terminally millennial

A cherry duster was flying down the highway. Jim got a glance of a dark brown thumb mid-air on the side of the sandy-covered roads. Turning on his signal light, he swiftly pulled over to a figure in front of a Burgundy Cadillac. Hopping out of his Signature vehicle, he greeted the brown figure, “Well, hi, how can I help you out today, beautiful?” He flashed his impressive smile that led to many fun nights in the backseat of his trusted duster. 

She fluttered her hand, matching his energy by flashing the same irresistible smile.  “Howdy, I got a flat suga,” Lisa L/n rushed out in a smoky voice as he moved closer. “Care to help me out?” she asked, leaning in closer as she spoke, batting her lashes while toying with the man's collar.     “Of course,” Jim rolled up his black sleeves and grabbed the items needed before starting. Jim loosened the lug nuts as the older man sneaked a peek of Lisa's thighs in her denim shorts as she watched the man, one hand on her hips and the other behind her back. “What brings you here? I can tell this isn't your neck of the woods, doll."

" 'm visiting some of my kinfolk." She admitted as Jim replaced the tire.

"Oh shit, are you from Mississippi?" He calmly asked as Lisa raised a brow and popped up in front of the man

"Who's asking?" The Mississippi woman questioned as she rotated her revolver while Jim turned his head.

Looking up to see the Silver Barrel of a gun, gifted to her by her father, looking back at him. “Whoa,” jumping back with hands in the air and wide eyes, “ you know y/n, she’s my kid’s teacher”

“Oh, you know my Junie,” she carefully relaxed her triggered finger and lowered her firearm while giving a welcoming smile to the dirty blonde. “Sorry, suga habit,”

"Don't worry, not the first" he grinned before finishing up," and you're ready to roll"

“Thank you," She let out before patting the man on the shoulder and hopping in. " You saved me from having to redo my hair,” she checked her curlers in the mirror before putting on her sunglasses as the Cadillac's purr echoed throughout the Arizona Desert. Dragging her purse to pull out a five-dollar bill from a stack of cash from her mother.  “Here, suga, I’m sure you’ll get someone on their back tonight.” Lisa lowered her glasses and quickly examined Jim as she held the bill between the tips of her fingers. “Cuz hon, it was never going to be me,” she added with a giggle before speeding off in the Direction of Y/n's School.

The rusty brick classroom was silent as Y/n’s students were in gym class. Staring down into the silver cage, the gray fur ball was shaking like a leaf on a windy day. Miss l/n gently opened the cage, trying to pet the Guinea Pig’s head; Yet Miss Mimi would duck and hide to avoid any contact.  Y/n deeply sighed, whispering an apology to the small animal before continuing to hang up the Valentine's Day decorations made by the students. Mimi began rambling around in her medium-sized cage to find a comfy spot to ease her worry.  Peeking her head in, Lisa's ears began to ring from Mimi's high-pitched screaming. Y/n turned around and flinched at the woman, grabbing her chest as Mimi's crying echoed. 

“Ah, don’t scare us like that,” Y/n shouted while her aunt laughed at her.

“Sorry, baby!” Lisa giggled before taking her niece in for a hug. “ Why’s Mimi so jumpy tho?” Lisa raised a thin eyebrow at the classroom pet; the small creature started to take deep breaths before rambling again. 

“Um...” the fourth-grade teacher sighed, “The poor girl almost met her maker while i was in Mississippi.” 

It was winter break, and Awan was trusted with the task of taking care of the pet while Y/n was out of town, visiting family.  The girls were in Aponi’s office, where Mimi had been for the past few days, and were playing with the three girls before dinner.

“Time to eat,” Aponi yelled from the kitchen as she took a green pot of mashed potatoes off the stove.

The girls placed the small animal back inside and walked off, leaving the cage door wide open. Soon their Border Collie named Kel-el came in, sniffing the area with a drooling mouth, as mimi snuggled underneath some hay to take a nap.

Awan, Aponi’s husband, Javier Mauricio, Izzy, and Doctor David were in the dining room connected to the kitchen.

“So Awan, remind us again why we're not meeting your girlfriend but her pet rat instead,” Javier asked his brother-in-law, who was fixing himself a healthy plate of Diné and Hispanic food. 

“She’s not a rat,” Awan stated, taking a seat across from Javier. “She's a Guinea Pig, who means a lot to her and her class!”

“Plus, who would want to spend the holiday with their student?” Izzy added while cracking open a cold beer. “She sees Luna enough at the schoolhouse as it is,” Izzy commented, taking her seat next to her date.

