“Please call the minute you leave. I need fresh details,” Cali begged.
“I got you, sis. Bye.”
Bria sat on the balcony, peering at the swaying branches as the humid wind kissed them. She was anxious about her impending nuptials and prayed that Douglas hadn’t let her down with his pick for her husband.
“Aye, I need you to do me a favor,” Lo requested, watching Durand pull up behind him.
“What do you need?”
“I’m about to send you a name and I need you to do some research on her. I wanna know everything about her and the people she’s associated with. Nothing is off limits. Give me everything.”
“Okay,” he drawled. “When do you want it?”
“ASAP.”
“Got’cha. I’ll have that to you in a bit.”
“Yep.”
Lo hung up just as Durand approached his window. Rolling it down, his cousin slapped his hand before resting his forearms on the frame.
“What’s up, cuz? Why you sitting in the car?”
“I had to make a call.” Lo sent a text to the tech guy that worked for him. “What you on?”
Durand shrugged. “Shit. I’ll probably hit up the strip club tonight.”
Lo kissed his teeth. “Damn, nigga at this point, you might as well move in. Let me find out you fell in love.”
Durand chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He was Lo’s younger cousin, being three years his junior. They’d grown up together and were more like brothers than cousins.
“And if I did, nigga?”
“Then, you would be a simp. Watch out.”
Durand backed up and Lo got out of the car. Together, they entered Aunt Maddy’s home who was Durand’s mother. Per usual, old tunes floated in the air while the aroma of food penetrated his nose. This house was like the backdrop of Lo’s life. Strategically, he categorized his life in two parts. Almost like a cassette tape where there was side A and side B. Aunt Maddy’s home was definitely side B.
“Hey,” Maddy greeted, coming out of the kitchen.
She was dressed in a moomoo with her silver hair styled in tight curls. To Lo, she was the epitome of a woman. Dedicating herself to being a mom to not only her son but him as well was something he would always appreciate her for. There was this special kind of love he possessed for Maddy that couldn’t be denied. She would forever be cherished for the sacrifice she made for Lo.
“What y’all two doing over here?”
Lo sat down on the couch, peering at the photos on the wall. There were some of everyone who made Maddy’s wall of fame. She even had a picture of her and her twin, Ada, which he found odd considering their history.
“Shit, Lo told me to meet him here,” Durand said, slouching further into the recliner.
Maddy shouted, “Alexa, turn off the music!” When the tunes ceased, she took a seat in her favorite chair and cut her eyes at Durand. “You better watch your damn mouth, boy. You know I don’t do that cussing shit around me.”
Lo chuckled under his breath. She always corrected their cursing with more cursing from her.
“Lo, baby, what’s going on?”
Cocking his head, he prepared his mind to reveal what this meeting was for.
“I’m getting married.”
Dead silence conquered the room. Lo’s gaze landed on Maddy, whose thin brows were hiked on her face and then Durand, who showcased displeasure on his features.
