Page 53 of Shâhzâdeh

She rolled her eyes and I smiled because apparently she was just as annoyed by whatever this was as I was starting to be. “Trust me, the feeling was more than mutual when I found out. But as an elder, I have to bring this to you the way I would anyone else.”

My brows shot up and a smile was on my face because, if my mother was aggravated, that didn’t bode well for anyone. Of course, seeing her in action was always a pleasure. “Sounds ominous.”

She chuckled and waved her hands as though rebuking whatever devious thought had come into her head. “You know I would blow all of this shit up before I let it harm you. Everyone here loves you despite you thinking you’re too damn grown. But one thing we have to be is fair, and sadly, that’s where this comes in at. This is about your choice.”

“I have no qualms about equality. I’m a double minority too,maman. You have more zhan raised me well so I do not want to be treated differently from others because I am rich. I welcome whatever task zhey might put before her because I know she is more zhan up to it.” I shrugged as though it was no big deal, but my mother’s face was one that was still tight. “Maman?”

“Xerx?TataBabette!”

Midas’ voice echoed through the hall announcing himself before he appeared in her doorway. His voice forced me to focus on him instead of questioning my mother. She’d already said that she wouldn’t be able to give me anymore information but my curiosity was now getting the best of me. My cousin was dressed in a three-piece dove gray suit, which was ironic because I was in slate gray.

My mother stood up from behind her desk smoothing her hands down the day dress she wore. It was always a beautiful contrast to see my deadly mother bask in her femininity. She wasn’t above getting her hands dirty, but she would rather poison someone or ruin their life to the point they took care of themselves for her. But when she needed to up her guns, she still did it with style.

“Where is Omega?” We embraced Midas and he unbuttoned his suit before he took his seat.

“With your men enjoying some of Tata’s bread pudding.”

I turned to my mother feeling betrayed as she sat behind her desk looking smug. “You did not even tell me you had some!”

“You are a spoiled boy. I didn’t have time to talk about your stomach since I am worried about your future. Forgive me for focusing on the larger picture.” She rolled her eyes again like dealing with me was a trial.

“My future? How is zhis an issue? I’m finally going in toward marriage but now y’all are worried about my future?”

Her sigh revealed her frustrations and the way she didn’t want to be in the middle of this shit but was forced to be. “Like I told you before, sit down, shush and wait for the meeting to start.”

“I’m surprised they didn’t want to do this in person.” Midas looked between the two of us and we could only nod our agreement.

“The subject of the meeting was one that didn’t necessitate it. If it is something that progresses, then we absolutely will move to in-person discussions.” She was playing with the large ice lavender oval diamond that comprised her engagement ring. It was my mother’s favorite color and I always teased her because it should’ve been pink. She told me that pink represented the newness of life and blue represented the sky, which was limitless. That was the reason she was always drawn to lavender. Over the years, my father and I had added to herparureso no matter the occasion, she could have a piece of jewelry that matched her ring.

“Tata, you about to give this man a stroke. It ain’t even about me and I’m concerned.” Midas had his hand on my shoulder and I was bouncing my leg in anticipation of this call.

She cut her eyes at him giving him a look that let me know he was in trouble too. I laughed because he immediately looked on guard. “Well, since this is partially your fault, you should be.”

“Wait, I just sat down, what did I do?” She rolled her eyes and before she could repeat herself, Mi recited the words she’d spoken to me. “Wait for the meeting. Okay, I hear you.” Midas turned to me, pushing me on the shoulder like my ass was the one that got him in trouble. “What have you done?”

“How do we know zhis ain’t somezing you did?” Cause Midas was acting like he didn’t have outside activities

“Bruh, I just got word about this. I was chillin’ in Atlanta with the in-laws trying to convince them that my son doesn’t need a private island in his real estate portfolio.”

I bust out laughing because leave it to my cousin to be blessed enough to find a wife as wealthy as him and he be annoyed about it. And not mad in the sense that he was bitter, but mad that his father-in-law loved to spoil is son even more than he did. His wife, Nevaeh, was an only child and having a grand baby was a big deal for both of them. There was no escaping the way Mansa was going to be spoiled. We just had to make sure his work ethic matched his money. And don’t get me started on how crazy my Uncle Michael and Auntie Pam were to be grandparents.

“You gone be a hater all your life?” I stretched out in my seat wishing I had a footstool but knew if I put my foot on my mama’s desk she’d put hers up my ass.

Midas’ ass glared at me like I’d called him a bad father and threatened to call CPS. “Mansa is more than well taken care of, stop playing with me.”

“Never can have too much real estate—”

He crossed his arms and it felt like old times getting on his nerves like this. Midas was only a few years older so it gave me pleasure driving his ass crazy. “Of course you feel that way. It’s an excellent investment, but I need them to let me do for my son sometimes.”

“I know better zhan to argue with maman when zhe time comes. She’s made it clear zhat my wife and I will be zhe parents, but zhat gifts are her love language.”

My mother grinned because even if I told her no, something I wouldn’t do unless Vanya needed me to, she’d do what she wanted, anyway. It wasn’t like those weird ass mamas that you saw on TV. My mother showed her love by spoiling but would only push boundaries on small things.

“Hopefully, your future bride understands. But, my boys, before we devolve into a fight where I have to call Pat and bring out the hose, can we focus? The meeting is about to start.”

We immediately straightened up, my mother cutting on the large screen that dropped from its place in the ceiling to cover up the family portrait that hung over the fireplace in her office. Midas and I turned our chairs around to face the screen.

Silently we waited as she signed into the meeting using a fingerprint scanner on her computer that Dom, Midas’ best friend, had created for all of us.

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