“Maybe we should be. The last time you saw her you were arguing and she was storming out.”
“And she’s still going to show.”
“How are you so confident about that?”
“I don’t know why you’re not,” he countered. “We both know what lengths people would go to for money, especially the amount she’s promised.”
“Money ain’t everything.”
“Did you see the way she was about to have a breakdown when her impending husband died? She’ll show.”
“Alright.” I nodded once and let my eyes travel down the trail of cars again, trying to see if I spotted one that looked anything like what they’d ridden in to the house for the wedding. Well, I’m going to head inside and I’ll see youand Winniein there.” I hit Rook on the back.
“Yeah, alright.” He continued to stare straight ahead and I looked out at the guests one more time before heading inside.
Our family was already making the rounds and a huge smile took over my face when I saw Casmi and Novalie waddling toward me, both of them pregnant and glowing.
“There’s my favorite sister-in-laws.” I hugged them each at the same time, then pulled back and looked between their stomachs. I whistled and shook my head. “The fact that y’all are pregnant at the same time will never stop blowing my mind,” I admitted.
Nova grinned and Casmi giggled.
“They’ll pretty much be twins like two of their favorite uncles,” Nova teased.
“Then, they’ll be set up for life.” I reached down and touched Nova’s stomach then Casmi’s.
Casmi, Nova and Xavia were the best possible women to join our family and I loved the fact that they were genuinely like sisters to me instead of just in-laws. I cared about them the way I cared about my brothers and they knew without a doubt that I would shake shit behind them.
“How y’all feeling though?”
“So far, so good.” Casmi touched her stomach.
Nova regarded me carefully. “How are you feeling?”
My eyebrows knitted together. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, it probably isn’t easy watching your partner in crime get married, especially when you guys thought you had another year. Like, what’s the living situation going to turn into?”
“Shit. As of right now, I guess me, him and Winnie are all just going to live together till I get engaged myself. There’s not really a reason to sell our house if he and Winnie are going to be chilling in separate rooms and living as roommates anyway.”
I didn’t bother telling them that I was also splitting my time between our house and Asante’s. I wasn’t sure what Knight had told them following his discussion with King and I wasn’t about to come out for real in the middle of Rook’s engagement party.
As if on cue, my older brother closed in on us. He grinned as he came up between his wives.
“Can I holler at you real quick?”
I looked from him to Casmi and Nova and back before I nodded.
“Sure.”
“Walk with me.” He nudged his head toward the staircase and I followed him up, adjusting my earpiece on the way.
He led me to the little balcony off the second floor and gestured for me to head in first. He pushed the door shut behindhim and I walked over and collapsed on the little furniture out there, immediately digging in my pocket for a cigarette.
I had it lit before Knight collapsed beside me. I took a slow draft and blew the smoke out.
“What’s up?”
“King and I had a talk,” he stated simply.
