Read Online Your Love Is King by Adrienne Thompson - Free Book Online

with neat lawns.
     
    He glanced at me and smiled. “The best place in town.”
     
    “Oh, okay. What do they serve?”
     
    “Soul food.”
     
    I laughed. “Soul food?”
     
    “Yeah, soul food. You don’t like soul food?”
     
    I raised my eyebrows and looked over at him. “So because I’m black I gotta like soul food?”
     
    He flashed me a serious look. “Why you gotta go there? Is everything about race with you? I just thought you’d like the food, that’s all.”
     
    I dropped my eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry. It was a joke, really.”
     
    “Well, would you rather we ate something else?” he asked, still sounding serious.
     
    I shook my head and quietly said, “No, it’s okay.”
     
    “You sure? I don’t want you thinking that I’m trying to stereotype you or racially profile you or something.”
     
    I sighed. “I said it’s fine, and I really am sorry.”
     
    He smiled. “Okay, we’re here then.”
     
    He pulled the car onto the driveway in front of a neat, two-story house only a few blocks from the church.
     
    “This is a restaurant?” I asked as he opened the car door for me.
     
    “Nope, it’s my parents’ house.”
     
    My eyes widened as I looked up at his face. “Your parents’ house?! You want me to meet your parents ? Chris, you don’t even know me.” This might sound bad, but the thought of sitting at a table full of white people eating dinner really did not appeal to me.
     
    “I’m tryna get to know you… if you’ll let me. By the way, what’s your last name?”
     
    “See, this is crazy. You don’t even know my last name!” I whispered as we approached the front door.
     
    He raised his eyebrows. “That’s why I’m asking. What is it?”
     
    I shook my head. “Meadows. It’s Marli Meadows.”
     
    “Okay, dang . Was that so hard, woman?” he said as if I was being absurd.
     
    I rolled my eyes. “How do you know they’ll even want to meet me?”
     
    “Because I know my own parents. Stop being so uptight.”
     
    I had just about decided at that point to turn around and leave. I could’ve called Carla for a ride or even called for a cab. Nevertheless, I stayed. Maybe I wanted to see his parents’ reaction to me. But then again, if he’d really never dated inside his race, there might not have been any reaction at all. For whatever reason, I didn’t leave Chris’s side, and I didn’t resist when he grabbed my hand and held onto it.
     
    Chris rang the doorbell and we stood there for what seemed like hours before a familiar-looking black woman finally answered the door. Wow, they have a maid , I thought. No wonder he can afford that Mercedes.
     
    A huge smile spread across her face as she reached up and hugged Chris. “Chris! I didn’t know you were coming for dinner. Thought you’d be headed back out of town with the band.”
     
    “Naw, we don’t leave until the middle of next week. Besides, you know I wasn’t gonna miss Sunday dinner at home,” he replied as he planted a kiss on her cheek. Then he turned to me. “Marli, this is my mama, Elizabeth King. Mama, this is Marli Meadows. She’s new to St. Louis.”
     
    I know I must’ve been looking crazy as I mechanically shook Mrs. King’s hand. This woman was Chris’s mother? It couldn’t be. Chris was not mixed. He was very obviously white. Wasn’t he?
     
    “Hi,” I said weakly.
     
    “Nice to meet you, Marli,” she said warmly and then returned her attention to Chris.  “Chris, your father’s in the living room. Dinner’s not quite ready yet.”
     
    He kissed her on the cheek again. “Yes, ma’am.”
     
    Chris held my hand as he led me through the foyer and into the modestly decorated living room. The house was filled with the aroma of something truly heavenly. I couldn’t readily identify what was cooking, but it definitely smelled good.
     
    When we reached the living room and I saw Mr. King sitting in a recliner, I realized why Mrs. King