Page 114 of Love U Down II

“You’re welcome. Let me know if you hear anything, alright?”

“Yeah. Alright.”

After we hung up I stayed where I was for a little and tried to gather my thoughts. Then I pushed down any desire I had to intervene in the hot mess that was my family and went back to work.

I had my own life to worry about now and wasn’t about to let their dysfunction interfere.

CHAPTER 25

DRIX

“You good?” I asked my father and he shot me a look that told me to shut up but made me laugh instead. “It’s a simple question.”

“It’s a question you’ve asked five times today.”

“And if I want to ask you another five times, this is my mouth,” I deadpanned.

“Fuck out of here.” He waved me off and wheeled himself to the living room.

I followed him and tossed the bag I was carrying onto the couch with a sigh as I collapsed beside it.

“Come on, man. I’m being serious. How are you feeling?”

“Better now that I’m home.” He exhaled after briefly looking around. “I’m ready to be back to weekly family dinners and doing stuff when I want.”

“I feel that.” I yawned and stretched before leaning back on the couch and throwing an arm behind it.

“And you’ll be back at it in no time,” Chandler added as she entered the living room, walked over to our pops, and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling fine, baby.”

“Oh. So you don’t snap on her the way you snap on me? Nah. Tell her get the fuck out yo’ face,” I teased.

My dad waved me off.

“Chandler hasn’t spent the last few weeks driving me insane.”

“You mean making sure you’re good and taking care of you? A’ight. Cool.”

“Don’t play with me, Berlin,” Chandler warned. “I definitely made sure he was good.” She walked over, sat beside me, and nudged me.

I childishly nudged her back.

“Yeah, okay.”

She cut her eyes at me. I grinned.

“Anyway, Dad,”—Chandler gave him her full attention again—“Your home help will be over tomorrow morning. They’ve already coordinated with Mom, and if you don’t need them, they'll basically be invisible.”

“I’ve been in the military, Chan. Nobody sharing space with me is invisible.”

“Well they’re going to be as close as possible,” she countered.

“Yeah. I bet.”

“Don’t go into this with negative thoughts,” she pleaded. “They’re going to be here to help and it’ll be nice if you accept that help. It’ll mean a lot to us and Mom. They won’t do anything without being asked and they’ve already been told over and over that you’re a grown man free to do whatever you want.”

I nodded. “They’re just a little extra protection in case you and Mom need it.”