Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 97951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“The name does ring a bell, but I can’t picture her.”
“Well, she moved to Georgia, and then about four or five months ago we saw each other again. I was workin’ one night at the club, and she came in. We’ve been inseparable ever since. She’s always had my heart. The one that got away.”
“Oh my goodness, that sounds so romantic.” He could hear the smile in his sister’s voice.
“That’s my lady. My baby. We’re, uh, we’re in a relationship now.”
“Oh my goodness, a lot has changed, hasn’t it? My brother is now the settlin’ down type. I love that for you. I always thought you’d make a good husband and father… You were usually pretty responsible. Reliable.” Her voice trailed towards the end. “…I guess that’s why I couldn’t so easily dismiss the fact that you’d been paying the bills when Grandpa had fired Dad. I never knew anything about that.”
“I know you didn’t. Yeah, well, I always knew that eventually I’d get married, too. Have some kids. Just wasn’t sure when. I wasn’t picky enough sometimes about who I slept with, but definitely was picky about who I was serious about.”
“I can’t argue with that. Nadia… Nadia… yeah, I definitely remember you mentionin’ her a long time ago. Your work buddy.”
“Yeah, but over time, we both liked each other more than just as friends. Everything worked out. She’s the one, Silva… I’m in love, baby sis. Gonna ask her to marry me soon, too.” His heart pounded damn near out of his chest at the thought of it all.
“Well hell! I have missed a lot!”
“I doubt she’ll be surprised when I pop the question though because I already told her early on that she was gonna be my wife. She knows I mean what the hell I say.”
“Wow. I have to meet her.”
“You will.”
“So… what are we gonna do?”
“What are we gonna do? About what?”
“About Grandpa, Lennox?!”
He smirked at that. “What are we gonna do? We’re going to do nothing, Silva. I’m doin’ something though. You best believe that. You just stay out of this. I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”
“I’m as hurt as I can be already, Lennox. I wanna help. I have to help. I can’t let him do this to you and just sit back and do nothing.”
“Nope. It’s not up for discussion.”
“Mama would roll over in her grave if she found out I fell for his tricks. I just feel so damn stupid. After all the terrible things he said about Mama, you have to let me help make this right, Len!” The woman’s voice shook, as if she were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. “He never said those things to me about her. I knew they didn’t care for one another too much, but Grandpa was certainly not disrespectful in my presence, and then to find out he is willing to destroy our grandparents’ lives for this shit?! All because you disobeyed him? NO. I won’t have it, Lennox!” He bit down on his lower lip while gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “When I didn’t know the information, I had an excuse to keep wearing blinders. Now I know the truth, and it’s so dreadful… Daddy drinks himself into a stupor, and is being manipulated. Just like I was, I suppose.”
“Dad made his bed. He can lie in it. He had the nerve to tell me to give in and just accept the job. All so he could get the pressure off his back and for things to return to the status quo. Spiteful business as usual. Somebody needs to sell some damn spines on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy so that our father can buy himself one. Fuckin’ jellyfish.”
“Len, he grew up in this shit. Cut him some slack. He has it worse than we did… You know he loves you. Daddy is just lost is all.” He sucked his teeth. “You were dealin’ with this all on your own, and that’s what I wanna focus on. That’s over. Not anymore. He has to be stopped, Lennox.”
“Yeah, he does have to be stopped, but like I said, you aren’t part of the plan. Now I want you to relax and stop thinkin’ about all of this. I’ve got some business to tend to. Let me holler at you later, okay?”
“Do you promise to call me back?” Silva sounded so pitiful. It made his heart ache.
“Of course I will. In the meantime, when it comes to Grandpa, keep actin’ typical. That’s what you can do for me. It’s important that he not know that we’ve made up and you’ve been filled in on what actually went down. Act like you don’t even know the truth, okay? Keep smilin’ in his face, and whatever it is you two normally do.”
“It’ll be hard, but I’ll do it. Lennox, I’m not going to have you—”