Page 56 of Truce Of The Matter

“I agree.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Goode,” Truce says.

“Arlene, sweetheart. Just call me Arlene and come with me to this bar,” she says before coaxing Truce away from me.

Aryel is with Nyrielle. She loves her cousin. So I walk over to Dax. He’s taking the food off the grill.

“Momma’s ready to eat and Lyra still ain’t here. I called, Ny called, and even Chantel hit her but she didn’t answer. Ion know what’s up but she needs to get here,” he says.

“What’s Momma saying?” I ask.

“She’s pissed but she ain’t going to show it.”

“I think she’s worried for real because this ain’t like Lyra.”

“We can’t wait no more. I’m not fucking up my steaks.”

“Well let’s eat. Momma’s ready to eat anyway.”

After washing my hands at the small kitchen area, I join him and we get all the food into the trays then place the trays on the serving table. Truce walks over to help with a pineapple inher hand but I decline. This isn’t Redmond’s and she’s my guest tonight. I’m serving her.

My pops stands, then turns down the music. “Before we eat, let us bless this food,” he says. We all walk to the tables then join hands. He says grace then turns to my mom after saying Amen. “To another thirty-seven years with my sweet brown sugar. Happy Anniversary, baby,” he says before kissing her.

“Auntie, I’ll fix y’all plates,” Nyrielle says. “A little of everything?”

“A lot of everything,” my pops says and we all laugh a little. My mom doesn’t play and she rarely lets him eat red meat. So, these steaks are a treat and it’s their day.

“I’ll help, Papa,” Aryel says before following Nyrielle to the table.

“I got your plate,” I tell Truce.

“And let him,” Chantel says. “Baby, fix mine too. I just want steak and shrimp though, no lobster,” she tells Dax.

Then, she grabs Truce’s hand and they step to the bar. I start to walk over to the food but my mom’s hand on mine stops me. She tugs at it and I step to the side with her. When we are away from my pops, she stares into my eyes with a concern-filled gaze.

“Lyra isn’t answering me and she would not miss this day for me and your dad for the world. I’m really worried that something might've happened to her,” she utters, anxiety lacing her words.

As convincing as I can be, I say, “Don’t be worried. She probably got busy at the salon and can’t get to her phone. You know how it is there. Stop stressing and go enjoy your food. You look too pretty to not be smiling.”

Slowly, she nods, then says, “Alright. You’re right. She’ll be here soon.”

After squeezing my hand, she walks back to the table with my pops. Their plates are on the table and Nyrielle and Aryel areback at the food table with Mere. Dax and Chantel are seated and eating. I step to Truce and lean close to her ear; she’s sipping on her pineapple.

“Do you want everything?”

“I can fix my plate, Rex.”

“But you’re not. What do you want?”

“No asparagus, sweet potato, and all the meat. But a small piece of steak.”

“Got it.”

When I make it to the food table, Aryel’s trying to fork a big ass T-bone. I help her and fork one of the petite steaks instead. She already has a few shrimp and a potato with butter, cheese, and sour cream on her plate. I carry it over to the table for her then fix Truce’s plate and mine.

“You can tell when niggas grubbing. Nobody says shit,” Mere says, speaking facts.

We all laugh because he’s right. The only noise in the solarium is Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell singing a love song. The food is good, even the potatoes and asparagus that I ended up seasoning and grilling.

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