Page 183 of Lau Ahi
“You’re talking about that?” Jahmir looked hopeful and I knew it was because he felt the most guilt. His uncle Cardinal who he’d been raised to believe was his father had aided the people who sent her into the nothingness she’d survived for so long. He wanted to do everything he could to help her get her lick back but she hadn’t mentioned it.
She smiled softly probably because she realized how eager he was. “Time’s not right yet.”
“Why nae?” Liam’s question was one that was on the tip of everyone’s tongue and we all waited as the queen held court for her answer.
Her smile was sad and she avoided looking at one part of the room in particular before she spoke. “Still one more piece of the puzzle that has to fall in line before I can get to settin’ everything to rights.”
“You’re talking about Angel.”
Her head snapped up as she looked at Priest like she took offense to that name. “I’m talking aboutBeau.”
“My name is Angel.” He came from where he’d seemingly ducked off toward the back of the room where the bar was. We’d all seen him slip away when she showed up. Avoiding her and his responsibility the way he’d been for over a year.
Her smile was sluggish as she sized him up. Almost as though she was afraid to express too much joy. The sight of him something that she still couldn’t believe was real. He’d been thought dead for so long I could understand why she always reacted as if she were seeing a ghost. To her, she was.
“Well, look at you. I see lurkin’ is a family trait. Although I can tell you you’re not nearly as good at going unnoticed as you think you are. I saw you watchin’ me back by the candy table. You were too focused on who you were watching not realizin’that I could be watchin’ you. I can understand since you have that pretty little thang distractin’ you. Step your game up, baby brother. Can’t have you sullyin’ the family name. You know, for whenever you decide to claim it.”
Angel ignored her jab but I knew the rest of us were wondering who the hell he’d been staring at. “Why not say something?”
“Because I needed you to be in here with me. Duh.” She laughed in that tinkling southern heiress way that only Black women who’d endured it all and still come out on top of the mountain could. It was a laugh of leisure and strength. One of beauty and pain. The kind that had been earned by the generations before her and she refused to be the weak link or the one who didn’t enjoy every moment of the freedom afforded her. It was a beautifully set table on a wrap-around porch right before you were served poison on the finest heirloom china.
Yeah, every woman around us was really unstable.
For those two to have been apart for almost twenty-five years, they easily fell into a brother and sister bickering with one another. I could tell that Angel was irritated with how easily he’d slipped into the role and was trying to fight it. But it came too naturally to him for him to ignore it.
They were having a silent standoff and I hated that they were put in this position. She was trying to stand tough but I could see her restraining herself from throwing her arm around him. The love she’d had for him had run deep but she’d carried his loss for years. Angel, on the other hand, had never had attachments to anyone outside ofThe Orderso trying to do so now felt foreign. There was no way to know how this shit was going to end up with the two of them. But time was running out for him to keep running from his responsibilities. They needed one another. Probably more so than either of them thought.
“Are y’all about to hash this shit out right now? At my wedding? Y’all had a whole year to handle this shit but wanna do it now?”
Jahmir spoke up since Angel was still hiding under his duties to the Sutton family to get out of taking his rightful place in his own. “Angel, bruh, we love you but—”
“You don’t have to finish that sentence, I already know. She’s a girl. Y’all thought I was dead. Head of the family. Yada yada yada.” Angel waved Priest off and I knew he had to be in his feelings ‘cause he never would’ve done that before.
“Ain’t noyada yada yada. You just not finna come at your sister wrong over some differences. But I’ll two-piece your ass right now if you need to get some of that aggression out.”
Priest sat forward ready to fight and I knew he probably was. My wedding so far was the easiest going one that we’d had in a minute. I was hoping that lasted but I wasn’t banking on it at all.
“Y’all must think I sat around and forgot everything y’all taught me. Everything my daddy instilled in me. Like I don’t know who the fuck I am. I should be insulted. Especially since I haven’t had anything to do over the last decade but sit around and hone my skills.”
“Your skills?”
She smiled down at me again but damn if she didn’t look sinister doing so. “How else do you think I kept from going crazy?”
“How did you?”
“I reminded myself often of who came before me and what they battled. Who was on the other side rooting for me and who was still here waiting to see me again. With that in my blood, there was no way I was going to break. There’s no part of me that screams weak bitch. Yacouba, you sat down for a year, was there ever a worry in your mind that you would fold?”
Cou shook his head slightly, despite his answer being obvious. “Not one.”
“And Ori, you were in the military and have been a happy lil’ war machine. You ever let those people break you?”
I gave her a half-smile because I knew she was being affectionate when she called me a lil war machine. I took it as a compliment. “You know me better than that, Jem.”
“And yet y’all wonder if I would have? Because I’m a girl? Sugar and spice and everything nice?” Her tone had turned acerbic and we all knew she was about to go off.
“Zat’s the last way anyone would ever describe you.”
Her face brightened back into a smile as she looked at theCreole Casanovawith a smile. “Awww, Xerx, that’s so sweet of you to remember, sug. When the time is right my wrath is gone be unleashed. The last thing I’ll ever do is give somebody warning. Never that. I want them caught off guard and by surprise.”