“Plus we’re not ready for that yet.” Awan delicately conveyed to the table in between bites. 

“I think it’s nice of you to wait.” David chimed in, causing Javier to cut his brown eyes towards the doctor. “It took me a while to ask Izzy out,” The man said with a hint of pink on his cheeks as Izzy grabbed his hand. Javier rolled his eyes and scoffed at the couple as his wife finally sat down at the head of the table with his and her plate.

“Sure, bud, but how can your mama meet Nina before we meet your girl?” Aponi’s husband complained before sighing. “Just don’t let a good thing go to waste, man.”  

“I’m not; that was for work, and how’d you know about that anyway?”  Awan’s eyebrows rose as his eyes slightly widened at his brother-in-law.

“Your mother told Ricky after begging him to come to the wedding,” Aponi explained as she twisted her plastic fork into her food. “God, then she begged him to ask me.”  She held her head up and frowned at her brunette brother.

“Shit, that means I'm next.” Awan let out a sigh as the sound of paws tapping onto the wooden floor filled the background. The adults continued their chat as the four-legged animal of the home entered the living room where their kids' table was.  “You think if i disconnect my phone, she’ll take the hint.” 

“No, then she’ll just come to your job and throw a fit,” Aponi firmly expressed before sipping her wine, made by their father.

“Kal-el, what's in your mouth? Chenoa carefully questioned the puppy, tilting her small head with her pink spoon sticking out of the side of her mouth. Both Luna and Cheyenne turned to face the sitting dog, whose mouth was closed shut, and cheeks were filled like a chipmunk.  The two turned to one another, frozen, their jaws near the floor and eyes wider than the Grand Canyon. 

“Open, boy “ Luna and Cheyenne yelled to the dog, running after him as the K-9 sprinted across the room.

“Aw shit,” Awan dashed into the living room after hearing the girls. “Drop her, boy." Mr Bitsui begged the animal as he chased him around the room.  "Come on." Awan carefully asked the Border Collie, cornered by his family. Yet, the dog made his great escape by crawling through a small hole between his humans. After many failed attempts, Awan fell on his face, and, with help from others, Aponi's childhood pet finally dropped the grey Guinea Pig. "Sorry, Miss Mimi”  Mr Bitsui let out. The small furry creature was shaking in Kal-el's saliva on the hardwood floor of the split-level home before it was scooped up into the Navajo man's arms.  Yet, the furry animal would fuss and shout at Awan in her gibberish language while clawing at his face, leaving behind a few marks. As the adults took a sigh of relief, little Chenoa's eyes began swelling up at the thought of her new cuddly friend being almost eaten by the other because she forgot to close the cage. 

"Bad dog!" Aponi and Chenoa, in her mom’s arms, yelled at the smiley pup before placing him outside onto the patio for the rest of the night.

“Maybe it’s a good thing she’s not here,” Javier stated while returning to the table. For the rest of the break, the three girls were on mimi duty and would not let her out of their sight until Miss L/n returned. 

"Aww, you must really like this fella if he can watch our lil mimi. “ The aunt cooled out while blowing kisses to the first thing she purchased for her niece's classroom, sneaking in a small piece of celery to the guinea pig in between the metal bars.

“He's kind, very trustworthy, and has it together.” The 4th-grade teacher shyly smiled at the remarks, her face heating up at the thought of her new lover. 

“Mhm, Thera,” Lisa yelled for her niece’s friend, Theresa, who was across the hall. As soon as Theresa  heard her name,  she popped into the room to comment on the subject.  “ whatcha think about this fella of hers?” 

“Oh, the  Navajo Gentleman, he is nice-looking and reasonable. Bland to some but lovable. “

“The  Navajo Gentleman,” Lisa slowly repeated, smirking at Y/n.

“He’s good for her, I promise, “ Theresa said, placing a hand onto Lisa’s shoulder.

“I’ll be the judge of that, sug “ Lisa calmly added before noticing a small creature at the door. “Is this a school or a zoo?” the older Mississippi lady asked, pointing at the bunny.

“Both,” the exhausted fourth-grade teachers expressed, as this was the tenth time Pom-Pom the bunny had escaped from her classroom. 

In the long hallway, y/n greeted and introduced neighbors to her aunt. Reaching the end, they were outside of her apartment; Y/n was skimming through her purse to find her keys. The two women could hear Awan, on the phone with Chenoa, who was begging for Jackson Five tickets as she had been doing for the past few weeks. 

"So how long are you staying?" Y/n questioned, pulling out her keys and placing them inside her golden door handle.

