“Right and when his ass gets the blues, let that nigga drown,” Devyn hissed.
“I can swim.” Lo shrugged.
Devyn picked up the glass that was in front of him and swallowed the clear liquor.
“I need to talk to you about something serious, and I want you to have an open mind and let me finish what I need to say.”
On the outside, Lo seemed reserved but internally, he braced himself for Devyn’s oncoming speech.
“What?”
Devyn spun the glass with his middle finger and thumb. His eye contact was on the tumbler before he landed his undivided attention on Lo.
“I told Ma and Pops that you were getting married. They want to be there and before you say no, hear me out. They didn’t get a chance to be there when I got married. Meco got married in the islands and Pops wasn’t able to make it. I figured this would be their last chance to see one of their sons getting married. And listen, I know you don't fuck with them, but you need to consider letting them be there. They have missed out on everything you’ve accomplished after the age of thirteen. Think about letting them be there for you.”
The burden Devyn just delivered to Lo weighed a ton. Through their perspective, it was all so simple. Allowing his parents to see his upcoming nuptials was a cakewalk but it was anything but that. Lo’s issues with his parents were a bottomless pit. Not even the bottom of the ocean could rival how profound his rift with his parents were. Lo wished he had the words toinform his brothers of his feelings when it came to Ada and Dax. Communication wasn’t his strong suit. He didn’t know how to peel open his chest and empty all the emotions that had haunted him for the last twenty-one years.
Things weren’t as easy as they made it to be. Again, Lo couldn’t explain that because he wasn’t great at being vulnerable. The only emotion he was good at displaying was rage. That’s when he got his point across, but Lo was in no mood to be incensed, especially when he was slated to meet his wife-to-be.
“Ma said she won’t even talk to you. They’ll just come and leave after the ceremony,” Devyn continued coaxing him.
Lo looked at Meco, who stared at him intensely. He wanted to say no. He wanted to confess that seeing them would probably stir up sentiments that he had suppressed years ago. What would he do at the altar when they arrived? When he finally landed eyes on them? It had been years since he’d been in their presence. What would his reaction be when the people that caused him the worst pain surfaced on what was to be the happiest day of his life?
“You ain't feelin’ it, huh?” Meco asked.
Lo expelled a labored breath. The topic of his parents angered him, but he didn’t want to be in that mood right now.
“I’ll think about it.”
Devyn’s forehead creased as his eyes expanded. “You for real?”
“I would’ve bet money that he was about to curse you the fuck out.” Meco snickered.
Lo didn’t feel like explaining why he was entertaining the idea. It was probably due to him wanting to remain in this calm mood he was in. Plus, every time the topic of the rift between him and their parents arose, they always started fighting, and Lodidn’t have the mental capacity to be ganged up on by Meco and Devyn.
“Yeah, now leave me alone about this shit until I decide.”
Devyn nodded. “I’m good with that. Ma about to be geeked up.”
“Don't tell her happy ass nothing until I tell you my decision,” Lo warned.
Devyn jerked his head back. “Who you talking to like that?”
“Your tight-suit-wearing ass.”
Meco laughed, making Devyn cut his eyes at him. “I’ll body both of you, niggas.”
“Not before I shoot you first. The fuck you think this is,” Meco hissed.
Lo glanced at his screen, realizing it was getting closer to the time to meet his bride-to-be. He rose from the chair and shook hands with both of them.
“I gotta go. I’ll hit y’all up later.”
“Aye, give some thought to what I said, for real, Lo. Don't be telling me what I want to hear.”
“Every word that comes out of my mouth is intentional. I don't gotta lie to your lil’ ugly ass.”
Devyn kissed his teeth. “You look just like me though.”
