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“Don’t start,” Law rasped.
“What?”
“I don’t bad mouth you to anyone.”
“Mrs. Harvey, I assure you he doesn’t. Has he told me about the history between the three of you, yes. However, he’s never had anything negative to say about you.”
“Well, I guess I can appreciate that.” She smiled up at him.
I could tell she was longing for their situation to change. Law stood there unmoved by her, so it was clear he was still on the defense. He was uncomfortable so I decided it would probably be best to separate the two of them.
“Mrs. Harvey, I have someone I want you to meet. Give me one second.” I walked off.
If anybody in this room could cure the awkwardness, it was Bertha Mae. Even if only temporary, she could restore some sort of peace.
CHAPTER 31
Lawton
Iappreciated Talitha for stepping in when she did. Had she not, me and my mother would have probably ended up arguing. I never intentionally bad mouth her nor did I shout from the top of the roof how jaded and twisted our history was. I simply just ignored the situation and opted out of dealing with it.
I knew bringing her around everyone had the potential to give them a glimpse into a part of my life that I’d intentionally kept hidden. Hendrix, Preme, and Talitha knew the most about our relationship, so it wasn’t a secret to either of them. I’d been in my head and shit, my heart for that matter, regarding repairing our relationship.
I won’t lie like when that call came through from Preme regarding her accident I wasn’t scared shitless. I’d purposely kept myself away for so long that I didn’t know how I would feel when I saw her lying in that hospital bed. Upon seeing her bruised face my heart slowed down, she was alive. Had the situation gone another way, I would’ve been burying her without hashing out our issues.
For the past few days, I’d wrestled with the idea of reconciling with her; accepting her apology and just letting the shit go. She wanted to put the past behind us, but I felt likewe needed to confront it. I mean, just brushing the shit to the side wouldn’t do anything but have us bringing it up anytime we disagreed on something. I’d always told Preme I would talk to her when I was ready and after exposing my relationship with Adele, I was no more ready than I was before I got that call.
One day I would get there but today I wanted to get her out of the house and bring her around my people. A part of me wanted her to see how good I was doing, wanted her to regret not playing a bigger role in my upbringing. I wanted her to see that I made it despite her not being there for me.
Sliding up beside me, Preme leaned across the railing and stared out at the field. “I wanted to tell you thank you for putting your pride to the side.”
“I did this for me. Not her.”
“Don’t matter the why. You did it and that’s all that matters.”
“She tell you I told her ‘bout Adele.”
“She did,” he confirmed. “Called Adele up and told her the next time she saw her she was gon’ beat the shit out of her.”
“I believe her.” I laughed.
“Shit me too,” he agreed. “How you feeling ‘bout that?”
“What… Adele?”
“Mama knowing.”
“Don’t really know.” I shrugged. “I only told her out of spite. I knew it would hurt her.”
“That it fucking did. You not worried ‘bout this messing up business with Adele?”
“Believe me, Adele ain’t stupid enough to cross me.”
“Good. I like her.”
“Who… Talitha?”
“Yeah. Like her for you.”