“Want me gone already?” Lisa smirked as Y/n frowned, twisting the key. “Just pulling your leg, sug, I leave Monday night.” She added, entering the home, taking a seat on the comfy sofa.  “I promise, boss lady! 'got work two extra days for it and cover any shift needed at the diner cuz of this little getaway,” Lisa said, pressing her thick lips together.

Y/n put down her school bag and purse on her armchair before entering her bedroom. "Now you know Grandma runs a tight ship like she's a navy captain; get any pushback from paw?” She yelled out from her closet.

“Eh, we’re not speaking at the moment.” Lisa crossed her arms as she leaned her head back.

“What did you do this time?” Y/n allowed out a deep sigh while placing her hand onto her hip. 

"Nothing… just told the preacher no after he asked for my hand in marriage,” Lisa added, mumbling the last part while shuffling through the spread of magazines on the coffee table. Noticing a woman's catalog with a few pages marked. “Is there anything we need to talk about?” The aunt popped up, meeting her niece at the doorframe of her bedroom. Miss L/n's eyes narrowed, and her lips parted. “ Don’t act dumb with me, little miss." She held up and waved the catalog, open to the lingerie section. “I hope y’all are using protection; we don’t need any more kids in this family, especially out of wedlock.” Lisa lectured Y/n, who walked past her, arms full of blankets for the pull-out sofa. “Y’know, pookie back in jail for not paying his child support,” The anutie carried on while flipping through the pages, as Y/n put down the items. “And got another one on the way by his first baby mama’s sister”

“OH MY LORD, is this why you're really here?” Y/n stopped, stood in front of her aunt, and snatched back the magazine. “ Did my folks put you up to this?”  Y/n questioned before walking back to her bedroom to hide the book in her nightstand away from intrusive eyes. 

“No, Junebug, I promise,” the aunt pleaded as she watched the shy woman warm up. " I'm worried, ya acting funny, and ‘want to know why.” Lisa’s brown eyes relaxed onto her niece’s heated face as the shy woman tucked back her tight curls. 

Sitting in the grand dining room of her grandparents’ Greek Revival mansion that served as a bed and breakfast for travelers. Gold dishes, covered in the finest food, loved ones gathered around the large circular table as laughter and chatter filled the space. Time paused, problems faded, and darkness turned into light in this home when the L/n family was together. 

“Say, Junebug,” Ava half-whispered to y/n, who was taking a bite of mac-and-cheese. "I never got a chance to ask, but how did you know what, go?”  The star asked her cousin before sipping her water.

“It was fine.” Y/n rushed out as her daddy across the table took notice

“What was fine?”  The two women heard the head of the table ask as the room swiftly went silent.

“Nothing.” The two rushed out loudly, causing their grandmama's face to frown. 

“When we’re at this table, we share with all, not some; you two know better,” the head of the family declared, making her two granddaughters quickly apologize. “Now, out with it!” the matriarch of the family demanded. 

“Junebug went on a date a while ago and has been tight-lipped about it since. Aunt Claire, tell me if the brother’s as cute as y/n said he is?”

“I can’t tell you, hon; we haven’t met the fella.” The doctor asked her daughter with an eyebrow raised, “Why is that, baby?” 

“Mama, it ain't like that.” Y/n let out, avoiding eye contact with her folks.

“ ya dating somebody, Junie?”  Lisa questioned, joining the conversation 

“You didn’t know either?” Ava asked with a slack jaw. "Oh, dear..." Vivi quickly squeezed her lips together as she sank into her cushioned seat.

“Ooo,” Sydney hollerned out before loudly sipping on her drink. 

“Can we change the subject?”y/n begged, slamming her fist onto the table, stopping the room and everyone from jumping at the action. “Please?” she carefully added while lowering her voice.

The room lingered in silence for a brief moment as y/n's parents silently conversed with one another, their faces betraying a range of emotions before looking at their daughter again. 

“Who made those green beans? They taste like they're still in the dirt,” Grandfather L/n asked the table, causing the room to be filled with awkward laughter as y/n sipped on her water. 

“Paw, they’re not that bad,” Mycia cried out to the older man as the family carried on with usual talks.  Sydney patted her little cousin on the head before chuckling along with the family. 

“Yes, they are, baby.” he placed his hand onto her shoulder. “‘m just proud you don’ burn down the kitchen this time.” The dark brown man smiled at his clumsy granddaughter as Y/n's parents burned holes into her skin with their eyes, continuing to avoid eye contact with them.

