Across the room, Demi sat quietly. She’d done a fairly good job of pretending my hand wasn’t touching her clit a few hours ago, but when our gazes met and that blush worked its way up her neck, I knew she wasn’t as unaffected as she tried to be.
Dallas grabbed a piece of paper and fanned herself. “Are we done? It’s hot in here.”
Ma glared at Dallas. “We’re not done. Since your father made this meeting possible, I’m going to use the time to tell you what I need from all of you this week.”
Over the next few minutes, Ma spouted off a list of tasks to be completed before nine o’clock the night before the wedding. She also added in a request that we all stay overnight at the house the day before the rehearsal. “It would be nice to wake up together and have breakfast on the day before the wedding, before all hell breaks loose. Got it?” Everyone grumbled their acceptance of the proposal as if we had a choice. “Duke, let’s plan a menu. I’m thinking ribs.”
“Ma, it’s twenty degrees outside,” I argued.
Shrugging, Ma said, “So. You’ve done it before.”
Bliss rubbed her stomach. “Naija’s birthday party was a hit because of that food.”
Yeah, and I had to practically bribe a little girl to save me one of the ribs I stood outside during a fuckin’ cold front to grill. But I knew I wouldn’t win a battle of wills against my mother, so I just agreed, “Sure, Ma. Whatever you need.”
Ma kissed my cheek. “Thanks, baby.”
Charlye raised her hand like she was in a classroom. “I hate to bring this up, Mama V, but can someone please talk to Pastor about the ceremony? I do not want to stand up there in those heels for three hours while he tells us all about everything that doesn’t have to do with the wedding.”
“I’m not even standing up there for an hour while he preaches the same sermon he did back in the day,” Dex agreed.
Asa winced. “I could almost see Sister Pearl chewing her dentures and beating that tambourine during Sunday Service when he broke out in song.”
Pop barked out a laugh, then promptly shut up when Ma glared at him. Clearing his throat, he shrugged. “They have a point, Bae. I love the Lord.”
“He heard your cry, Dad?” Blake added.
My father pointed at Blake. “That’s right.”
“Sing, Demi!” Dallas yelled.
Demi finished the verse, breaking out in a mesmerizing, yet unique rendition of Whitney Houston’s song. I was laser-focused on her as she belted out the tune like it was second nature. When she finished the slow verse, Pop broke out in a fast congregational song. Demi followed along with him, putting him to shame with her vocal range. Then, Dallas, Blake, and even Bliss jumped up and started singing the chorus, while Ma happily clapped along.
When the song ended, Pop hugged Demi and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, baby girl. You know those are my favorite songs.”
Demi smiled up at him. “I know. That’s why I did it. For you.”
“Love you,” Pop told her.
She hugged him. “Love you too.”
Pop took his seat. “Back to the meeting. The ceremony should be half an hour, if that.”
Blake clapped. “Hallelujah. Dad said the magic words. Half-hour ceremony.”
Dallas waved her hand in the air. “Can I get an Amen for the half-hour ceremony?”
“Fine,” Ma relented. “I’ll talk to him. Now, get out of here.”
Demi’s smile faded when she looked at me, then she slipped out quietly. I followed her. “Demi, wait.”
She jogged up the stairs. “I have to go, Duke.”
I pulled her into the linen closet. “Before you go, don’t you think we should talk about this?”
Her shoulders fell. “I do think we should talk, but I can’t do it right now.”
“Why?”
