June
“Do you think the boys are going to be okay?” I asked Z.
She stopped setting the table as she looked at me. “They are with their sister, and besides, Zeus’ house is right next door. You wanted this dinner, remember? I think it’s a great start to a fresh relationship with your sisters.”
The idea sounded good when I proposed it, but now I was second-guessing myself.
All I knew were the people in the Zoo; getting to know people was a gift and a curse.
Now I was inviting people into my life after I’d finally found some calm.
However, I owed it to my sisters to try.
This was a nigga putting his hard exterior aside to salvage something I destroyed before truly giving it a chance.
When the doorbell rang, Z and I stared at each other.
“It’s going to be fine, baby. I promise.”
She went to answer the door while I stood on the other side of the wall trying to figure out what the hell to say to them that didn’t involve me cussing one of their asses out.
Indigo appeared first. “Hey!” she squealed.
“Sup?” I mumbled.
Tania then came, awkwardly waving. “Hey.”
I gave her ass a nod. I waited for Bishop to hit the corner, but he hadn’t. “Where yo nigga at?” I asked Indigo.
She shrugged. “He said he will catch you the next round. So, I came alone.”
Zaria poked her head around the wall. “Um, Harvey and the girls called for an emergency women's meeting. I’m going to have to sit this one out, but y’all enjoy.”
“The hell?”
Z!
No, you guys need time alone without anyone else. Get to know your sisters. See how sneaky I can be? Luckily, Bishop understood the assignment.
Oh, you are a slick muhfucka.
I love you. Behave.
Indigo and Tania both stared at me, waiting for instructions. “Y’all ain’t got to stare at me. Sit down,” I grumbled.
“This looks so nice, June,” Tania said.
My eyes slowly rolled in her direction. “Thank you,” I said between my teeth like a kid.
Honestly, I didn’t know what to say. I thought this shit would be easier, but it felt much harder than it should have been. Indigo reached out and touched my hand.
“It’s okay. This is new for all of us.” She smiled.
Tania seemed to get more comfortable. “So, when is your birthday?” she asked.
“January 23rd.”
“Why do you like plants so much?” Tania blurted out.
I eyed both of them because the answer was going to be why the hell were they asking so many questions, but I knew this was part of the process.
“I enjoy plants because it was one of the things that saved my life. Before being introduced, I was a ticking time bomb, and—”
Indigo snickered. “But you still are.”
“And so is your nigga. Like I was saying, I needed something to calm me down. Something that was going to bring peace to my life, and plants were it. What about you guys? What do you like other than being a pain in the ass?” I said as I glanced at Tania.
She swallowed deeply. “Look, I know I was sort of a bitch to you, and I’m sorry. It’s just that you came out of nowhere, and there was no sort of proof of who you were. I don’t know; I felt threatened.”
“I could understand that, but the answers I was seeking were something that had to do with neither of you. Not to mention, I don’t know what it’s like to grow up with siblings or parents.
All I know is everyone is the enemy until proven otherwise.
I didn’t invite you two here to be the dick head big brother, but rather to start over and get to know you two—” I shrugged, “—and have a relationship and shit.”
That was when a thought came to mind. I pulled my phone out and sent Bishop a text. It didn’t take him long to respond and told me he would look out. My sisters and I learned about each other over the next thirty minutes until the doorbell rang. They both stared at me awkwardly.
“You’re expecting company?” Indigo asked.
“Something like that. Hold on,” I told them as I stood from the table and went to the door.
I answered, and he greeted me with a short smile. “I feel like you needed to be here. You cool?” I asked.
He scratched the scar on the side of his face as he slowly nodded. I stepped back to allow him inside. He followed me into the dining room, and when the twins saw him, they were surprised.
“Anthony!” Indigo squealed.
Tania’s eyes became watery as she ran into his arms. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
Watching them interact with the person they knew as their brother made me feel some kind of way. Even though my feelings were in a tizzy, I also didn’t want to exclude those they were used to. Tania glanced over at me.
“Come on, June. You missed out on enough; we don’t want any more missed moments.”
I walked over to everyone as they sat down. Indigo smiled. “Okay, well, big brother, introduce us to your unsalted, non-GMO food you have here.”
I nodded slowly. “I mean, shit, we eat healthy around here, so check it,” I said as I rubbed my hands together.
This type of shit felt different, but I was with it.
The twins had the world on a platter while Anthony and I were served an empty one.
While he was the boy in the photo, I was the one missing, but neither of us got the one thing we were looking for, and that was a mother’s love.
To be a changed man, you had to be a man willing to change, and this was what separated me from Chevy.
The man I was in this moment was the nigga they called June.