40 - PSL

*Gobble till you wobble. Then a little more. – Rosie*
The ride up to Hot Springs should have taken Darkness and Camille a little over six hours. Traffic was heavy and they stopped a few times to let Tink run and stretch his legs. They had been on the road for nearly nine hours when they crossed the city limits for Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Camille was nervous to meet Darkness’ brother and his family. But at the same time, she was excited that he wanted her with him. She had been careful about packing her clothes because she wanted to make a good impression. But there also was not a lot of room in the backpack strapped to Darkness’ bike.
She had finally opted for two pairs of jeans, some nice shirts, a school hoodie and a casual dress. If it had been anywhere else, she would have just thrown a half dozen pair of pajamas in her backpack and called it a day. But this was Darkness’ family, and she wanted to make a good impression.
A cold wind cut through her thick jeans and made its way into her bright purple LSU hoodie under her leather jacket. Moving against the restraints of his safety harness, Tink shifted to use her as a wind block. At the next stop, she reached behind her to scratch behind his ear.
Her Bluetooth connection rang inside her helmet, and she removed her gauntlet to answer the phone on the holder on the gas tank. As soon as she answered, she pulled her gauntlet back on as Darkness’ deep voice filled her helmet and ear.
“Two lights up, we’re going to turn. Do you still have your maps pulled up?”
Grinning, she looked at the small six-inch screen on her phone with the mapping programs pulled up. He had made sure that she had the directions and the address. And each time that they stopped, he made sure that she still had them.
“Yes, I do,” she smiled as the light turned green and they moved forward with the rest of traffic. Over the past year, she had seen her Darkness happy, angry, sad and even pissed. But not once had she ever seen him nervous.
Oddly, the fact that he was also nervous, settled her own nerves.
At their turn, they both disconnected the call as they waited for the green arrow. After leaving the central area of the city, they meandered out into a heavily wooded area. She saw several signs for the Hot Springs National Park and wondered if they could go see these famous springs before they left on Sunday.
Finally, they turned onto the road and then into Jasper’s driveway. After dismounting, she removed her helmet and pulled her hood up against the wind before she unhooked Tink and removed his harness. Once he was free, he jumped down excitedly.
Jasper’s house was set back from the road in a wooded area. Tink was running around the yard and rolling in the leaves. Camille laughed at his antics and Darkness decided that the dog needed a yard to play in.
The front door opened and a woman with mocha colored skin and auburn hair stepped out. She smiled brightly at Darkness. He was completely lost in the woman and dog playing with a stick, oblivious to the three of them now having an audience.
The woman that Darkness brought with him stood with her back to the house. Jasper’s wife, Keisha, looked at the woman in jeans, boots a leather jacket and hoodie. The wind tugged at the hood and some blonde hair was exposed. A gloved hand reached up to hold the hood in place.
Jasper joined his wife and looked at his younger brother. He was happy. Even from ten feet away he could see it. Looking over as the woman that came with him turned towards Amos, Jasper was a little surprised. There were a few things his brother forgot to mention.
A teenaged girl a few years younger than Camille ran out and hugged Darkness. “Uncle Amos! Daddy said that you were coming!”
Darkness hugged her tightly and then sat her back on her feet. He held an arm out for Camille, and she moved to his side, Tink sat at their feet and leaned into Camille’s legs.
“Camille, this is my niece, Monique, my brother Jasper and his wife, Keisha.”
“Hi.” Camille said nervously.
“You’re white.” Monique said bluntly.
“I’ve heard that rumor.” Camille replied with a grin.
The response was unexpected, and the other young woman laughed. Keisha stepped forward and offered a hand.
“Forgive my daughter, Amos failed to tell us much about you.”
Smiling, she hugged the older woman because that’s what Sid would do, and Camille wasn’t sure what she should do. “It’s OK. He didn’t tell me much about you guys either.”
It was a lie. They had sat up several nights talking about his family. She knew that their parents died when they were young. Zydeco took them in and raised them. Jasper went to college, Amos to the navy. Jasper left the club, Amos patched when he was eighteen.
Jasper and Keisha had three children, two sons, Marvin and Mitchell, and Monique was their only daughter. Marvin was a junior in high school, Monique was a freshman, and Mitchell was in the sixth grade.
Camille knew it all. The good, the bad, the ugly that no one talked about. Just as Darkness knew everything about her family. Including the drama with Allison and the fact that one brother had two wives.
But from their reactions at meeting her, Camille knew that Jasper and his family were at a disadvantage. And the situation was a little awkward.
“Well, come on in. I’ll show you the room you’ll be staying in.” Keisha said pulling away.
She led the way inside and upstairs to a guest room. It was a magazine picture perfect room. Queen size four poster bed with matching dresser. The bedding and curtains were bright and warm in shades of orange, brown and cream. Camille felt like she had just walked into a pumpkin spice latte.
Cream colored walls with perfectly selected artwork that went with the pumpkin spice plaid. She couldn’t help but think she should take some pictures of the room and send them to Clay. Biting back a snicker, she could hear Clay’s reaction in her head.
Turning to her hostess, Camille asked, “Where will Darkness be staying?”
“*Amos* will be staying on the couch in the basement.”
She didn’t miss the emphasis on his name. Or the venom in her voice.
“I’m sorry, have I done something wrong?”
“I just think that you’re not right for Amos. You’re too young. Too…”
Camille smirked, “White?”
Keisha gave her a half smile and walked across the hall to the bathroom, also in the PSL theme. “You’ll be sharing this bathroom with the kids. Try to be courteous, there’s three other people using this one.”
Nodding, Camille knew that this weekend was not going to go the way that she had expected. Dismissing her, Keisha turned on her heel and walked away. Stepping into the doorway of the bedroom, Camille snapped a few pictures on her phone and sent them to Clay.
As she was going back upstairs with her backpack and Tink following closely on her heels, her phone chimed with an incoming message. Once the backpack was on the bed and she had tossed the light weigh blanket from her saddlebag on the floor for Tink she pulled her phone out and saw the response from Clay.
His sass did not disappoint.
*Girl. GURL!*
*Call your local Starbucks and let them know you found a basic white girl patch of PSL*
*Look and see if that comforter is reversible. The other side may be better*
Flipping up the bottom corner of the comforter, Camille laughed as she snapped a picture of the hideously ugly large leaf and floral pattern. Clay’s response was almost immediate.
*PUT*
*IT*
*BACK*
*Run, girl! Run!*
*Is there such a thing as orange flag? Or just red*
*Do NOT, under any circumstances, take fashion or decorating advice from this woman! EVER*
“Tink,” Camille said as she headed across the hall. Tink stretched before following her.
Just before her dog settled onto the pumpkin shaped rug, she snapped a picture. She then took a picture of the shower curtain of falling leaves and a pumpkin patch at the bottom. Moving the curtain slightly, she found a sliding glass door on the shower tub.
Snapping a picture of the room as a whole, she sent these to Clay also. *I try not to judge people’s decorating skills because mine stop at fairies and motorcycles…. But damn*
*The best pat of that room is that adorable pupper*
*Part not pat*
*But give that good boi a pat*