Page 13 of Beacon Grove Chronicles 1: Hassan & Sylvia

“You grown as fuck, why do you care about what they think?”

“Because that type of embarrassment in the circle we run in isn’t tolerated. I’m not trying to be shunned and labeled a side chick!”

I chuckled at the way she was talking and needed to bring her down a few pegs. “But you are.”

“Fuck you, Dave! You keep talking like I’m the one who’s wrong here. It takes two and you weren’t refusing anything I offered you.”

I frowned at my phone because she sounded dumb as hell. “What man turns down some ass from a bitch?”

“A married one but it’s clear that you don’t believe that.”

“Whatever man. I got shit to do around here and ain’t got time to be sitting on the phone with you.”

“Yeah I know you gotta figure out where the hell your wife’s been all night. Sucks that you don’t even know.”

“Stop worrying about my fucking family and worry about yourself. You ain’t got shit else to do with all that free time.” I hung up not wanting to give her a chance to say shit else.

She was right though. I needed to get on the good foot and look like a man who wanted his family. My mama would just have to be mad about her kitchen because I wasn’t going to waste my time cleaning up. I fixed my plate with renewed energy because I had a lot to accomplish today.

I pulled up to Sylvie’s oldest brother’s house because I wanted the kids to come home. It was clear that her father had a hand in ensuring that they were up and ready for school so that I didn’t have access to them. I’d thought about going up to the school to get them but I was sure that JJ’s ass had trespassed me from the property. He’d let being principal go to his head like he hadn’t been the fat boy his whole life. Nigga got the slightest bit in shape and he was trying to act like he was somebody now.

I stepped out of the truck and before I could shut the door of my truck Marion, her oldest brother was heading out of the house. Everyone in their family had nice ass houses since they were one of the founding members of the town. They’d been lawyers for as far as anyone could remember so they were considered affluent. Marion was a lawyer and was a partner in their family’s law firm.

“You got some nerve to bring your Black ass to my house after the shit you pulled yesterday. School been out a minute but you just now showing up here? You should’ve been here first thing this morning.”

He stood with arms folded at the top of the steps like he was daring me to run up. All of Sylvia’s people were tall and broad. Their physique had allowed all four to go to college on scholarship and two played professionally in the NFL. “Now ain’t the time for you to be getting in me and Sylvie’s business. I know the kids are home from school. Go ahead and call them down so that I can get them home.”

“I ain’t releasing the kids into your custody until my sister says that she’s okay with that.” He was saying that shit like he was setting up a case for something but I knew Sylvia wouldn’t refuse to let me be a father.

I waved behind him so I could get a chance to talk to my wife while I was here. “Then go inside and tell her to let them out.”

The smirk on his face had my stomach coiling. When he crossed his arms and didn’t holler back into the screen porch for Sylvie, I was worried about what the hell was going on.

“I can’t holler for her because she ain’t here.”

“She spent the night here though, right?” The look on his face showed he knew I was reaching and I didn’t like that he was holding all the cards.

“I don’t know. Did she?”

“She was with one of the five of y’all so I ain’t worried.” Between her parents and her four brothers’ houses in the country I knew she hadn’t been laid up with someone else.

Marion rubbed his beard that same sly look on his face. “Maybe you should be. You have no idea how much shit you’ve put our sister through. We’ve stayed on the side watching because she wanted to handle her business herself. But make no mistake we’re coming’ for your ass just ass soon as we can.”

“And I’ll own this muthafucka if you think about putting a hand on me.”

He bellowed out a laugh like my threat didn’t hold any weight. “Our father is the fucking judge in this town. Who do you think is going to put us in jail?”

“Y’all ain’t untouchable.”

“You want to find out if that’s true or not.”

I was wasting time with this nigga because he wasn’t going to give me the information I needed anyway. I could tell he was enjoying the way I was basically begging him for information about my bitch and I didn’t like it. She’d probably told them to play dumb when I came by. Just thinking about her sitting somewhere watching me up here from a camera got me pissed off all over again.

“That’s cool. Y’all can think what you want. But I know Sylvie loves me and we’re gon’ get through this.”

“You had her come out of character in front of a bunch of kids. I can’t stand you. Never liked you for her but I gave you chance. I told you when you married her that you broke her heart I would do everything in my power to break you. You decided to take my words lightly. And now I have to show you why that was such a mistake.”

I snatched open my truck door then slammed it pissed that she hadn’t let me know she was home. If I hadn’t stopped to get these roses for her, I would’ve made it on time. I knew I’d fucked up not getting her anything for Valentine’s Day yesterday and I was sure this would soften her up some. I’d slacked on the romance tip since I’d been so focused on making myself happy. On the drive home, I thought of everything I had to lose and knew I needed to get my shit together. At least for right now.