Evelyn
4:00pm

Christmas dinner was finally ready and everybody was in the kitchen fixing plates. Denise had a really big family so it was really packed at her house so thank god we cooked a lot of food.

After we all finish eating we were all going to open Christmas presents and just sit around and talk and enjoy each others company.

So far Christmas was going great.

"Everybody get one plate so that we can make sure everybody has ate" Tamika announced.

I grabbed a plate and started fixing my food. Everything looked and smelled so good. Hopefully I can get a second plate.

There was also a lot of cake and pies here which were my favorite. I definitely had to make sure I got some before it was all gone.

After I finished fixing my plate I grabbed me something to drink and went into the living room where Denise and her cousin Elise was.

"Is it still a lot of people in the kitchen?" Denise asked.

"Yeah it's still pretty packed" I said as I sat down.

"Damn.. I really want another plate" Elise said.

"Me too. I don't get full off one plate I'm a fatty" Denise said.

"Good thing we made  two of everything."

"Right" Denise concurred.

"Denise can I spend the night here with you?" Elise asked.

Elise was Denise little cousin. She was 17. She had a slim waist, thick thighs and a pretty face. She was pretty and really sweet.

"Eve is staying here with me"

"No she can stay. I'll go home"

"Girl no"

"You don't have to go home. We can share a bed together" Elise suggested.

"Girl I'm bigger than you. You won't even have room" I said taking a bite of my Mac and cheese

"Yep that was the last straw meet me outside so we can fight right now." Elise said making me laugh.

"I'm sorry.. I'm just stating the truth" I shrugged.

"That's not the truth. You're beautiful girl! I need to eat more so I can get your size. Got all that ass back there"

"Thank you" I chuckled.

"I told her about that. I be wanting to fight her ass too. I hate when she talk down on herself"

"Me too. She's my cousin too and I'll be damn if I let her talk about herself like that" Elise said.

I smiled. I loved how Denise family treated me like their family too. It made me forget that I had a family of my own.

"Okay I'm sorry I'll stop"

"Good or else ima make you look in the mirror every morning and tell yourself your beautiful" Denise said

"Okay I'm beautiful"

"And mean it when you say it" Elise said.

"I mean it I promise"

"Alright. "

"Finally it's some seats in this house" Denise aunt Jackie said as she took a seat on the other couch

"Mama it's still a lot of people in the kitchen?" Elise asked

"No the line down now. "

"Good. More food" Elise said.

Elise and Denise got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Evelyn it's been so long since I've seen you. How you been beautiful?"

"I've been good. Working a lot. How about you?" I asked while eating my greens

"Same thing hunny. Working and paying these bills"

"I feel you on that" I chuckled.

"You still at Burlington though right?"

"Yes ma'am" I said as I wiped my mouth.

"Are they hiring? Elise needs a job.. that girl getting too expensive for me"

I chuckled. "We are hiring. We actually need more cashiers"

"They hiring starting at 17 right or is it 18?"

"18 but for cashiers they hire for 16 and up. "

"Oh good! What do she have to do to get up there?"

"She can just go online to Burlington.com and click job applications and just fill out her information. Tell her to let Denise know when she submitted it so she can tell Ava our manger. "

"Okay she'll be doing that when Christmas break is over"

"Oh yeah and make sure since she's in school to put her school hours so they can work around her school schedule"

"Gotchu"

Denise and Elise finally walked back in with their plates and sat down.

"It's still plenty of food in there" Denise said as she sat down

"It'll be gone soon trust me" Jackie said.

"I'm about to go get me another plate right after this little bit digest" I said

"Same with me. I'm full right now"

We sat in the living room talking to each other just making conversation. Tamika ended up coming in with a few of other people I didn't really know.

Everybody was being really sweet to me calling me pretty. It meant a lot to me especially since I had low confidence.

After everybody finished eating we gathered into the living room so we could exchange gifts. I heard a lot of people had brought me a gift which was really surprising. I think expect for anyone to get me a gift except Denise and Tamika.

"Okay everyone can exchange their gifts now. If you would like to open them you can if not please take them to your car so they won't get broken or stepped on" Tamika announced.

I watched as everybody exchanged their gifts smiling and giving hugs. I smiled to myself. This was all so beautiful.

"Uh Eve?"

I looked up to see Ken Denise older cousin. He was about 23. He was tall with a Carmel skin He had two sleeve full tattoos that went all the way down to his hand and had dreads. He was cute but not really my type and plus I thought of him as family.

"Oh hey Ken. " I smiled. "I didn't even know you were here"

"Yeah I'm here. I been tryna talk to you but it's been so crowded and everybody been taking my attention away. Merry Christmas though and you look beautiful. "

"Aww thank you" I smiled.

