“Vega, everything doesn’t have to be a fight.” Ace’s tone was even but his eyes showed his annoyance. Vega simply shrugged but still didn’t move.
“You’re right. So just tell me why I’m here.”
“You can’t have a seat to engage in a civil?—"
“It’s fine. He has the right to feel how he feels.” Vernon addressed his oldest son first then moved to his youngest. “I regret a lot of things in my life, but my biggest regret is introducing you both to the business. It’s provided for us in ways I’m not certain I could have done without having been a part of it, however, it has also damaged us in ways I can’t repair.”
“The business didn’t make you leave, Pop. That was your decision,” Vega stated calmly. For once, he simply wanted his father to own the fucked-up decisions he made.
“That’s true but it began when I lost your mother?—”
“Welost her. All of us. Not just you. I’m tired of you acting like you were the only one affected. That shit meant more to me than it did to either of you.” There wasn’t much that pushed Vega over the edge, but the loss of his mother was a surefire way of bringing out his emotions.
“That’s not true. You don’t think I miss her just as much?”
“How’s Erica?”
Vernon tensed at the mention of his girlfriend, the woman he had been with for years. There wasn’t much time between the death of his wife and the announcement of his new relationship, so he was positive his boys assumed that there had been crossover. Truth was, there hadn’t been. Erica let it be known that she wanted Vernon, but he respected his wife enough to never cheat. It wasn’t until months after she passed that he even entertained Erica’s advances.
“This is not about her. Me moving on with my life doesn’t negate the fact that I loved your mother. Shit, I still do.”
Vega laughed in a cocky manner and shrugged. “It damn sure doesn’t feel that way.”
Vernon’s eyes moved over to Ace who hadn’t spoken but he could see the same thoughts dancing around in his eyes. Instead of arguing the point, one he knew they would never accept, which was that he never cheated on their mother, Vernon moved on.
“I know how you feel and I know what you believe about me. I can’t change the past so I want to try and move forward in a way where we can all heal.”
“Heal? There isn’t shit wrong with me. Far as I know there isn’t a damn thing wrong with him either.” Vega pointed to Ace. “If you need a therapy session by all means do that shit but leave us out of it.”
“Vega, just hear him out. I’m just as tired of this shit as you are. The divide amongst us is stressful. I’m not trying to have a fucking heart attack because my father and brother can’t be in the same room for more than five minutes at a time.” The irritation couldn’t be missed in Ace’s voice and it only annoyed Vega more.
“I don’t know what the fuck either of you want from me. This should have happened years ago. I’m too gotdamn old to be worried about not having daddy’s love. Like I said, I’m good.”
“Are you? Because if you were, we should be able to move past this.”
“Me not fucking with you doesn’t have a damn thing to do with me not being good. It’s just me not giving a fuck about fixing what you fucked up.”
“That’s the point, Vega. Why can’t we just move past it?” Ace looked him right in the eyes and Vega was on the verge of losing his cool. Both his father and brother could kiss his ass at this point.
“You know what, I’m out. I knew this would be some bullshit. I don’t need it.”
Vega started toward the door and stopped when he heard his father’s voice. “Ace is stepping down. He’s letting things go and it’s only right to offer it to you. It should have been yours in the first place because your brother was never equipped to handle it. You are, but you were too young for that much responsibility. I loved you enough to realize that. It would have swallowed you whole, but things are different now. If you want it, it’s yours. If not, we’ll dismantle everything and hand it off to others.”
Turning to face both of them, Vega was torn. He didn’t want a damn thing from his father or brother. That had always been the case.
“Nah, I’m good. I’ll figure my own shit out. I don’t need any handouts.”
“Just like you don’t need family,” Ace snorted through a huff of air.
Vega looked right at his father but responded to his brother. “I’ve always needed family. I love you, Ace. You’re my blood and that will never change; we’re good. I put that on my unborn child, but business wise, it’s time for me to stand on my own.”
“So you don’t need me?” Vernon spoke with a longing and modesty he didn’t even recognize.
“I’ve always needed you. You just didn’t care enough to do anything about my need, so don’t try and force it on me now with your terms. Let me make that call because that’s the only way it’s gonna happen. I love you, Pop, but right now, I don’t respect you. Give me time to try and get past how I feel where you’re concerned.”
“Will you?”
“I can’t tell you that right now.” The two men shared a look before Vernon backed down. He understood it was completely up to Vega at this point. All he could do was pray his son would give him another chance, but if he didn’t, there was very little Vernon could do besides accept his fate.
