Page 38 of Meet Me at the Altar

“Leon, you told Arnold to give Drè that drug test that got him fired?” Mama asked in outrage.

“Listen, Nic, I was doing what was best for the boy. He didn’t need to be on anybody’s construction site as high as a kite. He would’ve created problems for himself, his coworkers, the company, and Arnold. I knew what I was doing. Look at him now. If I hadn’t, he wouldn’t have turned his life around.”

“Leon, you had no right to?—”

Mama was angry as she stood, but I jumped up so quickly and pressed her back into her seat. I was still holding Kalli’s hand with my right one. “It’s all good, Ma. I’m about to bounce,” I announced.

“Leon, you were wrong for that,” Mama scolded.

“Ma, chill. You ain’t ever got to get out of pocket on my behalf. I’m good. I can handle this. We’re gonna ease out and let y’all be at peace—and you be at peace, beautiful lady. You understand me?” I asked, staring my mother in her gorgeous brown eyes.

This woman was my world, my life, my reason for being, and I was not about to let her spend any more years pressed about me. She’d done that enough.

“That’s what you do. Always run when things get too much for you to take,” Leon declared.

It was the first time that I had released Kalliope’s hand in a minute. I snatched Leon out of the chair and slammed him against the wall.

Stress and tension coursed its way through my body, pleading for me to fuck a nigga up. It wasn’t what my ladies needed to see, or Mrs. Staten, but I was ready to give a nigga the issues he was searching for.

“Nigga, I don’t run from shit! You know why the fuck I walk away every time ya ass starts in on me? It’s because I’ve got too much to lose, and fucking around with a simp-ass nigga like you gon’ have me catching a case. I’m tired of you letting me and my old man’s name come out ya mouth, especially when you don’t know what the fuck we’ve got going on in our lives. Worry about ya own damn self.”

“Andrès, please calm down,” Mama cried out, squeezing my shoulder.

I ignored her as I stared into Leon’s eyes. “I don’t know why the fuck you hate me so much, but it’s all good, nigga. ’Cause you getting that same energy back.”

“Drè, baby. Let’s go. I think he’s got the message, and it really isn’t worth it to keep hammering it in. You’re so much better than this.” Kalliope whispered from my other side. She was my angel, my light, and my voice of reason.

Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from Leon and looked at Kalli before I glanced at Leon again. I relaxed, released Leon, and took several steps back.

My mother stood by my side, and I turned and hugged her. “I’m sorry,” I murmured as she cried in my arms. I hated that I had caused her any more grief and sorrow. I hated that she shed tears because of me.

I wiped them from her eyes, kissed her forehead, and ordered, “Don’t you ever let those pretty eyes shed another tear for no man, not for me, him, or anyone else. You hear me?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Let me see that beautiful smile. I promise you that this won’t happen again, Ma. I love you too much.”

She smiled wistfully at me, but I couldn’t erase the sadness in her eyes.

I turned to the Statens. “I’m sorry, y’all. I didn’t mean to ruin your evening, but I’ll never sit back and let a nigga play in my face.” I grabbed Kalli’s hand, grumbled, “Come on, babe,” and we left.

The thing that I loved about Kalliope was that her energy was the same toward me as it was all those years ago. She knew that she was my peace, and she gave me that. From the moment that I pulled out of the driveway to the minute that we stepped in her place and closed the door, she remained silent. She held my hand on the drive and allowed me to be in my head because she knew that I needed a minute to calm down.

She walked into her bedroom, leading me as she held my hand. She undressed me and then undressed herself. I watched as she pulled back the covers and then ordered, “Climb in.”

I obeyed her command and waited while she walked to the refrigerator, grabbed a cold water bottle, and returned.

“Drink this,” she ordered.

Again, I did as I was told. When I finished, she threw it away and finally climbed in bed with me. I reached over, grabbed her, and pulled her to me. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry that I lost my shit in front of you.”

She hugged me and rubbed my back. “You owe me no apologies. You tried so hard to keep it together, and he wasn’t satisfied. He kept poking the bear, so it was no surprise when the bear rose up and attacked.”

“I love you, Kalli.”

“I love you more, Andrès,” she muttered against my shoulder. “Close your eyes and get some rest, baby.”

I did, and I felt safer and more affirmed than ever before lying in my woman’s arms.