"You welcome. I got you a gift" He said as he held up a Victoria secret bag.

"Aww thank you. I wish I would've known you were getting me something. I would've got you something"

"Nah it's all good. Open it though so I can see if you like it. "

I opened the bag and pulled out a Pure seducation mini mist lotion duo. It was perfume and lotion to match. I then pulled out some closed toe fur bedroom shoes.

"Aww thank you so much. This is so sweet. "

"Just like you" He smiled.

"Thank you Ken" I smiled as I hugged him.

"You welcome. " He chuckled as I let go.

"Ima let you talk with everybody else though. I'll see you later alright"

"Okay. Again thank you"

"You welcome Eve"

After Ken left 3 more people came and gave me gifts making me feel so loved and special. If I would've knew that everybody else was getting me gifts I would've shopped for them.

I felt so bad but I was more thankful than anything. I was glad to have a second family that loves me.

It me me feel special and I loved it.

DeAndre
7:33pm

Everybody had just finished eating dinner and we were now everywhere around the house. We had the women in the living room watching tv, the men outside smoking and listening to music and the kids were in the other living room watching tv and playing.

I was sitting outside smoking and listening to music with my cousins, uncles and homeboys. My uncles was doing their on thing on the other side of the porch while the rest of us was doing our own thing.

"Damn so Michelle cheated on you?" Tony my cousin asked.

"Hell yea man. I swear when I see that bitch ima kill her and that nigga"

"Man let that hoe be. It's plenty more hoes out here" Mont said.

"Man that was my hoe. Wasn't nobody else suppose to have her but me"

"I feel you on that shit. That's how I feel about Ana" Tony said.

"Ana still work at Burlington?" I asked completely ignoring the other conversation.

"Yea she a manger now. She barley be there though so I don't know how her ass get that position."

"She must be the big big manger"

"Shit I don't even know" He shrugged.

I nodded as I inhaled my blunt.

"Man what the fuck y'all think I should do? Should I really kill this bitch?" VonTae asked for the tenth time

"Nigga if you ask that one mo fucking time"

"Man.. " VonTae waved me off.

"I don't know why this nigga tripping. Shit me ima move on. That cheating shit don't bother me"

"It do if you really love a girl and you done put yo all into a relationship of 5 fucking years . I gave that girl everything. If she ain't have money I had it even if it was my last $5. I did everything for that girl man. Y'all just don't understand. I don't give a fuck if I'm acting like a bitch. I was in love with this girl" VonTae spat.

I ain't gone lie I felt bad for my boy. He really did love that girl and all she did was treat him like shit.

I remember one time they had got into a big argument and she ended up moving out and went to stay with her mama for a couple days. I remember VonTae calling me telling me to come help him set something up for her and I did. He treated Michelle right and she just threw all that shit away.

But VonTae he put to much into females. He love females more than he do his self and then when they leave he feel alone and depressed. I know he can't help that shit though cause he gotta good heart But he gotta learn to love his self so when he do get into another relationship he won't be so heart broken when they leave.

"I ain't doing this love shit nomo man. I'm tired of giving my all to hoes that don't deserve that shit. I'm finna start hurting the fuck outta females"

"Nah man don't do that. Just because one female fucked you over don't mean they all will. All females not like that man. " Tony said.

"Shitt.."

"Yea he right bruh" I spoke up. "You can't let what she did to you stop you from messing with somebody else. The first thing y'all two niggas need to learn how to do is respect females. Stop calling females hoes and shit. That shit not cute at all. We grown man we ain't 17 , 18 or 19 nomo we grown as hell. That shit y'all be doing not cute and I done told y'all that shit"

"Man y'all know I don't be giving a fuck. Why should I open my heart up? I don't wanna be all depressed about no female. Fuck all that shit" Mont said.

I shook my head.

"Man I'm not saying open all the way the fuck up. But settle down, start a family or sum shit. Get y'all life together do something man" I took a puff on my blunt. "The shit you doing not cute"

"Fuck it" Mont shrugged.

I chuckled. Wouldn't nobody listen to my ass. They think just because I been in one relationship my whole life I don't know shit. I know how to treat a female and I know how I want to be treated by a female.

I never really understood why people cheated. If you not happy in yo relationship then just tell them that and leave. That will make a person respect you more.

My father might not be in my life but I know for a fact my mama made sure to teach me how to treat a female. If she ain't teach me anything else she did that.

And I'm thankful for her. Because without her, I wouldn't be the man that I am today.

1K readers🥳 I love y'all sooo much!

Ava is Denise and Evelyn's boss which is Tony Andre's cousin girlfriend..

Thoughts on Ken?

Thoughts on VonTae and Mont?