“Look, I promise I'm not acting any type of way,” Y/n clarified, her face dropping, “ just taking my time this go around, that’s all.” She half-way smiled while putting down the glasses. “How are they doing with everything?”

Why?” Lisa rolled her eyes and sighed before crossing her arms and looking at y/n again

“Can’t I ask about my cousin?” Y/n carefully asked as she poured the sweet tea she made earlier this week.

“Not that one.” Lisa took a seat at the table. “ ya got let him go, Junebug.”

“I did,” Miss L/n argued to her aunt while holding two glasses. Yet Lisa just tilted her head, frowning. “Don’t give me that look”

“He better not be the reason why your folks ain’t met this new fella yet? “

“You just don’t get it; no one does,” Y/n communicated.

“Knock knock. I thought I heard you talking to someone.” Awan opened the wooden door and walked in to greet the woman "Hi, I’m Awan, bitsui y/n’s neighbor. You must be Aunt Lisa.” he held out his hand and shook Lisa's hand,

“Yes, I am. “Lisa continued shaking but twisted to her niece with a slight closed-lipped smile. "No wonder ya so mad all the time now; ya stay in pain with this tall tool around.” She added, her mouth opened, eyes widened, impressed by his immaculate height and muscle. "oh 'm tellin all the girls when i get home." Lisa mentioned with an enigmatic smile, tucking behind her chin.

“Oh no…’ Y/n covers her face and starts saying a silent prayer to the big man upstairs, hoping her aunt wouldn't scare off her newfound lover by her wild aunt. "God, i thought we were cool, man"

Lisa pulled her chair towards Awan, standing on it as she wrapped her arm around his broad shoulder, pulling him in closer, slightly knocking the man's balance off. “Say, stallion, how have you been enjoying your Mississippi ride?” She asked with a devilish grin, biting her lower lip. “do y'all have to go really slow so it doesn't hurt her so much or do you not go all the way in” she asked in a lower voice, not wanting the neighbors to hear.“you know what i don’t care as long as you too are using protection and ya got good job.” she stepped down with Awan help. Y/n was turning a few shades lighter, feeling her soul exit her body as her heart dropped to her feet. “Because it’s too many mouths to feed and shoes to buy around our village, and you look like you got an iron stomach, i would hate to have to feed you on a daily basis,” Lisa explained, shaking her head, looking at the man's stomach before hitting it. Awan let out a gasp as y/n imagined her parents at her funeral after dying from pure embarrassment.

“Anut Lisa, stop,” y/n half-way yelled. “We are not active in that area. Awan was rapidly blinking, brows furrowed, and head barely tilted.

'Oh. Ohh, why not!” she looked at y/n, then Awan. “ Oh my, baby, I am so sorry. Look, i don’t judge if you got a lil sugar in your tank.” The older Mississippi woman stepped closer to the tall brunette and offered him sympathetic eyes. Personally, I think we all do, but it’s terrible you feel as tho you have to hide yourself from the world like this. I’m sure-“ She grabbed both his hands.

“He's not gay,” y/n shouted out while waving around her arms at the woman.

Lisa looked him up and down, then back at her niece before mouthing the words ‘you sure?’ and Y/n slowly nodded to her family member.

Awan snapped back to reality. “That's what it means?” he shouted. “ You told me it meant I was extra sweet.” Y/n awkwardly smiled at him, shrugged her shoulders as the tall man questioned everything.

“Aww ‘M so sorry, sug.” Lisa cooed to the tall man. “How about we start over by letting ya take us out to dinner ?” The visitor asked halfway, fixing the man’s gray collar.

"Oh, of course i would love to," the tall man said with a crooked smile.

“Great, hon, give us a while to gussy ourselves up.” Anut Lisa added, partly shooing him off as Awan stood there for a moment waiting for reassurance from Y/n on the matter. Watching Awan depart, Anut Lisa swiftly turned around. “He’s right up your alley, so innocent and nerdy,” Lisa teased in a slightly giggly tone before beginning to prepare for their dinner date.

The three were sitting in an Italian restaurant, waiting for their meals. "So, Awan,” Lisa said, looking directly at the couple.

“Go easy on him,” Y/n quickly commented.

“I will. What do you do for work?” She asked intensely while closely examining the man 

"I'm an FBI agent, but feel like a paperwork robot these days."The servers brought out their food and the trio began eating.

“That sounds interesting,” Lisa declared while shifting around her food before taking a bite of pasta. “I always told lil mymy she should try to be one, but she never listens to me. Do you like it?” 

"I used to,” Awan shakily explained. “Now I'm just happy I'm allowed to pay the bills and take care of the people i care about most, like my nieces."

