Chapter 10
I pulled into my parents’ house and shut off my car.
Today was my mom’s birthday, so we were having a cookout in honor of her.
The street was already lined with cars, and I could smell my dad on the grill.
I wished I could have brought Jaeda with me, but I didn’t want to pressure her about being around my people too soon.
Being around hers was inevitable because those niggas were nosy as fuck.
I still couldn’t believe her brothers were in her house when I dropped her off.
Any other man probably would have been scared off, but that wasn’t me.
I’d been bullied until I beat the bully’s ass.
Not saying I could win every fight, but I wasn’t afraid to square up with anybody, even if I was outnumbered.
Getting out of the car, I went to the back to grab my mom’s gift. Just as I closed the door, Titan pulled up behind me and hopped out of his Jeep Wrangler with a huge gift bag in hand.
I chuckled as he approached and dapped me up. “You know moms is about to have your head.”
He laughed. “I know. I brought something to soften the blow. She would have been on my ass if I didn’t show up to celebrate her.”
“Glad you know it.”
“How you doing, lover boy? How was your date? Yo’ ass could have called me.”
“You just wanna be nosy.”
“Damn right! My nigga went on a date with the woman he’s been lusting after for forever and a damn day. I need details. You hit that?”
I sighed. “Here you go. I’m not trying to just fuck that girl, Titan.”
“Oh, I know! Trust me, I know. I’m just talking shit. Did y’all have a good time, though?”
I nodded as we headed for the backyard. “I did. The date was great. Then we got back to her place, and guess who was waiting up for her?”
Titan frowned. “Them niggas.”
“Them niggas. Deuce answered the door with his gun, and I had to show him mine because I don’t know what the fuck he thinks this is.”
“We’re gonna have to run it with them at some point and get this shit out of the way.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that. Jaeda already told me she would shoot me if I touch her brothers.”
Titan laughed as we walked through the back gate. “Damn, man. I don’t miss arguing with them at all.” He shook his head. “I do miss Mia, though.”
“What happened now?”
Just as he was about to answer, we heard a loud squeal. Looking up, I saw my mama coming toward us.
“There’s my baby!”
She scooped me up in a tight hug. The woman always acted like I’d been away for years whenever I came to see them. It was all love, though. I hugged her back just as tight.
“Happy birthday, beautiful,” I said, kissing her cheek.
“Thank you, baby.” She turned to Titan who wore a big grin on his face. “Hey, heathen.”
“Come on now, Ma. Don’t do me like that. I showed up just for you.”
“You knew better.” She smirked as she pulled him in for a hug and kissed his cheek. “I missed you too, baby.”
“I knew you loved me. Happy birthday with your fine self. What are you today, twenty-five?”
My mother rolled her eyes. “Flattery might work on those young girls, but I’ve been around long enough to know bullshit when I smell it.”
“I guess I should take my gift back then.”
“Don’t play in my face, Titan DeLuca.”
He laughed as he handed her the large gift bag. “Here you go, woman.”
“Thank you kindly.” I handed her mine, and she looked around me like she was looking for someone. “Where is she?”
“Who?” I asked.
“The young lady you took on a date. My potential future daughter in-law.”
“You’re doing too much, Ma.”
“Whatever. Where is she?”
“At home, I assume.”
“Well, why didn’t you bring her?”
“We aren’t there yet, Mama.”
Titan kissed his teeth. “Don’t let him fool you, Ma. Your boy is in love already.”
I shoved him. “I am not. I do really like her, Ma. You’ll meet her eventually.”
“Well, I can’t wait. Come on in here. The food is ready, and there are plenty of drinks.”
Titan rubbed his hands together. “You ain’t said nothing but a word.”
“Don’t get in here and get drunk,” Mama warned him.
“I hold my liquor very well, thank you. Make sure you save me a birthday dance.”
My mama rolled her eyes as she walked off. We ventured deeper into the yard to speak to my people. After making our rounds, we headed to the buffet style setup to make a plate. Pops was just pulling some ribs off the grill, and I had to get me one.
“How you doing, old man?” I asked, dapping him.
“Same shit, different day, son. Trying to keep your mama from drinking too many of those damn wine coolers.”
