Her chin lifted. “Out of line because I said what needed to be said?”
“Out of line because you took it upon yourself to address a woman I’m seeing as if she was beneath you. Out of line because you decided your opinion gave you license to be disrespectful.”
She leaned back in her chair like she was settling in, which let me know she still thought she was justified. “I am your mother.I’m not going to sit by and watch you get your heart, time, and money played with again because some heffa can’t figure out who she wants.”
“I understand your concern. I really do. But I am averybig boy. I can take care of myself.”
Her eyes narrowed into judgmental slits. “Can you? You’re still working with that family. It’s only been a few months, and here you are again, losing yourself in another woman you barely know. You don’t even know this woman. You don’t know what she wants from you. She has children, and I can tell she’s not from where we’re from. She has city all over her, and you are already centering her in ways that should concern you.”
“You made sure I was not a stupid man,” I reminded her. “And you did not raise a weak one either.” She opened her mouth, but I cut off what she was about to say. “I might have misjudged with Tempo. I can own that. And even if my judgment is off now, which I doubt, that is on me. Not you.” I leaned forward a little, enough to let her know I meant every word. “You donotget to decide which woman is respectable enough for me based on what makesyoucomfortable. If I bring home a doctor with no children, you will respect her. If I bring home a woman with six kids, you will respect her. If I bring home a stripper, you will respect her too.”
My mother’s eyes bucked a bit. Then the smugness vanished. My mother just looked at me, genuinely taken aback. For the first time in my entire life, this woman couldn’t find words to say.
“You do not have to like every woman I choose. You do not have to understand her. But if you want to be a part of my life, then you will treat the women in my life with respect. Especially when they have done nothing to you.”
She blinked and looked down for a second. When she looked back up, some of the haughtiness was gone. “I was trying to protect you.”
“I know.”
“I do not want to see you embarrassed again.”
“I know that too.”
She began to wring her hands. For once, she looked less like the woman who always had all the answers.
“I should not have spoken to her that way,” she finally admitted. “You’re right. It was disrespectful, and it was not my place. I’m sorry. To you, and to her.”
I nodded once. “Thank you.”
She looked at me carefully. “You care for her.”
I sat back in my chair and exhaled through my nose. “I do.”
She took that in, and this time there was no smugness in her face, just concern and curiosity.
“All right,” she said quietly. “I hear you.”
That was enough for me.
I rose from the chair, straightened my jacket, and looked at her one last time. “I meant what I said.”
“I know,” she replied.
I nodded and turned toward the door.
“Sincere.”
I stopped and looked back.
Her expression had softened into who I recognized again. “Iamsorry, and I love you.”
This time, I believed her. “I know, and I love you too.”
20
TARIQ “REEK” HORTON
Afterward that hit on the Crown, I dropped Saint off at the Cartier estate because he said Zahra and Ava were over there with Livia and Aria. When he mentioned Ava, I got out with him.