“What about your mom or grandma? We come from a family that takes care of one another as much as we can,” she stares intensely into the man's eyes "My daddy always taught us  that how a man treats the other women in his life is how he’ll treat ya"

" Stop it." Y/n mouthed to her Aunt, her brows pointed. Yet, Awan just wiped off his sweat, cleared his throat, loosened his tie, and spoke.

“I don’t get along with my family outside of my sisters,” Awan strongly explained plainly to the woman. “My family is difficult at times; My mother and father were not the best, and I grew up seeing a lot of relationship problems.” Awan choked back some tears as Y/n caressed his back. "But I can assure you that i will treat your niece with the utmost respect I possibly could show anyone.”  he confidently noted to the traveler. "Because my grandfather taught me how to be a gentleman regardless of my upbringing." He grabbed his girlfriend's hand and looked lovingly into her eyes

“Mh…” The dark-skinned woman nodded, then looked at her niece, easing back into her seat, then shifted her focus back to Awan to ask her final question. “What do you see when you picture a future with my June bug, huh?”

“Anutie,” Y/n blurted out, feeling like a college girl again back home in Mississippi, watching her aunt investigate the last boyfriend she brought home. “Again, we just started dating!” She clarified to the woman, hoping she would finally get the hint.  

Yet, Lisa would stare down at Awan, watching the bullet sweat roll down his tan forehead as he tried to pet them away with the napkin. 

“I-” Clearing his throat, Awan carefully took a deep breath before answering, “ I want to be with her as long as she allows me to. Give her everything she wants. Even when we weren’t dating, I know I wanted her in my life, no matter what it took to make it happen.” Mr. Bitsui looked at his girlfriend, cupping her hand into his.

“Oh, ok Awanie, so why haven’t y'all- “ Anut Lisa teasingly asked with her wine glass in hand. 

“Ok, who wants something sweet?” Y/n interjected, slapping down the dessert menu while displaying a tight smile. Lisa giggled as Awan looked puzzled at the two women.

The weekend went smoothly as Lisa, Y/N, and Awan hung around the city. He learned more about his girlfriend’s history; some He predicted, such as her being an innocent kid who ran around helping people as much as she could and a big bookworm. Yet, hearing how Y/n was a tomboy and once gave her older cousin a black eye when they were younger. Mr. Bitsui covered his mouth while he listened to the stories about his kind neighbor, never expecting such a pretty girl to be so rough. 

It was Sunday afternoon; Lisa was packing up to leave, planning to stay the final night with her sister and brother-in-law.

"I’m sorry about Aunt Lisa; she's a lot but means well tho…” She says, scratching the back of her head as she watched her daredevil aunt convince two men from the neighborhood to pack up her car by flirting as she always does.

“I get it, and I’m just happy I got to express my feelings about you,” he added. “i like it.” Awan gently pulled the woman closer by her hips, causing her to giggle before placing a kiss on his cheek.

“Aw, Sheriff,” Miss l/n sang to the tall man before being interrupted by their guest.

"Aww, how sweet. Bye Junebug. Alr, Sheriff ya passed the test, good luck on the next one.” She firmly shook his large hand. Awan's face went blank at the news. “Now, you got to meet the folk, sug, and her daddy ain’t no better." Awan instantly froze at the idea of meeting Y/n’s parents, remembering the things the woman told him about her overprotective father.

“Awan... Awan...Awanie! “ Y/n waved her hand across Awan’s face, yet no reaction.  “ Ya broke my man.” She turned and shouted to her aunt.

"Well, it was either goin be me or ya daddy,” Lisa calmly stated while Y/n continued snapping her fingers, trying to get her neighbor to come back to reality. "I’ll see y’all later. Good luck, Awanie,” she added while walking to her car. “Lord knows ya’ll need i!” Lisa said to herself as she hopped into her luxury vehicle.

“Your dad?” Awan turned to his girlfriend with his eyes popping out of his head. Y/n could feel his heart racing in his chest as his breathing intensified. “ The really scary guy in your pictures… I think I need to lie down.” Before Y/n knew it, Awan’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his body went limp as Miss L/n tried her hardest to hold him up while waving goodbye to the burgundy Cadillac.

Y/n swung around and saw her boyfriend on the ground. “He’s not that bad, I promise.” Miss L/n was chuckling at the tall man who was lying on the concrete.

dividers by @uzmacchiato

Taglist: @evrmoris @daughterofthesunlands @threadd-in-feelings @darkeyesshine @pomegranateas @thetaoofzoe