Page 35 of A Major Love

“I can’t believe this,” I said.

“Can’t believe what?” my brother said when he entered the kitchen.

“Hey, Seem. I missed you.”

I stood, and my brother and I met in the middle of the kitchen for a hug.

“I missed you too, Dy. What are you and Ma talking about?”

“Did you know her and Daddy were still friends with the Lloyds?”

“Oh. You finally told her?” he asked my mother.

“Yeah. I figured since she came in here all smiles after spending the night with Major, it was time.”

Naseem frowned before saying, “Dang, Ma. I didn’t need to hear that, but to answer your question, Dy, I did know, but they told me not to mention it.”

I gasped, shocked and a little hurt that my brother kept something from me.

“Wow, Seem, I thought we were better than that, but I guess I know where your loyalties lie now.”

“Don’t do me like that, Dy. I didn’t think it was that serious.”

“You didn’t think what was that serious?” my father questioned when he and Major entered the kitchen.

“Wassup, Naseem? It’s been a minute,” Major greeted, but when he attempted to connect his fist with my brother, Naseem wasn’t receptive, so Major moved on. “It’s nice to see you, Mama Love. You haven’t aged a bit.”

Major moved past Naseem to embrace my mother. She hugged him the same way she hugged me, but with more excitement.

“Look at you. I can’t believe you’re that scrawny boy who was so in love with my baby. You look much bigger in person than you do on TV.”

“I’m not scrawny anymore, but I’m still in love with your baby,” Major said, turning to look at me.

“Nigga, you ain’t about to get back in my good graces that easily. Yo’ ass had my sister about to lose her damn mind,” Naseem said.

“Naseem!” my parents said simultaneously.

“Aye, I’m just speaking the truth. Y’all can kumbaya with this nigga if you want to, but he gotta prove to me he ain’t still on some bullshit. My bad for cussing, though.”

“That’s fair, man. I’d be the same way if a nigga hurt Freya. I realize Lovie ain’t the only person I gotta prove myself to, and I’m up for the challenge.”

“You better be,” Naseem warned.

My brother was no punk by any means, but I found it hilarious that he had no problem threatening a heavyweight boxing champion, although I wasn’t surprised because he didn’t play about me.

“What didn’t you think was serious, Naseem?” my father asked, forcing us to circle back to our previous conversation.

“Oh! Ma finally told Dy that y’all were still friends with the Lloyds.”

Major looked just as surprised as I did when my mother told me.

“Word? That’s definitely news to me. My parents never mentioned that y’all were still friends. As a matter of fact, they were very intentional about reminding me how I messed up your friendship, and I swear they just said it a few weeks ago.”

“I guess they fooled you,” Ma said, and we all shared a laugh.

“Ma, what’d you cook?” Naseem asked, changing the subject.

We spent the next few hours with my family, although Naseem didn’t stay long and ended up taking his plate to go. As soon as he left, I got a text from him.