“So how do you know when to let go of the rope?” Caiphus asked.
“When things got as ugly as they did tonight.” Hill said.
Murmurs of agreement resounded once more at the table.
“So are you guys dropping your demands for apologies?” Caiphus asked.
“Hell man,” Fernando reared back in his chair. “We always knew that wasn’t happening. That shit tonight was about ego and the sting of them holding a secret like that for so long...guess it all screwed with us.”
“They’ve still got nothing on how long Persephone held onto hers. Are you done with it too Hill?” Caiphus questioned his brother. “Finished with letting it screw with you?”
Hill couldn’t answer and he didn’t need to. Every man at the table could see the emotion waging war on his face.
“It’s okay to be angry, man,” Pike said.
“Not for me,” Hill countered. All the honesty at the table had finally made it too difficult to resist being the same. Still, he worked to hold back. “It’s not okay for me. You guys know that.”
No one argued. While few understood the depth of Hill’s battles with his demons, they knew enough to appreciate the length he’d gone to control them.
“Being angry doesn’t mean you don’t love her,” Yohan said.
“See, that’s it right there, Yo,” Hill shook his head. “How can I be so angry and still love her so goddamn much?” The question took its toll and had his eyes firing with a dark brilliance that intensified when his companions began to laugh.
“Sorry man, we’re sorry,” Quest apologized for the group as he laughed. “We’re guessing you and Persephone didn’t argue much...before? Had a pretty fairytale lifestyle before she left, is that right?”
Hill was already nodding, the temper dissolving in his eyes as it was replaced by the softness of nostalgia. “Fairytale...it was heaven. She was…” he squeezed his eyes shut against sudden pressure behind them.
“She was all I wanted. Hell...she’s still all I want. She’s playing kick ball with my heart and she’s still all I want. What the fuck kind of sense does that make?”
Quest’s smile relayed how clearly he understood the man’s plight. “It makes no sense and it won’t. I hate to tell you, the drama being so new to you and all… Aside from Eva, you guys had no drama- none of that personal shit. Now, personal shit is cropping up quick and once it’s settled there will be more and there’s not a goddamn thing you can do but you’ll know you’ll get past it because you have to and that part’s never gonna make sense.”
“Never,” Smoak added. “No matter how justified your argument, you’ll have a damn hard time staying angry with her.”
“He’s right,” Quest said, “it’s like all that drama that swells up from time to time doesn’t matter. At the bottom of it you know you’re part of each other- she’s not going anywhere and you’re not going anywhere and you don’t ever want to. That doesn’t mean you won’t get mad as fuck,” he joined in when the others laughed, “but you’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.”
“Amen,” Yohan said once more.
Eventually everyone, Hill included, had
repeated the sentiment. Glasses raised in joint agreement.
***
The music had resumed by the time the guys returned. The evening hadn’t gone half way as it had been planned. The filling meal was low on the kind of raunchy discussion generally on hand for such an occasion. When Caiphus suggested calling it a night, no one complained.
Still, everyone was quick to apologize to the groom for such a downward turn to the evening. Caiphus had been intrigued though. The insightful conversation had not disillusioned him on the institution of marriage. Instead, Caiphus was more ready than ever to join with the woman he loved.
Tempers had cooled by the time the guys got back. Uncertainty lingered however as no one was eager to revisit the night’s prior unrest. They heard music not long after they left the SUVs they’d taken to the restaurant.
“Looks like they’re still partyin’ strong.” Yohan noted.
“Maybe they won’t be in the mood to kick ass,” Fernando hoped.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” Kraven muttered.
Hill’s laughter rang out. “You guys are pathetic.”
“We are and not afraid to admit it,” Quay retorted.
Resolved to their fates, the men headed on towards the lanai where the beat of the music thundered.
“Like I said, it’s damn hard to stay mad at them,” Smoak knocked a fist to Hill’s shoulder when he moved alongside him.
The air pulsed with another classic jam, but the dance party had grown. The bride and her crew had been joined by the elders. Also joining in on the fun were the youngest guests.
SyBilla had laid claim to Dinari and Dakari- the three danced as energetically as anyone to Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Let’s Groove Tonight”.
Hill and his brothers laughed at the sight of their father grooving to the music with his dance partners. Leeya and Layah giggled breathlessly while they jumped and wiggled around their grandparents.
“Well, if you can’t beat em…” Quest headed off to enter the joyful chaos. In moments, he’d tugged Mick from her dance with Ty, Catrina and Damon. He swung a laughing Quincee from her feet, put a hard kiss to Mick’s mouth and danced with his family.
Soon after, everyone was caught up in the spell of the music.
“Think they’ll miss us if we leave?” Hill was asking Persephone when she unintentionally bumped into him amidst her dancing.
Breathless for a whole different reason then, Persephone shook her head to his question. “I don’t think so um...where would you like to go?”
Hill looked back toward the party. “Anyplace we can be alone.”
Persephone smiled out at the dancers. “Looks like everybody made up.”
