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#More than 10 chapters ahead on my : /TrikoRex
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[Location: Rose Isle, Orlando, Florida | Date: 24/12/2019 | Christmas Eve | 16:45]
The unmistakable chime of the doorbell rang out in the Rex household just as Rakim finished adjusting the collar of his black Sainclaire turtle in the floor-to-ceiling mirror in his closet. Pulling out a pair of brown Oliver Sweeney loafers from his formal section, he compared them to his Hugo Boss pair once before settling on the former. Not hesitating, he slipped them on and gave himself a once-over, causing that f-boy smile to grace his lips.
Walking over to his neckpiece section, which consisted of 3 black mannequins, which were just the chest and neck on a podium. Various silver chains and pendants hung on the leftmost neckpiece, all neatly laid out. On the rightmost stand were gold chains, and in the middle were the ones that were diamond-encrusted. Without thinking about it, Rakim picked out a silver stainless steel chain and a silver dog tag pendant.
"You look good, babe." He heard a honeyed sweet voice from the closet entrance prompting him to look up. Ignoring his navy figure in the mirror, his eyes looked onto the figure of the angel behind him, dressed in a soft, satin cream dress that hugged her curves with elegant subtlety.
Her late mother's pearl necklace and earrings accentuated her long neck as her peach-blond hair fell in loose waves over one shoulder. However, for Rakim, it was her green eyes that were the most mesmerising part of her. "You know, I'm starting to understand why the people in the Middle Ages started wars over beauties," he told her as he sneakily put his arms around her thin waist, pulling her close.
The scent of lilies immediately floated into his nose as she melted into his embrace, her hands resting lightly on his chest. "Good for you, this girl can handle herself in a fight," May whispered with a small laugh, resting her forehead against his. Just as their lips were about to meet, she sent him a cheeky smile as she pulled back. "Now come on. If we make them wait any longer, your mum might actually kill us. And not the passive-aggressive kind either. I mean real, full-blown homicide."
Rakim chuckled, letting out a playful groan as he followed May down the hallway. The rich scent of roasted honey-glazed ham, spiced cinnamon, and freshly baked dinner rolls wafted through the air, mingling with soft jazz playing from the Sonos speakers hidden in the ceiling. As they reached the stairs, Rakim spotted the rest of his family along with the packers chatting in the living room as Mum finished setting the food on the table just how she liked it.
The living room lights were dimmed to a warm amber glow that set the crystal ornaments sparkling in beautiful light. Rakim spotted his dad immediately as he burst out laughing at something Reece had just said, while Emma and Evelyn were locked in conversation. He only spotted Victor Parker outside on the back porch just before our galaxy pool when they reached the bottom of the steps.
Due to the weather, the enclosure for the pool was up, letting the early moon reflect off the glass, shining into the water. Rakim immediately focused on Victor, who paced back and forth, thumbs skating across one phone as he talked on another. "Your Dad is as busy as ever." Rakim whispered to May as they joined the rest of their families in the living room.
"I don't think he realizes that he is supposed to be on holiday," May lamented in annoyance but did her best not to let her smile falter. "Just stay by my side today," she half whispered her voice barely audible as she clenched her fist.
"What?" Rakim tried to inquire, not having heard her over Mariah Carey's loud voice that sounded like that white old money laugh as she collected her Christmas tax.
"Rakim darling, how are you? It's been a long time since..." Before he could confirm with her, he was pulled into a tight hug by Evelyn Parker May's stepmother. But the only thing he could discern was the flowing burgundy wrap dress as she pressed her assets against his lower chest.
Evelyn was an attractive woman in her own right, standing at 5'7, with dark hazel hair matching her brown eyes. Plus, for someone who was 38, she looked no older than her woman in her late twenties. 'Guess those yoga and Pilates sessions are not a scam,' Rakim thought to himself as she released him from her hug, giving him a good view of the figure god had blessed her with.
"Yes, it's been a while, how have you been, Mrs Parker?" he immediately asked, going through his default conversation dialogue with people his parents' age. He knew that he wasn't cute enough to get away with something he got away with at age six and immediately adjusted to a more formal speech when dealing with his elders.
"Oh, you, how many times have I told you to call me Evelyn or Ev?" She responded with a small pout, and from what he could smell, a little buzzed.
"My mother will have my neck if I even consider such a thought," He responded with a light chuckle, earning a short laugh from the woman. Their conversation lasted for about five minutes before the woman turned her attention to her daughter, and Emma joined them for a girls' chat.
Rakim nearly smiled at this and moved on towards the kitchen, making sure to greet Reece on the way. He was locked in a discussion over American football, baseball and other extreme sports with his dad. "Yo Merry Christmas Reece? Congrats on the top 200 Ranking."
"Cheers, bro, same to you, and congrats on Poland," He responded with a light smile on his pearly whites as he fist-bumped him, only to pull him into a side hug. He was dressed in a slim‑fit cream blazer over a black polo and burgundy chinos as the outfit hugged his defined muscles.
Before Rakim could move on, after wishing his father a happy Christmas and a quick bear hug. Reece's words halted his movements. "Clear something up for us real quick, who are you betting your life savings on, Randy Moos vs Ray Lewis?"
"Oh man, that's not even fair," Rakim laughed, draping an arm over Reece's shoulder. "You're talking about the human highlight reel versus the Terminator. If my life's on the line, I'm putting it on Ray Lewis every single time. Dude used to finish games with grass in his facemask and people's souls in his pocket."
Ben burst out in a booming laugh. "That's exactly what I told him," he said, reaching around Reece to thump Rakim on the back. "A linebacker who can read a play before the quarterback even blinks? Money in the bank."
Reece pretended to clutch his heart. "Y'all are sleeping on Randy Moss's Go-go‑gadget arms, but okay, okay—I'll concede the table to the old heads."
Seeing that the two were about to launch another debate as Dad brought up Formula One, Rakim channelled his inner Kuroko and vanished from the situation. "You need any help, Mum?" Rakim asked as he took off his blazer coat, hanging it on one of the stools in front of the kitchen aisle and rolled up the sleeves of his turtleneck.
"Ah, ah, you only come when the food is done," She retorted with a hint of annoyance as she turned off the oven, as the pies she had been making had completed baking.
"I figured it's better to help with the clean-up than get in the way of the master in the midst of battle," He responded with a lit smile as he slipped on a pair of kitchen mittens and proceeded to take out the first pie before his mother could move. "Where to, Captain?" he asked with a light wink.
Lisa twirled a wooden spoon like a general brandishing a sabre. "Starboard," she commanded, pointing to the marble counter where a row of crystal‑rimmed pie stands waited. Rakim set the steaming pecan pie in formation beside its pumpkin counterpart, releasing a buttery-brown aroma that blended into the cinnamon-laced air.
"Alright, I think that's everything. Give me 20 minutes to get ready, and we can eat, which will give the chicken a chance to drop to the perfect temperature." She said with a light smile, removing the apron from around her neck as she headed up to her room.