Page 51 of Rhodes to Love

I looked around to see everybody gathered around us. Marcus had dropped tears, and two women had made their way to him. He was doing his best to console them both while containing his own emotions. Karima was dropping tears as well. It was almost impossible to witness this without crying.

“Look at me, Ace,” she said as she pulled away from him and brought her hands to his face. “You had no way of knowing what was happening. Grandpa was probably the last person you expected to see on your way home. He was never out that late by himself. This is not your fault. The people at fault paid the ultimate price. No one in the family blames you, baby.”

He hugged her tightly again as he said, “He looked right into my eyes before he completely passed out.”

“What did he say to you?” she asked.

I didn’t know how she knew her Grandfather had said anything, but she did. Ace pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. “He was just saying Joan over and over. Before he passed out, he said he loved me.”

When I heard an audible cry, I saw Mrs. Tiffany holding on to Mr. Jasper. I turned my attention back to them as Karima said, “He did love you.” Turning to everyone else, she said, “He loved all of us, and I believe he was relaying that through Ace.”

Ace sat back in his seat, and Karima came back to where she was seated next to me. Once she sat, I grabbed her hand and gently wiped her tears with my other hand.

“What is Mister Berotte and Missus Taylor saying?” she asked.

“They are seeking a life sentence, but Sidney said wasn’t no way in hell,” Marcus said. “She said without proof of any wrongdoing on Ace’s part, they won’t get away with it. There are witnesses that saw them beating Pop.” He swallowed hard. “The only thing they are unsure about is them saying it was unnecessary force. However, they are both going to defend Ace like their lives depend on it. This is going to be an extremely high-profile case, simply because of who Pop was.”

Karima nodded. “Have they set a trial date?”

“Yeah. Two months from now. I believe the beginning of May… right around everybody’s graduation from Lamar.”

Karima nodded as her aunt placed a bowl of peach cobbler in front of her. “Thanks, Aunt Chrissy.”

As they continued to talk, I kissed her head and stood to go find Mr. Kenny. When I found him, he was huddled up with his other brothers and his brothers-in-law. I approached and he smiled at me. Everyone turned and gave me head nods. I shook his hand.

“I heard your situation is a done deal.”

“Yes, sir. I’m glad as hell too.”

“I know you are.”

I turned my attention to Mr. Ryder and extended my hand. He shook it as he waited for what I was about to say. “I hear you the man I need to see if I need a fresh tatt.”

He gave me a one-cheeked smile. “Well, I mean every nigga in here and outside are my walking advertisements. What’chu looking for?”

“I need Karima Denali tatted in cursive either on my neck or my chest, with the initials KD behind it in block letters, like the background.”

“I think something like that will look good on your chest. You got shit on there already?”

I smiled slightly. “Yeah. I got an angel wing on each peck, but there’s enough room to put KD in the middle. That’ll be perfect, because she is definitely my heart and my angel. You have any openings?”

“I got’chu Tuesday.”

I nodded as I watched Mr. Storm roll his eyes. I braced myself for what I knew was probably coming. He didn’t disappoint. “Yo’ soft ass fit right in with Kenny and KJ. I see why he like you.”

I frowned slightly then laughed as Mr. Kenny said, “Says the one who was all depressed, thinking his wife was gonna leave him some years back.” Mr. Kenny then turned to me and said, “If the woman you love don’t have you questioning your manhood at least once a week, she ain’t the one. I know my daughter push all them buttons, because she have all four of us weaker than wet toilet paper.”

“I need your blessing for whenever it happens. She completes me. We’ve already talked about it, and I know I would want her hand in marriage before the baby comes. We have about eighteen weeks before her due date.”

Mr. Kenny nodded repeatedly. “I would be proud to have you as a son, Rhodes.”

We shook hands as Mr. Storm said, “He proud now, but a little over a month ago, he wanted to feed yo’ ass to the hogs. I was gon’ help him too. As the mayor of Big City Nome, I would have acted like I didn’t see a got damn thing.”

“Damn, Unc. You telling me a nigga ain’t halfway grew on you yet?”

He gave me a slight smirk. “Yeah, nigga. Just like a fucking fungus. You better be glad I respect my lil ass niece and her gift. I would have took you out before Kenny knew you showed up.”

He chuckled for a second then extended his hand. I shook it as he said, “Now what kind of diet you tryna put together for our cattle?”

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