“Well, let’s get down to business.”
I pulled out my laptop and sketchbook to jot down their ideas and draw a rough sketch of their dream home. Our meeting lasted for about an hour. I now had their sketch with key points of what they wanted in their home. Their excitement turned my shitty day into one of peace, and before long, I was bidding them adieu with promises of reconnecting after the new year.
I remained in the restaurant after they were gone, going over the notes to brief my team for our upcoming grand opening, when I spotted my little cousin walking through the lobby.
“Neveah!” I called out to her.
She turned abruptly with a frown on her face before she noticed me and smiled, heading my way. “Tucci! I thought you were staying with Dame,” she said once she made it to me.
I stood, giving her a hug, then motioned for her to sit. “Nah… I thought it would work, but clearly I was wrong.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing I want to repeat. What you doing here?”
Her eyes scanned the restaurant, then she shook her head. “You know Auntie’s house is a little crowded. Just decided to get a room here for a couple of days.”
“What happened with you and ya boyfriend? Y’all ain't moving in together no more?”
“We are. We’re just waiting on a few things before we do.” She toyed with the napkin, seemingly battling with something.
Aside from Deja, Neveah was the closest girl cousin I had. She looked up to me as a big brother since Luke decided to work for Dame and neglect his little sisters. Even though I moved three hours away to Detroit, Neveah called me every weekend wanting to kick it with me. Sometimes I couldn’t because of work, but the few times we linked, she was eager to show me all the places this mysterious boyfriend of hers had been taking her to. The way she was withdrawing from talking, as she normally did, let me know that she was battling with something.
“Talk to me, Nev. What’s on your mind?”
She smirked at me. “I’ll tell you… if you tell me what's on yours.”
My cheek lifted in a half smile, and I shook my head. “What’s up with Dame and this Jela woman? What's the story behind that?”
She shook her head. “I really don’t know, Truce. Dame’s been weird ever since you left. I know, for sure, he’s been talking to his dad because I overheard him and Luke talking about putting him on. Jela, she’s… different. He doesn't bring her around much, and we see Scottlyn way more than we see her. I think he’s putting his hands on her, but I can’t confirm or deny that he is or isn't. I hate that for her because she seems sweet—just very timid and scared.”
I rubbed my tongue over my teeth and nodded. I knew he was putting his hands on her. I tried not to think that’s what was going on between them, but all the signs were there the moment he yelled at her on Thanksgiving about his food. That, and the fact that her aura screamed sad and broken. The look in her eyes held a sign of familiarity that I knew all too well. It was the same look my mother had while we were growing up.
It was common for a child to exhibit a behavior they had seen too often. Of the nine months out of the year when I only got to see Dame over Christmas or spring break, he’d probably witnessed a lot more than I did when I wasn't around. It was a learned behavior after probably seeing our mother get abused way more than I had seen.
I tried to steer him in the right direction by giving him positive advice and affirming him daily. It was obvious Damien Senior had gotten to him before I could. I wanted to intervene, but that would only make shit worse for Jela. I didn’t want to put her in a compromising position, so I needed to take off my cape and pray that she left his ass before things got worse.
“I want you to do me a favor,” I said, gaining Neveah’s attention.
“What's that?” she asked.
“I want you to befriend Jela. You and your homegirls, or Charmaine, should make it a priority to hang out with her maybe two or three times a week. If he’s putting his hands on her, he won’t do it while she has company. As a matter of fact, since it’s overcrowded at Ma’s house, tell Dame you want to move in with him. And as my favorite bestie-cousin, I know you’ll give her the support she needs since she’s been deprived of it for almost a year.”
She looked at me, and a smile drew up on her face, exposing her pretty, white teeth. “You like her, don’t you?”
“Man, gone. That’s my brother’s fiancée.”
“And clearly, you know your brother is on bullshit with her.”
“That's none of my business.”
“It clearly is your business, seeing that you’re trying to fulfill her needs, but I’ll let you live.” She stood from the table, grabbing her bag. “I shall do as you requested. I love you,” she said, kissing my cheek.
“Hold up! You didn’t answer my question about what’s going on with you.”
“See you later! I have to go meet up with Char! Love you!”
She rushed her ass out of the restaurant as I shook my head and laughed. I knew whatever she was hiding, I’d find out soon enough. Until then, I hoped that sending Jela a life raft in the form of my cousin would provide her some relief from the hands of my stupid-ass brother. Although I had to separate myself from her before things progressed, I did like her enough to care about what the fuck was going on in that castle.
