Saturday, May 5th

Holding the bottom of my sundress in my right hand so I don’t step on it, the other hand I have my plate of food, trying to navigate through all these little kids.  Granted ten of them I actually know and out of them I can only remember four of their names, two of which are my nieces, so everyone just gets called baby. Every year my dad’s side of the family throws a cookout, this year it’s one of his cousins. Sandra, I’ve met her and her daughter's a couple times but not enough to remember their faces. Dad kept bringing more and more people over to introduce, this is Sandy’s son, Sandy’s brother, uncle so and so, it just kept going on and on. So that’s why I’ve been sticking with anyone who I’m directly related to, sitting at a table with my mom, aunt, and unfortunately my sister-in-law when someone comes over shouting my name.

“Zaya, Zaya, Zayaaaaaa! Now know you she’s a Crowley, look at them s! Go head girl. Where ‘yo man at?”

Laughing because I’m slightly caught off guard, I try to remember which one of my dad’s cousins she is, “I don’t have one…”

“What!? Stop lying; don’t tell me no one has tried to snatch you up yet.”

“Nope—“  I was cut off by a whole bunch of yelling, turning my head to the noise, I see a group of Asian men walk into the backyard.  Odd but okay, cousins loudly greet them, giving dap and playfully hitting each other. Turning back around with confusion written all over my face,

“You don’t know who they are either do you?”

“Not the slightest clue.”

“Where your father at? Marcus!!! Get over here! Big Marcus, not you Marky.”

I chuckle as my brother waves her off in realization that she was calling for our dad. Scoffing at dad because he ruffled and messed up my hair as he finally approached our table.

“Why you keeping this girl in the dark about who her family is? On top of that she don’t know the Woo boys.”

“That’s because I don’t want her to get mixed up in all the dirt them boys do. She’s been a good girl all this time and she’s gonna stay a good girl.”

“But I would just like to know who everyone is. I mean every time I come to Albany, you always pointing out someone new and telling me they’re a cousin.”

“See, plus you know them boys ain’t gonna let nothing happened to her.” Dad just gives her the eye and walks away towards all the elder adults conversing.  Soon after Cousin Dee, mom, and Aunt May head in the same direction leaving me and this heifer of a sister-in-law alone at the table. Looking every which way popping a grape into my mouth to avoid a discussion with her, my eyes make contact with one of the Woo boys and he gives a nod at me. Seriously who are they? Grabbing my screwdriver off the table I take a swig, by the time I go to sit it back down this fool is sitting across from me.

“You don’t remember me do you?”

The hell is going on today, “am I supposed to?” my voice raises an octave saying the last word; I’m just completely dumbfounded right now.

“Nah I’m just sayin’ we did go to grade school together”

Pursing my lips together and just shake my head. Damn he should’ve have done that, those plump lips before speaking.

“You stood up for me in first grade,” I continue to stare at him, “You knocked this kid the out for making fun of the way I talked.”

The light bulb went off in my head then, “yooo!! On our way to music class, I remember you now!”

“You broke his nose.”

“Look he got on my damn nerves, he just kept going on and on, he got what he deserved.” He throws his head back and lets out a laugh. Zaya stop staring, even if he fine.

“You a violent little thang.”

“Excuse you?”

With his left hand he wipes over his mouth, “I’ve heard about you. Papa Jo’s great-grand daughter who acts just like him; knock folks out, asks questions later.”

“Papa Jo? Are all of you coming up from Pensacola?”

“Yea, that’s where I’ve been for the past fourteen years. Why?”

“It just explains that slight twang you got with certain words.”

Got damn that smirk, “oh you ‘gon make fun of the way I talk now too?”

“Pft! I’m just piecing things together. So… How do you know about Papa Jo?”

“Our families go way back. They were dealing with the same down in the south, so they had each other’s back.  And we still do.”

“Zico you over here harassing my little cousin?”

I watch as the two of them slap hands, “nah man, we just catching up.”

“Catching up, catching up on what?”

“We went to school together that’s all.”

“Umhmm, you watch yourself around that one, he be playin’ them chicks down south from left to right.” Grabbing my drink I raise an eyebrow at Mr. Zico over there as he just laughs it off.

“How you ‘gon lie on me like that ‘cuh?”

“Nigga, I know you. Zaya, what yourself.”

Well ain’t this 'bout a !