I chuckled. “You know that lady is hardheaded.”
“She is, but she’s mine.” He turned to Titan and dapped him up. “How you doing, son?”
“I’m straight, Mr. M. Trying to get my hands on one of them ribs. You got me over here salivating.”
Pops chuckled as he picked up a hefty rib with the tongs and placed it on Titan’s plate.
“’Preciate it.”
“Where’s your lady friend?” Pops asked.
Titan laughed. “That’s such an old people thing to say.”
“You’re lucky if you live to get old, young buck. Remember that.”
“I hear you, Mr. M.”
Pops turned back to me. “Well?”
“You’re acting like your wife.”
He chuckled. “Listen, I had to hear your mama all morning talking about wanting to meet this girl. After you told her about her, she’s convinced you found the one.”
I rolled my eyes. After our coffee date, I told my parents about her. My mom, being a hopeless romantic, said she could see the twinkle in my eyes as I spoke about her. She claimed she’d never seen it with any of my old girlfriends.
“Can I make things official before y’all marry us off?” I asked.
“I’m just saying. You know how your mama gets when she senses something. She’s like a dog with a bone about it.”
“Remind me not to tell y’all nothing else.”
Dad waved us off. “Y’all go eat before that food gets cold.”
We dapped him again before going to find a place to sit down.
For a while, we enjoyed the festivities while we ate.
My mom and aunts were cutting up on the dance floor.
The kids were running amuck. My uncles were throwing back shots and playing a loud ass game of spades.
It was only a matter of time before they started arguing and somebody flipped the table.
When he was done eating, Titan went to join them, leaving me by myself. I sat back, enjoying a beer and people watching. Jaeda crossed my mind, and I pulled out my phone to call her on FaceTime. She picked up on the third ring with a big smile on her face.
“Hey, you,” she said cheerfully.
“Hey, beautiful. What’s got you all smiles?”
“My nephew made his grand entrance today.”
She angled the camera so I could see the handsome little guy. Even though I couldn’t stand his demon of a daddy, the little guy was adorable.
“Isn’t he cute!” She cooed, nuzzling him.
“You know he ain’t had a bath yet, right?” I heard her brother say in the background. “All you smelling is my wife’s?—”
“Shut up, Stanley!” came from another woman.
“I’m just saying, Ma.”
Jaeda rolled her eyes. “You see he can’t act right anywhere.”
I chuckled. “I’m not surprised.”
“Jaeda, tell your lil boyfriend to watch his mouth,” Deuce said.
“Boyfriend!” his mother exclaimed. “Let me see him!”
She came into view, and I had to admit she was a fine ass older woman.
“Oooo. Now who is this cutie?”
I smiled, and she did too.
“Auntie, this is Quaid. Quaid, this is my Aunt Stephanie, Deuce’s mom.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” I said.
“Oh! He has manners. Maybe you can teach my son a thing or two.”
“He can’t teach me shit,” Deuce mumbled loud enough for me to hear.
“Watch your mouth around my grandson, Stanley.”
They started going back and forth as Jaeda walked away. I watched as she left the room and moved to someplace quiet.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. No offense, but I’ve quickly learned that your brother has no couth.”
“None at all. You at a party or something?”
“It’s my mom’s birthday, so the whole family is here.”
“Sounds like a good time.”
“It’s a good time until her and her sisters have too many wine coolers.”
She laughed. “Still, I hope you have a good day.”
“Thank you, baby.” She blushed at that. “I was, uh, . . . just thinking about you and wanted to see your pretty face.”
“So you missed me?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I missed you. You and those lips. I think you owe me a do-over kiss since your brothers ruined the moment.”
She rolled her eyes. “They make me sick sometimes. Again, I’m sorry about that.”
“You don’t need to apologize, love. I rather like getting under their skin. I get the feeling they aren’t used to people not being afraid of them. Sometimes you gotta tame a nigga’s ego. They’ll get over it ’cause I’m not going anywhere any time soon.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“I’m glad you do. I’m gonna let you go love on that baby. Call me later?”
“I can do that. Tell your mom happy birthday for me.”
“I will. Talk to you soon.”
“Talk to you soon.”
