Her scornful eyes narrowed, and her voice dripped with derision, as if my very existence was a stain on hermeticulouslycurated life.
“You are a disgrace to this family! Running off God knows where, getting pregnant by God knows who—”
Before I could even process the full weight of her words, I felt Von shift beside me, his presence a sudden force that electrified the air.
“Who in the entirefuckdo you think you’re talking to like that?” He pointed directly at me. “Because it damn sure ain’t this one! Try that disrespect on somebody whose support system ain’t standing right here in your face!”
Elaine’s expression shifted from fury to recognition as she finally focused on him.
“It’s you again,” she said, annoyance dripping from every word. “You know, I never liked you. Although I’m sure you already knew that. So, what? You’re her protector now?”
Von stepped farther onto the porch and placed one hand against his chest.
“Was that supposed tohurtme?” he asked, genuinely offended by how weak the insult was. “Ma’am, I have survived better-dressed people with stronger opinions. You not liking me has never interrupted my appetite, disturbed my sleep, or delayed a single bill payment.”
Elaine’s lips tightened.
“And for the record, Ineverliked yo’ ass either,” he admitted. “I tolerated y’all becauseKynsloved y’all. There is a difference. So,disrespectfully,go stand in line with the rest of the muthafuckas who can’t stand me. Take a number, bring a folding chair, and pack a lunch because the wait is long.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Andyes,I’m protecting her,” Von added, his voice sharpening. “Clearly somebody needs to, since y’all spent years dressing emotional neglect up in expensive clothes and calling it parenting.”
Elaine gasped softly, her indignation visibly shaken.
Von gestured expansively around the massive house, its grandeur almost mocking in the face of our real emotions.
“All this money, all these rooms, all this fake perfection… yet somehow y’all still couldn’t find space for unconditional love. That’s crazy as hell to me.”
Von dragged his gaze over Elaine slowly, every inch of it dripping with disdain.
“Andyou,” he pointed at her, “got thenerveto stand here wrapped in designer clothes, acting like some classy, respectable woman. Whole time, you go around here looking down on everybody like money scrubbed the evil out of you. Bitch, you ain’t classy. You’re just cruel with good credit and expensive perfume.”
“Watch your language, young man,” Quincy warned, stepping forward. “That is my wife, and you will show her some respect.”
Von let out a dry, humorless laugh that held no respect for Quincy’s authority.
“Respect? Sir, your wife just called an innocent baby a bastard five seconds ago, and you’re worried about my vocabulary? No. Let’s focus. She insulted a baby who can’t even hold his own head up yet, but somehowI’mthe emergency because I’m calling y’all out on your bullshit? Not to mention,bothofy’all are treating Kyns like she’s some random girl from the streets instead of somebody y’all raised! Yeah… we’rewaypast respectful.”
Quincy’s jaw tightened. “That still doesn’t give you the right to speak to her this way.”
“And being married to her doesn’t make what she said less disgusting,” Von shot back. “A wedding ring is not a muzzle for everybody else, and it damn sure ain’t immunity from getting checked.”
Elaine clutched the front of her coat. “How dare you come onto our property and speak to us like this?! If you don’t leave we will call the police for harassment!”
“Oh, please!” Von waved her off. “Now that somebody finally matched your nasty-ass energy, suddenly you want law enforcement involved.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and held it out toward her.
“Go ahead. Call them. Tell dispatch a well-dressed homosexual is standing on your porch withfaircredit,nowarrants, and returning years of emotional abuse to sender. And make sure you tell ‘em the whole story. Don’t leave out the part where you called an innocent baby a bastard and then got offended because somebody called you a bitch with good credit.”
Quincy stepped forward, but Von held up one finger.
“No, sir! Save it! Your wife started this, and now she wants the police to come referee because she’s losing! Like I said, call them! Just make sure they send somebody patient, because once I start giving statements, this might turn into a documentary! Actually, tell them to bring two cars! One for me and one for all this emotional baggage y’all been dumping on Kyns!”
“Von,” I murmured, caught somewhere between horror and laughter.
“No, Kyns. I’m tired of this!” His gaze softened briefly when it landed on me before turning cold again. “They keep treating you like you should be grateful for scraps just because the scraps came from a wealthy table.”
