotte.

———

——

—

Pamela

I look out the living room window at Malcolm and Shay. Their interaction reminds me of Shay’s father and myself. He’d look at me the same way Malcolm looks at my baby. He seems like an okay guy. I can tell he genuinely likes her. They are both so smitten with each other, even though it’s only been one date.

I have to say, Malcolm is very delicious looking. That alone is enough to make a woman go crazy. If I was twenty years younger, I’d definitely agree to go out with him, too. He’s beautifully brown and he has dark brown eyes. He has kissable full lips and pointy ears, but he is very handsome. His facial hair and haircut give him a mature s*x appeal. He has to be at least six feet tall, and it’s obvious he’s built. His muscles look big and strong. He’s smart, has a smile to die for, and he’s got a little money. He seems like a good fit for my Shay. Time will tell, though. I only hope he keeps his word and treats my little girl right.