MONTH AND A HALF LATER

Yemi gets out of her parked car and walks a few houses down. She pulls her phone out and texts Kaylin.

As soon as Yemi turns up a walkway, the front door of the house opens. Kaylin hops out and grins when his eyes connect with Yemi's. They meet halfway, and hug for almost too long. Yemi clears her throat as they awkwardly release their embrace. "Hi."

"Hey. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm glad you decided to come. My mom's been asking about you, too. You ready to eat?"

She nods as a fervent smile sweeps across her face, showcasing her lonely dimple. Kaylin chuckles at her enthusiasm.

"Come on." He leads her into the house, where loud chatter is heard throughout the entire two-story home.

Yemi smiles at everyone she walks by as Kaylin leads her to the kitchen.

"Yemi!"

Yemi smiles at the familiar voice. "Hi Ms. Joyce."

Joyce comes around from the island and pulls Yemi into a welcoming hug. "Let me introduce you to everyone. Kaylin, make her a plate. We'll be back."

Kaylin shakes his head and chuckles. "How you gon' steal my friend, ma?"

"Boy, just do what I told you to do." She links her arm with Yemi's, before leading her to a room filled with active family members.

"Hey y'all, listen up!" Everyone instantly becomes silent. "I want y'all to meet Kaylin's friend Yemi."

In unison, everyone responds, "Hey Yemi!"

Yemi is taken aback by the amount of love in everyone's voice. "Hi," she says shyly.

"Make sure y'all take care of her. Kaylin thinks very highly of her."

Yemi does a double take at Joyce after hearing her revelation.

___

Sam and Veronica exit an airplane, and then walk into the airport entrance. They pass a sign that reads: Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas.

"Fifty bucks, she tries to get me to stay."

"I hope she does."

Veronica gasps before playfully punching Sam's shoulder. Sam smirks.

*

A car drops them off at a colorful house. As soon as Sam raises his fist to knock on the door, the door swings open and Liliana appears, yanking Sam into a tight embrace. Sam chuckles. "Damn Ma, you missed me that much?"

"You need to start visiting me more."

"Ma, I see you every holiday."

"That's not enough."

"Maybe we should just move back to New York," Veronica chimes in.

"Correction... you should move back to New York." Sam kisses his mother's forehead before entering the home.

"Keep saying that, Sam. You're gonna end up being alone." Veronica stares at Liliana for a brief moment before hugging her. "How're you doing, auntie?"

Liliana nods, not really wanting to talk about her health. "I would love it if you really did move back home."

"What about Sam?"

"We're gonna have to find him a woman to keep him company."

"Shit. Good luck with that."

They giggle as Veronica enters the home.

___

Yemi is eating from a plate mounted with food as everyone around her watches a football game.

"Yo! Look who's here, y'all!"

Everyone looks up at the family member right before a young woman walks up from behind.

"Kahlia!" Half the room yells out. Yemi catches some of the women in the room rolling their eyes. Kaylin notices Yemi's reaction and nudges her. "They're the reason she hasn't been coming around."

"Is she your sister? She looks like you with a wig on."

"We're twins. No one knows, but she's been going to therapy for how they treated her a couple of years back. Even after I defended her, she still didn't wanna come around. But she's good now, only focusing on people that matter."

Kahlia approaches them with a warm smile. "You must be Yemi?"

Yemi looks up at her, still chewing her food. "Hi."

Kahlia extends her hand. "Kahlia."

Yemi shakes it before covering her mouth. "Nice to meet you."

"You're even more beautiful than my brother described."

Yemi swallows her food, and smiles. "That's sweet of you. Thank you."

"You mind if I sit here? I need to pick your brain a little, since Kaylin can't stop talking about you."

"Kahlia." Kaylin pinches her as Yemi almost drops her plate.

"Oww. Don't be pinching me, punk."

"Stop talking so much then."

"I need to go to the bathroom. Excuse me." Yemi gets up and swiftly removes herself.

___

Sam and Veronica are rushing to get to the long table of food when an older lady approaches them. "Extrañé a mis bebés."

"Que onda abue," Sam responds to his grandmother. Veronica smiles at her.

"Veronica. Necesitas mudarte aquí conmigo, así puedo enseñarte más español."

"Something about needing to speak Spanish?"

Sam chuckles. "She said move here with her so you can learn Spanish."

"Told you she was gonna ask me. Everybody wants me around. You should take note."

Sam waves her off before leaving the two women alone.

Veronica wraps her arm around the grandma's shoulder. "Cómo se dice, the food is calling me?"

The grandmother laughs, "Chica loca."

Veronica grins. "Ahhh. Just a little bit."

The grandmother playfully shoos Veronica away towards the food.

___

THE NEXT DAY

Sam is racing in a 4WD Buggy around a forest area with his mother in the back seat. Liliana laughs as water slaps her in the face. There are six other Buggies trying to keep up with Sam.

Veronica and Larry are not too far from them.

"Watch out, Unc! I'm coming for you!"

"In your dreams!" Larry yells back at Veronica.

"Let's go Sammie!" Liliana cheers on her son as they approach the finish line.

Veronica manages to pass Larry just in the nick of time. "Second place baby!"

"What the fuck?!" Larry can't believe his eyes.

"Damn pops, how you let V beat you like that?"

"Way to go to niecy!" Liliana high-fives Veronica.

"Traitor," Larry points at Liliana with a smile on his face.

"You know I love you baby."

Three other buggies fly around the corner, right after the other.

"Damn, y'all slow," Veronica teases them.

Four guys disembark, flashing big goofy smiles on their face. One of them playfully pushes Veronica as he walks past her.

"Sore loser."

"Don't start talking shit, cousin."

"That's what I do."

"Hey, at least y'all don't have to see her every damn day," Sam adds.

"That's it Sam, I'm moving. You're gonna miss me, too."

"Nah, keep your ass in Cali," Sam's brother Stephen demands.

Veronica chuckles. "Y'all make me sick."

Larry interjects. "You know they're just talking shit, 'cause they missed you."

Veronica grins. "I know... I know." She goes around hugging everyone except Sam. They accept the gesture, because deep down inside, they know Larry is speaking nothing but facts.

"Yo, I'm hungry. Let's roll," Sam's brother Nate announces.

Everyone starts to get back into their buggies, as Liliana holds Sam back. "Let me talk to you for a minute."