Page 34 of Disrespectfully, Relic

“At the other restaurant. I’m about to head there, but I came here first to do the paperwork. You beat me to it, which is a surprise since you rarely show your face here.”

“Jahleel wanted to see Judith before I take him home. I needed to bide time.”

Relic stood, brushing a hand down his sweater to remove the creases before he reached out a hand that Indigo grabbed while trying to crawl out of Savvy’s lap. He picked up his nephew, staring into eyes that mirrored the exact ones he hated seeing reflected at him each time he looked in a mirror.

“We cursed Indie.”

“You did what?” Confusion sent Savvy’s brows pinching together, making Relic toss his head.

Judith’s words were so embedded into his brain that he was projecting the same negative energy onto Indigo that he’d told Savvy to watch out for when she allowed his mother around her kids. He refused to give Judith that much power.

“Nothing. Your doctor said his eye color could change, right? They may not be blue once he’s older.”

“Yes, since it’s from your family and not the syndrome Navy has, thank God. The doctor said they may turn hazel like mine or even brown. I don’t care as long as he’s healthy.”

Relic wanted to agree but couldn’t formulate those words, so he said nothing. It was easier to keep his mouth shut than to tell her a lie.

That rare coiling of his gut, and pressure on his chest, started when Indigo gave him a gummy smile before slapping a hand on his face to move toward his eyes like his nephew knew that single trait made them alike. It made them unique from the rest of his folks, even if Relic wished Indigo held regular qualities to make him normal. Ones that didn’t make their family claim Indigo was a product of infidelity, or cause Judith to look at the baby funny because his eye shade garnered him a soiled reputation before he could speak his first word. Relic knew those little things would turn big for Indigo if his brother and Savvy didn’t protect him. He was living proof of spoken words coming to fruition.

“Relic, can your strong ass give me back my baby?”

Savvy emitted a laugh that cracked with worry, making his eyes flit to her and then downward to her hands clenching Indigo’s waist. Relic had him firm against his chest to where she couldn’t grab him. His shoulders sank as he slackened his hold.

Indigo whined when Savvy snatched him back with a quickness like Relic would change his mind and run off with her baby if she didn’t. Her face scrunched and eyes bounced over her brother-in-law in scrutiny because it wasn’t the first time that he’d seemed thrown off or out of sorts. She wondered if Shabu ever noticed.

“I think you need a break, Relic,” she suggested, rushing behind him when he walked off as if she weren’t speaking to him. “You’re working yourself to death! You need to take a moment and relax.”

“I can’t afford to relax.”

“You can afford a whole damn lot, and relaxing is one of them,” she rebutted, scurrying to his side. Indigo reached for him, but Relic pretended not to notice. “I get that you like being on top of things, but overexerting yourself could lead to mistakes, Relic. Are you getting sleep? How can you stay on top of everything if you’re mind isn’t clear?”

He stopped and turned to leer at her. “Do I look like Shabu? Do you think I need a woman telling me what I do and don’t need, Savvy? My own fucking mother doesn’t and has never done that. I take care of myself.”

“And that’s the damn problem! It’s nothing wrong with a woman making sure you’re good. You just aren’t used to it.”

“I can do without it.”

“I can do without you zoning out or holding my damn son hostage like he’s safer with you than me because you see yourself in him. One goddamn thing about it, I’m not Judith.”

Relic merely stared because Savvy exposing his inner thoughts didn’t surprise him. She’d dealt with his little brother for years, who was nothing more than a calmer version of himself, so she’d seen the worst of Shabu but learned to catch the signs before he dipped into those dark spaces. Her baby sister did the same for Pierre. Relic pitied his folks because he’d learned to rescue himself—he’d learned to swim in raging waters and when that had failed, he adapted to his environment and sprouted gills. He’d been breathing with his head underwater for years.

“If I thought you were a danger to your kids, I’d tell Shabu to take my nephew and niece and leave your ass. Watch—”

“Judith around them. I know, Relic. I catch her staring at Indie, but I don’t think it’s malicious. She likes him around like she does Jahleel. Maybe she sees them as her way to rectify her wrongdoings with you.”

“Don’t give her that fucking absolution because she doesn’t deserve it.”

Relic deaded the conversation and left Savvy in the hall, dipping into the kitchen where Jahleel was with his mother. Judith barely left the sweltering space unless she was taking a break, which wasn’t often because she didn’t trust the younger employees with her food. It was the sole reason Relic hadn’t minded investing into the restaurant; Shabu wanted it, but he knew Judith would take over and run it with an iron fist.

His steps faltered at spotting his son in a hairnet and plastic gloves, stirring stew as Judith dashed seasonings into the pot while explaining how to cook it in their native language. She instructed Jahleel to fill a medium deli container for an order, and Relic blinked his mild surprise when his son grabbed the correct one to ladle scoops inside before securing a lid on it to pass her. Jahleel picked up a plantain to crack open, cut, and drop into a skillet of oil next, and Relic realized his mother was teaching his son a trade she’d only cared to show one son.

While he chose to fish with his father since the illegal working age of fourteen; Shabu was home with Judith in the kitchen. She’d taught his brother to fry up what he and his father had caught and then moved on to other dishes until Shabu could whip up a full meal without her. Joseph saw it as another reason the illegitimate child of the household was weak, but Relic saw it as Judith showing favoritism out of spite to him. Neither reason mattered because, even if she’d offered to teach him, Relic would’ve declined to not disappoint Joseph. That fact didn’t negate the heart numbing reminder that she’d never tried.

“Relic, you see me?” Jahleel yanked him out of his head with that question. A smile stretched across his son’s face as he boasted, “I bet, I can cook better than Uncle Shabu and Whoop!”

Judith tsked and frowned her mouth in disdain. “Savvy’s cooking is mediocre. My son cooks better than her, and you will too. It’ll be a while before you catch up with Shabu.”

“Why can’t Relic cook if he’s the oldest? You didn’t teach him?”

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