Page 46 of Plea
“Good.” He picked me up and wrapped my legs around him. “If you want to keep your apartment you can, but I really don’t want you to leave me tonight. Or ever, for that matter. I’ll have your things moved here next week.”
“Sounds good, babe,” I agreed, cupping his cheek and connecting his lips with mine.
The entire time he carried me upstairs, I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. I couldn’t believe this was my life. That this was my man. Before meeting Carson, I felt like there was nothing missing in my life. Now that I was being loved properly, I felt like there was nothing missing in my life still, but I realized how much space I had for more. More love, more memories, more family when we had our kids. Simply more. Carson made me feel like not even the sky was the limit when it came to us, and I was excited to see how our lives continued to intertwine.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Carson
The weekend had been filledwith family and friends. Friday night, we went to Cash’s grand opening. The whole crew came out and so did Venus’s sisters. We had a great time and ended up getting fucked up, so I was glad me and my brothers agreed to rent a Sprinter.
Yesterday, Venus and I met each other’s parents. Technically, I’d already met hers and talked to her father on the phone, but yesterday was the first time we talked deeply and really got to know each other. I got along well with her parents, and she had a good time with mine. Mama didn’t want her to go. Creole ended up stopping by with his family, and Raven and Mama had Venus all in these Rose Valley Hills streets shopping and hanging out like they’d known each other for years.
Venus told me she wanted to host a dinner party next month so our families could meet, and I was cool with that. I felt like I was already establishing a good bond with her sisters, and my brother had already hooked Raven up at her salon and wanted her to care for his locs. They were on the phone this morningsupposedly talking about his custom oil blend, but their asses ended up talking for more than forty-five minutes about the most random shit. Creole wasn’t the friendliest man, so Venus getting him to come out of his shell and talk to her said a lot.
There was one other thing I wanted to handle before the dinner party when our families came together, which was why I’d gotten her father, Michael, and brother, Valentino, guest passes to the country club. If our families were going to come together, all members would come together, and that included Valentino. Before I made the effort to give my sunshine her brother back, I needed to see where his head was at. I didn’t want to invite anyone back into her life that would create dis-ease or conflict within it.
As a man, I understood him wanting to approve of her partner, but at the same time, Venus was going to be my wife. It was my responsibility to take care of her above all. When we got married, no one would have a say in our marriage or come before us in each other’s lives. So if her brother was on some bullshit, he could stay where the fuck he’d been at for the last damn near two years.
Pops wanted to come with me, but since I didn’t know how Valentino would act, I didn’t want him to meet them until the dinner party. It wouldn’t matter as much if our families didn’t get along, but I prayed they would. What mattered most to me was that our families accepted us; them accepting each other would be a bonus.
That old, rich man laugh floated through the café, and I chuckled. I knew exactly who it was. Turning, I bobbed my head in Michael’s direction as I stood. We greeted each other and did the standard handshake that led to a hug before he introduced me to Valentino. He sized me up the whole time I engaged with his father but shook my hand and was surprisingly pleasant.
I offered them drinks on me and they agreed, so we didn’t start talking until after the waitress came to take their orders.
“So what’s up, son?” Michael asked. “I don’t mind spending time with you, but you seemed to have a sense of urgency about this particular meeting.”
“I did have a sense of urgency, and I appreciate you picking up on and honoring that.” I paused and looked at Valentino. “I wanted to meet with the two of you to get some insight on what happened with Trevor so it can be avoided with me.”
Valentino scoffed and shook his head as he sat up in his seat.
“I’ma let y’all talk and jump in only if I need to,” Michael said with a grin.
“Aight.” Valentino clapped once, as if he’d been waiting to talk about this. “I know you probably heard a version of the story that makes me look like an asshole, but I’ma keep it real.
“I was upset about my sister agreeing to marry that nigga because I didn’t have the chance to get to know him. As a man, as her brother, it was my responsibility to make sure that nigga was good enough for her. Even if he wasn’t, I didn’t get the chance to threaten him to make sure he knew what would happen if he hurt my sister. So when I found out she’d said yes to marrying him, that shit kind of hurt my feelings. Like damn. You don’t care what I think at all? Then it was my ego too. I can’t give my sister away to a random nigga.”
“I hear all that, and I respect it, but what I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell her that then. Instead, you let all this time pass without saying anything,” I admitted.
“That’s where shit gets a little sticky.” He smiled. “It wasn’t my intention to go this long without talking to my sister. People always say we act the most alike, and neither one of us wanted to go to the other to make shit right. Initially, it was my fault. Like I said, I was upset that she’d agreed to marry him without letting me meet him first. So when we did see each other, I was still madand not wanting to talk to her because I was going to take it out on him. I wasn’t comfortable with giving her to someone I didn’t know.
“Plus, I had been hearing some shit about him that I didn’t like, but I knew if I stepped to her about it, she would protect him and stay with him anyway. So when I was ignoring her, that was my attempt to keep the peace until shit died down. Honestly, I thought she’d leave him way before now and then we’d be able to hash things out. But time started flying by, and before I knew it, over a year had passed.”
“Now that I can agree with,” Michael said. “Valentino and Venus are very much alike. All my kids have similarities and distinct differences too. My two Vs are very protective, territorial, and aggressive. They are the fighters. They are the ones you can’t tell shit. They have to figure things out on their own. So if he would have gone to Venus about anything negative regarding her relationship, her stubbornness would have led to her staying with Trevor even if she didn’t want to.
“My hope was that a month or so would pass and they’d calm down enough to talk, but time just continued to pass by. It got to a point where they’d be in the same room and act like the other didn’t exist. Then, they started asking if the other would be there, and if we said yes, they wouldn’t come. I do agree that it’s time for y’all to let this shit go though. I want all my kids in the same room again, in peace, and in love.”
I remained silent and gave Valentino time to process what his father had said.
“I know it’s on me to make the first move to fix things,” he said.
“Just keep in mind she’s just like you, so you gotta keep a leveled head,” Michael said. “You’re the oldest, and I’m counting on you to make this right.”
With a sigh, Valentino’s head shook as he ran his hand down his face. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“If you’re comfortable with it, I can set something up for the two of you to talk,” I offered. “I know y’all love her and want to protect her, but that’s my wife. She’s my responsibility now and forever. I got her, and I want her to have a relationship with you. I can tell she’s still hurt and misses you, so even if she gives you a hard time initially, it’s because you hurt her feelings.”
