“Nah, hell nah, you damn sure don’t apologize for Nouri. Don’t apologize for you either because like you said… you didn’t know. You don’t carry that, okay?” Onyx asserted, stepping forward to wipe his sister’s tears away.
“Okay.” Maya nodded, more tears replacing the ones Onyx swiped away. “So, I know you may not be receptive to meeting up just yet, but do you think we can maybe talk sometime?”
“C’mere, man.” Onyx outstretched his arms, and Maya didn’t waste a second running into them. It was only a few seconds until Onyx was grabbing her into the bear hug reserved for the women he loved most. “Yo ass look just like me too.”
“I got you by like three years, so I think it’s the other way around,littlebrother.”
“You might be older, but I’m still big dog, remember that.”
“Yea, this nigga think he run everybody,” Kas chimed in, earning laughs from his siblings.
He took a step back and watched from afar as Onyx and Maya conversed. Kas knew it would only be a matter of time before Onyx came around, and he could already tell their new sister would be a permanent fixture in their lives. Troi and Onyx’s wedding day was proving to be one of the best he’d had in a long time. He’d completely forgotten he’d brought Zahra as his plus one and decided to head back into the venue. Walking the halls, he turned the corner leading to the main room but stopped in histracks when he saw Yanna walking in his direction. He couldn’t help but study her; he had been doing that all day. There was something different about her. From the way she walked to the way she talked, down to the change in hairstyle. It seemed like she’d taken the past month to really reflect on herself, and Kas loved that for her. Approaching her, he couldn’t help but walk directly into her space.
“K-Kas.”
“Why you keep stuttering and shit when you speak to me?”
“Well, the last time I saw you, I was a hoe ass bitch, stupid hoe, fucking slut. So, I’m a little guarded.”
Kas’ eyes roamed her, noting the subtle changes in her face and body. “Nah, I’m not trying to be on that type of time with you. It’s been a while… you got hair now, this shit is weird.” He joked.
“Shut up.” Yanna smiled, and Kas thought he’d fold right there.
“Aye, how is yo mumma doing? I seen her out there with Ms. Kamilla.”
“She’s doing good. Got a new liver, so she’s not drinking anymore, it’s really changing her for the better.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad she getting her shit together. Aye, I heard you been kicking it with yo dad though. How that been for you?”
“It’s weird to say, but it’s been amazing. My dad has been my rock the past month. God knows I don’t deserve it because I treated him like shit for so long. He’s been my saving grace when he should’ve given me his ass to kiss.”
“Nah, yo dad loves you, and that’s not how love works.”
“Yea, you’re right. Oh yea, so I’ve been talking to someone. You know, about why I am the way I am, why I act and react the way I do. Anyway, the therapist told me to find a way of expressing my feelings and use it to apologize to those I mayhave hurt.” Reaching into her clutch purse, she pulled out folded pieces of lined paper and handed it to him. "You know I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings verbally, so I packed them into a few pages of written words.”
Kas accepted the letter, unsure of what to say about it. Yanna offered him a closed lip smile before attempting to walk away. Grabbing her arm, Kas stopped her from doing so. “How the baby was doing. Nyx let me hear the heartbeat, and I been wondering ever since.”
“Oh, the baby is okay. Growing healthily and kicking my ass most days.”
“Yea? How far along are you?”
“I went to the doctor a few days ago, and I was just about thirteen weeks.”
Kas tried to calculate in his head, but he was clueless about how gestation worked. He wanted to ask Yanna how she was gone find out who her baby daddy was, but he didn’t want the conversation to go left. That would be a conversation for them to have after the wedding.
“That’s what’s up. Aye, I meant to tell you ---”
“Kas, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. Did you forget about me?”
Hell yea. Kas wanted to say, because he hadn’t thought about her since he laid eyes on Yanna. “Nah, I didn’t forget about you.”
“Good, come in and dance with me. I haven’t had alone time with you all night.”
“Ight, give me a minute to finish hollering at Yanna.”
“Oh, nah, you go ahead. I’m about to go check on Janis, anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon, ight?”
