Just like she had been for the past two hours, Navy floated over toward where the book vendor was. We were at a huge convention for book influencers, where they had different black book vendors that sold books by black authors.
Navy gave us a full breakdown on which authors were there, but not every author would be there, and how it was importantto support the different vendors, because they were black owned bookstores.
As she was speed walking ahead, I looked up at my brother. “Audio books, huh?”
He smirked. “Her little books be fire… can’t front. I wanna do what excites her. She watched this Ted Talk about black accountants, so I’m trying to return the favor.”
Navy and Don both had different interests, however, they both made time for each other. She would listen to his boring ass podcasts about numbers, and he indulged in her rants about books, and going to these events with her.
Navy and Stevie both had similarities, because they both knew how to lie. When Navy asked me to meet her somewhere for a legal issue, I never questioned it. I was the one everyone called when it came to legal.
That same thing had been offered to Navy’s family as well. If they needed a lawyer, they had my number and knew to call me. Imagine my surprise when I pulled up, and she was standing in a parking spot she held for me and told me we were going book shopping. I wanted to wallow in my pain alone, and now I was forced to walk around this big ass convention center while Don tapped his card for whatever she wanted.
When we finally made it to the table, Navy had three stacks of books. “These are special editions. I had no clue they even came out.” She looked up at him.
Shrugging his shoulder. “Get em, Pooh.”
She snatched his card and then ran over to pay for the special editions. The roller tote that Don had been pulling behind him was full of books.
“I know you have to be building her a library in the new house.”
He laughed and sat down at the table. “Yeah, a thousand square feet of bookshelves for her to read and film in.”
I smiled at him. “I love that for her and those books… why the hell doesn’t she ever call Stevie to do shit like this? I love a book that sits on a coffee table, but coming here… Don, I’m overstimulated.” I ran my hand through my hair, as I listened to the loud chatter.
Navy was taking pictures and laughing with a few people that walked up to her. This was her element, and she loved being surrounded by it.
“Stevie has to move like Menace… she asked her though, and Stevie and Menace are out the country.”
I did a little dance in my chair. “So, family dinner is?—”
“It’s still on, and Stevie made sure to holler that over Dennis screaming.” Don shit on my parade.
It was Stevie’s mission in life to have us over every Sunday for dinner. She couldn’t always get us all for Sundays, but the first Sunday of the month was not up for debate. We hadn’t been the closest set of siblings, and she recognized that right away.
“Dammit.”
“Don’t make no excuse either… Kora already said she would be there,” he added, making it nearly impossible for me to back out.
I groaned. “Fine.”
“I’m still surprised that Menace is letting her go on your birthday trip.” Don took a sip of water from Navy’s bookish themed tumbler.
Stevie moved like her husband. Like Menace, she also had to become a ghost, from the way she traveled, to how she was driven around. Stevie would never be the kind of mom who drove her big suburban truck to the pick-up area of the grocery store. She was chauffeured around in that big ass tank.
When it came to my birthday trip, she surprised me when she said she would go and was excited about it. Even though I knewMenace was somewhere squeezing the life out of his hands, he was allowing her to go.
“Menace will do anything for her, so as much as I’m surprised… I’m not really.” I yawned, and looked over at Navy, who had been pulled over to a vendor’s table and was holding up a book.
Don looked over at his future wife with this sense of pride in his eyes. He would do anything for Navy.
He was in love with her.
Not that bullshit love that companies tried to market for that massacre holiday. This was the kind of love that had sacrifice. Landon would give his life for Navy, and he would do it without hesitation.
He was obsessed with his fiancée. Wanted to wear her skin to cover him while he napped. While that felt creepy, I desired to have that kind of love with a man. This was all I wanted for my brothers. Someone to love them. Don wasn’t as rough around the edges as Menace, but I could tell he was starting to lose hope when it came to finding love. Having a revolving door of pussy was what kept him levelheaded.
Trying to have love with Kennedy was where I knew he was fucked up. I knew Kennedy better than anyone, and I knew love wasn’t in the cards for her. You had to believe you were worthy of a good man and love.