She left me with a smile as she disconnected the call. No sooner than I hung up was my mama at my side.
“Was that her?” she asked, peering into the phone.
“Yes, nosy.”
“Why didn’t you let me say hey!”
“Because I didn’t call for her to talk to you, woman. We didn’t talk long ’cause she’s at the hospital celebrating the birth of her nephew. She said happy birthday, though.”
“Who are her people again?”
I swallowed hard. I intentionally didn’t bring up Jaeda’s last name because I knew how she felt about what Titan did. She understood his cause but didn’t feel he had the right to play God.
“Quaid?” she said, breaking my thoughts.
“Uh, . . . the Dillingers. Her dad is Stanley Dillinger.”
It was like all the color drained from her face.
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
She yelled for my father. “Linus!”
I muttered a curse under my breath. Fuck! My dad came over with a concerned look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” he inquired.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong is your son, . . . your genius son, is dating a Dillinger.”
My father’s eyes widened. “Quaid.”
“I just want you to give her a chance,” I said quickly. “Jaeda is special, and I really like her. You grew to love Titan. I know you’ll grow to love her too.”
“Titan isn’t our son—” my mother started.
“But he’s my brother. Blood or no blood, he’s my family. If you can accept him, you can accept her.”
“I don’t want you caught up in that lifestyle, Quaid. Titan is already too close for comfort. You don’t remember all the fights you’ve gotten in because of him?”
“He never forced me to fight on his behalf, Ma. Titan can hold his own, but I’m never letting him fight by himself if he’s outnumbered. And as far as the lifestyle, . . . I’m already in it.”
“What?” came out as a low whisper.
I sighed. “I help with the technical aspects of his missions to make sure he and the others stay safe.”
“How long?” my mother asked. “How long have you been lying to us about what you do?”
“I’ve never lied to you. I just omitted that part for this very reason.”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, son,” my father said.
“I know what I’m doing, and I’m safe.” I grabbed my mother’s hands, attempting to ease her nerves. “When you meet her, you’ll see what I see in her.”
She snatched her hands away. “I don’t care. You’re my son. My only child. I won’t bury you because you want to get caught up with a modern-day mob, Quaid Anthony Michaels. You’re too smart for this. You were raised better than this. Get him out of my face, Linus.”
She turned away from me and folded her arms. That stung a little. I loved my mother, and I had nothing but respect for her, but this was my life. She’d just have to come around eventually.
“Maybe I should go,” I said, standing. I leaned in to kiss my mother’s cheek. “I love you, Ma. Happy birthday.”
Without another word, I walked away to locate Titan. I didn’t have to say a word when I approached him. He bid my uncles goodbye, and we walked back out front.
“What’s wrong, my nigga?” he finally asked when we made it to our cars.
“Ma now knows Jaeda is a Dillinger.”
“Aw shit. She ain’t feeling it, is she?”
“That would be an understatement. She also knows that I work with you.”
He kissed his teeth. “See, now we gon’ be beefing again. She put you out over that shit?”
“She didn’t put me out. I saw she was upset, so I decided to leave.”
“I hate that for you, but you knew she wasn’t gonna take it lightly, my guy.”
I sighed. “I know. Hopefully, she will come around.”
“She will. You’re that woman’s pride and joy, man. She’ll get over it, and I’m sure once she meets Jaeda, she’ll love her. Hell, she’s the most likeable of the six of them.”
I chuckled. “So she’s more likable than Mia?”
“Hell yeah. That fucking demon. She still ain’t talking to me. Stubborn ass. I’m pulling up on her tonight. She needs some act right.”
“You realize you can’t solve problems with your dick, don’t you?”
“I’ve never had a problem with a woman that my dick couldn’t solve.”
I shook my head. “Trust me, it’s not solved. You just pacified them and bought yourself time. The quicker y’all admit y’all love each other, the easier this all becomes.”
He waved me off. “Whatever. You coming to the crib? I got a fat ass blunt with your name on it.”
“Why the hell not?”
We dapped each other before climbing into our respective vehicles. I really did hope my parents, specifically my mother, came around. I understood her concerns, but I was willing to risk it all for this woman. She, of all people, knew that when I put my mind to something, I didn’t let up. Ever.