Belle, having misread Persephone’s uncertain expression, sent her a bland look. “It’s best to just accept Sabra as she is.”
Laughter was tickling the back of
Persephone’s throat again in seconds.
***
The dinner party gathering was arranged to include an overnight stay. The guests would be heading out after breakfast the next morning as there were still a few items needing to be cleared from everyone’s plates before they all met again for Caiphus’ and SyBilla’s wedding festivities.
It was those festivities that had Bill seeking out her fiancé once the house had gone to sleep. She found Caiphus wrapping up a call when she entered the kitchen.
“So...is the wedding off?” She asked when he set his mobile to the counter and leaned back against it.
“Why would you think that?” He asked.
Bill allowed herself to be raked and seared beneath the sapphire brilliance of his stare. She endured for at least a minute, before losing the ability. “I’m sorry, alright?” She balled her fists and resisted the urge to stomp.
“We’re all sorry, okay? But we-we couldn’t have all of you knowing before Hill and that was Persephone’s story to tell him.” Bill withstood another rake and sear, accepting that her fiancé had a right to be pissed. The thought heightened her concern.
“Caiphus do you know um...well is everybody pissed?”
“Damn straight, everybody’s pissed-about as pissed as your cousins will be when they find out.” He pushed off the counter, moved behind it. “The wedding’s not off, but we’re gonna have to talk.”
“Why?”
“Jesus, do you really not get why, Bee? Thank God this all turned out well. Given that, I can wait ‘til you’re my wife to get into it.”
Bill chewed her lip for a second. “Why does that concern me?”
“Because you’re smart.”
“Jeez Caiphus, if Hill’s okay-”
“Hill is not okay.”
Caiphus’ voice was a menacing whisper that unsettled Bill more than his frosty gaze.
“Being with the girls,” Caiphus started, “Being with Persephone who; after the girls, he loves more than his own fucking life...it’s been like heaven for him, but he is absolutely not fucking okay. Persephone is the mother of my nieces. Tonight I learned what it feels like to love-just like that,” he snapped his fingers. “Just like that-no questions, no pretext, no past. They are. I love them for just being. My heart goes out to P for what she did to keep them safe. I get that-I hold no resentment toward her for that. But I’m not Hill.”
Caiphus shook his head, smoothed a hand across his nape where the cottony dark of his hair tapered. “I know him, Bee. The fact that she didn’t trust him to handle it-”
“Maybe she did trust him.” Bill piped up to defend.
“Alright,” Caiphus nodded accommodatingly. “But she didn’t let him handle it. That kind of shit is big with him. He’s not over that, Bee. My guess is he’s just waiting for real time alone with her, once all this is done, to bring it up.”
“How do you know he hasn’t-”
“Because I know
him.” The sentence began
harshly, lowered mid-way. “I was with him. I saw what her leaving
put him through. How it turned him into that ‘I don’t give a fuck
guy’ he never wanted to be. Point is, I know when he’s brooding
over something and my guess is that’s it.”
***
Just before breakfast the next morning, plans changed when news of a wedding invitation was received by Roman. His brother Pitch and Pitch’s long time love Candace Strong had decided they had waited long enough.
The impromptu nuptials were set to take place that afternoon on the grounds of a private golf club not far from Roman’s and Imani’s home. Closing the respected and well-patronized club was not the norm on a Sunday afternoon, but as the establishment had been primarily funded by Tesano family members, the event was put in place with seamless efficiency.
“Just like the man not to give Candy proper time to prepare.” Imani playfully chastised her brother-in-law once she’d gaped at her husband from the stove.
Roman had come to deliver the news to his wife and sons. They were the only ones in the kitchen at the time. Bill, Sabra, Belle, Persephone and the girls were still in bed.
Imani sighed, folded the dishcloth she carried and slapped it on the divider between the deep, chrome sinks. “Let me go call and see if she needs anything.”
Imani left the men without another word, including an apology for the breakfast she wouldn’t be preparing that morning.
The guys didn’t mind. They all took great delight in watching Imani stride out. The tip of her thick French braid bounced between her shoulder blades as she moved. Smiles mirrored the softness in their eyes as they followed the regal grace of her departure.
“I still can’t get over that-seeing her...walking,” Smoak shook his head in wonder.
“Thing of beauty,” Pike added, “like it never happened.”
“Is it still unbelievable to you, Dad?” Caiphus asked.
Roman smirked at his youngest son. “She’s always unbelievable to me. I don’t waste time letting her know how unbelievable.”
“That’s the truth,” Hill’s grin was a sly one. “Remind me to tell you guys what they were wearing when I showed up here.”
“Stow it,” Roman hurled a pillow from the lounge area at his son’s head.
Laughter erupted. Hill remained undaunted.
“No one can say our folks don't enjoy their empty nest.” Hill raised his hands in defense when Roman retrieved the pillow to rain blows against his back.
