Page 82 of Real's Love
"Hmm. You sure?" PawPaw interrupted, eyes glued to Real.
"I gotta pull a gun on somebody, too, to get yo' blessing?" Real asked my grandfather.
"You pulling it on that McKinley boy?"
Real lifted his shoulders. "Sounds like it."
PawPaw nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Weaker than a new foal. I'on know what Ev be thinking."
I gasped as Real grinned and then spoke.
"She thinks she likes men she can dominate. But she don't. Not anymore, anyway."
My head whipped around to face him.
"You'on know what I like, Montréal!"
"Oh, he knowssomethingyou like," Emory said under her breath.
I whirled on her ass, too. "Heffa, you wanna fight?"
"Em, that's enough," Prime's voice was low but deadly. "Ev, you can't kick my baby's butt while she's pregnant."
"Why you make it sound like she gon' beat me up?" Em whined at her husband.
Aunt Cynt rolled her eyes. "Girlllla!There's a reason Daddy taught you to shoot early."
"Exactly!" I snapped.
"You threatening pregnant women now?" Real mocked me.
"Why are you in my business, Real?"
"Now, you don't want him in your 'business?'"
My sister literally put air quotes around the word. My jaw dropped. Hy shook her head.
"Snitching, Em? That ain't the move," she said.
"Shut up, Hy!"
"Why? Didn't we just establish that it ain't like you can whoop my ass?” Hy taunted, chuckling.
The table suddenly dissolved into one loud argument among us. Only PawPaw's banging and scary roar silenced the room.
"Too many damn women! And y'all upsetting my baby!"
Our eyes flew to Granny. Her little, short self was steaming.
"Y'all know I don't play all that cussing and arguing in my house, especially at the table where we just offered God thanks! And in front of company? I'm ‘bout to knock all ya blocks off! Sitcho butts down, shut up, and eat. Emory Leigh and Everly Love, y'all better straighten it out after breakfast. Love, you take yo' fast ass on up to the Stone House wit' ya boyfriend, cuz ain't nobody having relations in this house but me and ya granddaddy."
"Oh, my God," I moaned, mortified.
"Take Theory and this boy with ya. Let them figure something out," Granny continued, gesturing toward Theory and Targen.
"Granny! No! There's nothing to figure out," Theory objected.
"There's so much to figure out, Sis. The Stone House got five bedrooms. You'll be all right," Epiphany said.
