Author's Note: This is a ROMANCE story between a guy and gal; he happens to be black, she happens to be white. Looking for a fetish stroker? This isn't it. I must thank AsylumSeeker for his patience and long-suffering in editing my copy. All good is from him, any bad comes from my own stumbling mind.
*
"Are you sure your family's ready for this?"
"Ready for what?" she asked with a slight smile, her eyes focused on the road in front of her, already understanding his meaning.
Kevin glanced sideways from the passenger seat and quirked an eyebrow.
You know damn well what,
he thought.
"You should have told them."
Deonne had somehow forgotten to mention to her lily-white, redneck family that her boyfriend of over a year was black. Okay, so she hadn't really forgotten, she just kept putting it off. They knew everything about him but his race. She wasn't really sure how they would react initially. Yep, she had been a coward and now Kevin was going to pay the price when they climbed out of the car in a few minutes.
"It'll be okay," she suggested hopefully, "they're open-minded, not stereotypical hicks from the sticks. We'll just have to give them time to adjust."
"Dee ..." he started then stopped. Sighing, he continued. "It's one thing to be open-minded in general, but something else when your baby girl brings home a black man."
Her eyes grew concerned, a small, deeply buried worry that she had tried hard to ignore felt like a stone in her stomach. Taking her eyes from the road, she took in his strong profile, his hair, cropped short, his wide, almost blunt nose and firm, lean face that revealed a dimple in his left cheek when he smiled. Right now his brown eyes looked back at her with mild accusation. Race had not been much of a factor in their relationship, but instantly it had become this huge deal and it was all because of her.
Watching her face change expressions, Kevin felt a tight frustration pull at his gut. Frankly, he didn't give a damn what her family thought of him or their relationship, but they were very important to her, and with so many brothers, sisters and a plethora of extended family, she had a minefield to negotiate.
As she turned the car off the pavement onto the gravel road that would carry them the last leg of their journey to her parent's house that feeling of wholeness, of belonging, came over her as it always did when she returned to her childhood home.
Much about the area bothered her. The poverty and lack of hope that hung over the region decade after decade like a persistent never-ending fog had driven her away and made her weep for those stuck in its oppressive grip, but it was still home. The mowed off cornfields of the lowlands that trailed the river and gentle rolling hills covered in trees were now barren, cold and packed up for the winter. This would always be a living part of her, invisible roots buried deep into her very being, just as the roots of the old oak trees on the farm burrowed deep into the rich Ohio soil.
Accelerating quickly up the steep, curving incline, she announced abruptly, "This is where my brother slid off the road and flipped over. The van rolled once before it stopped. I thought we were going to die!"
Kevin refused to show fear, but as he gazed at where she pointed his eyes grew large as he saw the steep slope down the hill, a small creek meandering at the bottom.
"You were there? Were you okay?" he couldn't help asking.
"Oh, yeah! It was just John and me. It started to snow while we were in town, so there was a thin coating on the road and with the washboard effect these roads get he lost control of the back and next thing we knew, over we went. But Dad just got the tow truck out here and he and my brothers flipped it over and pulled it back up the hill. It fired right up and he drove it home. It got a couple scratches on the side and a dent on the roof, but other than that, it was fine. I was so mad at him. I wanted to drive and he bullied me."
"Was your dad upset?"
"Dad? Nah, he rarely gets mad. He may look like a night club bouncer, but he's usually a pussy cat. It was just an accident. John wasn't driving fast or anything."
Deonne's idea of fast driving had him doubting her on that, but he kept quiet.
The next thing he knew they were sliding on the gravel as she hit the brakes and made a hard left turn onto a dirt driveway. He was grateful for his grip on the dash as she slammed into a pothole the size of Rhode Island; chickens were scattering in their path.
God. Does she ever slow down?
As she pulled to a stop Kevin was able to focus on his surroundings, the jarring from her breakneck speed over the rutted path having abruptly halted. To the left stood a large modern barn and several outbuildings with woods and pasture spanning to the right. In the middle was a rambling old Victorian farmhouse. Kevin climbed out of the small rental car.
Okay, where is it?
He knew there had to be one. Yup, sauntering his way was the scruffiest, dirtiest yellow mutt he had ever seen. And he was making a beeline right to him.
"Larry!" Deonne shouted, "Get off him! Right now!"
"Larry? Your dog's name's Larry?"
"What's wrong with Larry?" she asked, pulling the fishy smelling dog off her impeccable boyfriend. Kevin had never seemed so city-boy as he did right now. Wasn't he a tough army guy? But as she watched him brush dirt and crud off his black sweater, she noticed a small smile. Not so slick after all.
"It just doesn't seem very dog-like."
The front door opened and two very large men came out. Deonne had not exaggerated when she mentioned a night club bouncer. Coming towards him was Daddy Bouncer and Junior Bouncer. Both were wearing yards of hunting camouflage, boots and well-worn baseball caps.
"Well, look what Larry drug up from the pond!"
Deonne stuck her tongue out at her brother. Kevin was sure that only a little sister would dare challenge Junior Bouncer like that.
"Daddy, Phil. This is Kevin."
Please,
she prayed,
don't let them say something stupid. For once.
Kevin took half a step toward her brother, who was closest and stuck out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."
Deonne's oldest brother gripped his hand and looked him in the eye. "Same here. Glad you could make it for Thanksgiving."
When Kevin turned towards her father his hand was already waiting. "Nice to meet you, son." With that he turned towards his daughter and gave her a long, hard stare full of meaning, and then he grabbed her to him for a big hug.
"Glad to see she managed to get you here in one piece. Seems to think a car is a plane that flies on the ground." Having said his little joke, he stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way back towards the house leaving everyone chuckling except Deonne.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she huffed.
"Need any help with your bags?" Phil volunteered.
"I sure do," Deonne piped up.