Page 159 of Shâhzâdeh

I threw my hands up because they both seemed to be completely ridiculous. “Xerxes! You can’t do that! He was always nice to me. You can’t fight people for nothing at all.” I pushed him playfully and he laughed like I was something to play with.

“But,eshgham, why are you not telling your brozer zhat? You are not scolding him! I must react this way because the love I have for you makes me feral at the zhought of someone trying to disturb it.” He brushed his wavy hair off his face as he kept laughing at me.

“Not that I’m trying to make waves, but tell me something is up so I can leave my mark on this. Our mama and daddy are smiling now that we’re together. But they’re both in heaven ready for me to get their lick back.”

“Zhere are plans in zhe works for zhe people who harmed her. But now, with zhis additional information, they may have to change.” Xerxes was rubbing his chin again and I wondered what plans were in the works.

“Change how?”

Xerxes glanced at Ahmad and then back to me. “Because if zhey took you, zhey either killed your parents or know who did. Zhey cannot be allowed to linger any longer than zhey already have. And I zhink zhat your brother is justified in witnessing zheir destruction.”

“But I can’t?”

“I never said zhose words, ziba. I want you around for as little or as much as you can tolerate as long as it does not alter your perception or your love for me. If you say it will not, I believe you wholeheartedly.”

“When do we start?” The way Ahmad was looking at Xerxes showed he meant business and I was looking between the two of them, wondering how this would play out.

Xerxes was rubbing my leg as though he didn’t want me to worry. I hadn’t processed the fact that I had a sibling yet, a real one this time. I didn’t want the two obviously alpha men to get into it on their first meeting.

“You’re a high-profile professional basketball player, why would you want to be involved in this?” The question was posed lightly, not as a test but as a way to seek information.

Ahmad smiled slightly and it looked like a mutual understanding passed between them. “I’m Antonio and Valencia Thornton’s son. People lied to me for years about my family and I had to take that sh—take it. I did the little dirt I needed to in order to survive up until I made it. There was never a time when I made it to the level my pops did, at least not illegally, but I’m not some show choir kid sitting on the sidelines waiting to get put in the play. I’m a shoot first, help bury the body kinda nigga.”

“She doesn’t like zhat word.”

I appreciated him protecting my space, but I didn’t want to put up all these rules when we’d just met. “Stop it, Xerxes. You’re going to have this man thinking I’m lame.”

“Be lame. Ain’t no one size fits all to being Black. Your husband has an Arab looking shell, but real ones know. I already know his mama is the Black parent.” Ahmad looked smug as he waited on confirmation that he was correct.

I waited for Xerxes to get annoyed but he only smiled. “She will be pleased to know zhat all of her effort into ensuring I didn’t walk around like the mama white biracial paid off.”

“I don’t know much about Middle eastern people, but you’re good in my book. If my sister could build up all this business on her own to where she was repping’ clients like me without having you, I know she wouldn’t willingly give up that freedom unless the man was worth it.” He shrugged and I was truly astonished and how easily he seemed to fall into the role of big brother. Like he had never stepped out of it even though they said I was gone. It was wild how he’d had this unwavering belief that I was out there and, by some miracle I’d been found.

“How do you know zhat?”

“Because Black women ain’t built like that. They not built to fold under pressure. They stand tall even in the face of death. I know the woman she comes from. My mama would bust back at anyone and the only reason they got the drop on us was the fire. If you have any way to look into things—” It didn’t seem to bother him to ask Xerxes for help and I knew Xerxes was more than willing to give it.

“It had been on my list to do for some time. I’d done a cursory look but wasn’t sure if zhe years of her birz had been fudged or not. It wasn’t zhat urgent because we’ve had several ozer factors zhat needed to be handled more urgently.Bebakshid mano, eshgham(forgive me, my love). I should’ve been more diligent in ensuring you had zhe information you desired.” He raised the back of my hand and kissed it apologetically but there was nothing he had to be sorry for.

“I never had a thought to look back because I wasn’t sure if there was something worth looking back for. I’m sorry that I don’t remember you. But I remember being happy despite what they said. Is it okay if I hug you?”

“Of course. It’s been decades in the making.” He stood up with a smile like he’d been waiting on me to ask.

I stood up at the same time and even though I felt awkward; I walked into my brother’s embrace. He gave me a squeeze and despite his ridiculous height; he lifted me off my feet slightly again. “Thank you for remembering me.”

“I think your husband would agree you’re fairly unforgettable.”

Xerxes spoke up from behind us immediately. “From zhe moment I laid eyes on her.”

We separated and went back to our seats and I felt lighter than before. “How did they explain your past to you? Not to say things to upset you, but maybe there are clues we can use to figure out who else needs to join these people in hell.”

Xerxes wiped my tears as I tried to blink them back. “A lot of stereotypical stuff. Like my father was a thug and my mother was a nobody. I hated hearing it because even if what they said was true, I remember feeling good. But then I tricked myself into believing that it couldn’t have been possible and my brain was lying to me. I thought they gave me away, I didn’t think they’d died.” Xerxes’ hands went around mine and he squeezed it gently.

“Loved is an understatement. I’m sorry about the stuff you went through when you were with those people. I’m hoping we can find out how that happened. So what’s the move?”

“Zhey die.”

Ahmad’s eyes flickered to me as though he were waiting for me to speak up. “You not spooked by that?”

---