Page 131 of Don Caselli

“You’re taking the jet.”

Zoya snorted. “Hell yeah… thank ya!”

Menace sat his utensils down and leaned back, flexing his fingers. Stevie put her hand over his. “It’s only for five days. You and Dennis will be alright without me. Kora said she’ll stay at the house, and Jeffie, too.”

“You hate me, Wanda?”

“Mitchell, we will have this conversation at home.” She shut the conversation down, and now he was really rubbing his hands together.

Landon came around the corner, sitting Kennedy’s plate down roughly. “Enjoy, Wench.”

Kora choked on her water. “Did he call her awench?” she whispered to Zoya, who had her hand over her mouth, shocked that he said what he did.

Sitting beside me, he pulled my legs over his and started rubbing my feet. “Well, it’s nice to get everyone together and get to know you all. Our family loves Landon. I feel like I’m getting to know him more by meeting you all.”

Menace tapped out the conversation until Stevie said something to him. Standing up, she grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her. They went down the hall, and I heard the door slam.

“It’s very nice meeting the both of you. Navy is a smart, incredible, and beautiful young woman. I found myself on her social media, and I love her vibe… such a unique presence.” Kora cut into her chicken.

“Thanks, Kora.”

“You’re welcome, love. I’m not on social media much, but I need you to teach me how to do those filters. I fight for my life with those things.”

“So, it can sit in your drafts.”

“Now you in my business,” Kora pointed her fork at her younger sister. “Landon, are you alright?”

He was rubbing my feet and looked at me. I was in pain but was keeping it together. The rubbing of my feet was distracting me. “I’m good.”

Menace and Stevie came back into the dining room, she fixed her dress, and he had a pep in his step. “We eating or just looking at each other?”

My father said a quick prayer over us and the food, and then we dug in while Kennedy continued to stare at Landon. I was no longer the problem; she was more focused on him.

“She’s not your friend, that girl,” Menace started singing “Not Your Friend” by Case, and Stevie started nodding her head, like this was karaoke.

Kennedy looked at her plate and started picking around the food. “Why don’t you wanna fuck me anymore, Uncle Landon?”

Zoya spit her entire sip of wine across the table on us, and we moved back from the table. My father’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when the words left Kennedy’s mouth. “What the fuck you doing, Ken?”

The tone of Landon’s voice wasn’t safe, and he sounded manic. That vein in his neck bulged, as he was rubbing my feet, staring directly at her.

“You didn’t know… this is my uncle, and he wanted us to be together.”

My father looked at Menace, who cut into his chicken. “This is my sister, and I made her my wife,” he nodded at Stevie, and she shoved him.

“Maverick!” she harshly whispered.

My father pushed his seat out.

“Ro, baby, I think we have to head out and attend that thing.”

“Ma, she’s not my niece.” Don looked at my mother, and she looked over at Kennedy, who was all too thrilled to fuck up our dinner.

“Then what the hell is going on, because I’m ten minutes from pulling my baby girl out of this.”

“Kennedy, leave,” Menace said. His voice was low; however, he meant business by his tone.

Stevie leaned forward. “I’m not his sister by the way.”

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