Page 69 of Father of the Bride

“I promise, but I think you can talk to your mom.”

Sylvan frowned. “Why do you say that?”

“Just, um…she seems understanding, that’s all.”

“She’s not. Trust me.” He shook his head. “If you tell my mama something, you better do it. She don’t play about that. She holds you to your word.”

“I mean, I’m sure—“

“No. You don’t understand. Like one time, my dad was supposed to buy her these red bottoms. He promised, and then he saw the price, and he changed his mind. She held that grudge foryears,Mr. Mark.”

“Which ones?”

“Shoes?” Sylvan shrugged. “I don’t know. Some black ones. But when I say years, I mean literally. She’s still mad about it even though she bought some for herself. It’s the principle. Or like when my dad said he’d take her to Rome, and—“

“I think this is a special case, though, Sylvan. This is about your future. It’s not like you promised her you’d become a doctor.”

“I kind of did, though.”

Mark patted Sylvan on the back. “Well, I guess you better keep your word, then.”

He chuckled.

“What would you do if you didn’t go to med school?”

“I’m kinda interested in crypto.”

“That’s not a career, son.”

“I mean—“

“Either stick with medicine, or come up with something equivalent. Crypto ain’t gon’ cut it.”

As Sylvan nodded, Mark pulled out his phone to keep Orion’s promises for him.

Sterling made his way over, drink in hand, cigar in mouth. Mark wasn’t happy to see him, but his presence was expected.

“You’re countersuing?” he said by way of greeting.

“Hell, yeah,” Mark said. “You thought I wouldn’t? What the fuck are you even doing?”

“It was either me or you,” Sterling said, blowing smoke. “You know how it is.”

Mark shook his head. “It’s so easily provable that this shit was all on you.”

“It’s also easily provable that you knew about it and did nothing.”

Sterling had him there, and they both knew it.

“I was preoccupied,” Mark snapped. “My wife died, Sterling. You think I had time to investigate your shady bullshit?”

“You know I loved Layna like a sister,” he said. “The timing was unfortunate, but it had nothing to do with that.”

“Then, what the fuck, man?”

“We ain’t gotta get into it right now.”

The two stood in silence for a moment.

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