New Life Ch. 07

"All I'm saying is a man needs to feel like a man or else he'll find someone else to treat him like one," Brenda said eventually and Graham burst out laughing.

"Who told you that? Him," he asked with a nod at Terry but both women shifted their eyes to him. "You can't actually believe that Brenda..."

"Excuse me?!?"

"Now see what you're not gonna do is talk to my sister like that cause you can get some of this too," came from Brielle before I pushed back from the table and grabbed Graham by the elbow.

"Let me get you to safety," I muttered as I ushered him towards the backdoor. It wasn't until we got out to the porch that I realized we were followed. "He told you not to poke the bears and what's the first thing you do..."

"You know how them white boys are," Terry said from behind us and I resisted the urge to remind him that he wasn't invited. "Living on the edge...that's what you call it right?"

"Who knew taking her last name would be such a hot topic," Graham said, with a sideways glance at Terry, as he followed me to the deck chairs beside Margie's garden. Unfortunately, there were only two and Terry got to the second one before he could.

"You plan to marry into this you better learn the rules of engagement," he said with a smug look as he settled in with an exaggerated sigh. To his credit Graham only shrugged as he hopped up onto the retainer wall that separated the garden from the yard, hand tangled in his shoulder-length sandy blond hair.

"'Never get in the middle' should be at the top of that list," I said as I dug my cigarettes out of my pocket. "And that in there ain't got nothing to do with a last name. Trust me?"

"I been with Brenda since college," Terry continued, only pausing to light his cigar before leaning back in the chair beside me. "But my family and theirs have been mingling since the 50s. I've known those two all their lives and it's always been like that," he said, hiking his thumb towards the house.

"Least they don't fistfight anymore," I said and Graham lifted his head to look at me. Eyes wide, mouth agape. "You never asked Bri about the scar on her chin," I asked him, and he shook his head.

"Young man, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," Terry said, running a hand over his salt and pepper waves. "I watched Brenda pull a clump of Brielle's hair out at Brion's high school graduation party..."

"The cops came for that one didn't they?"

"Yup, arrested both of them..."

"What?!"

"Between the party and the fighting, Old Mr. Delaney couldn't take it anymore. When the cops came, they knew who called and went to his house. They're lucky Mr. Delaney's daughter is a friend of my mother's and convinced him to drop the charges," Terry explained, shaking his head. "That was the last physical altercation but as you've no doubt learned by now, they don't need to lay hands on each other to make a mark. You wanna last around here, you gotta let go of that need to protect her...around here anyway. Ain't gonna get you nothing but cussed out..."

"By both of them," I added with a smirk and poor Graham shook his head. "At least Breeze got your back..."

"You would know, wouldn't you," Terry muttered under his breath and Graham sat up straight, shift his eyes to me but I continued my thought as if I didn't hear.

"...he's the best ally to have," I said with a subtle shake of my head and Graham furrowed his brows, but I kept talking. "They tend to talk Mac onto their side, no matter how irrational it might be. Breeze is more of an independent thinker..."

"Oh, is he now?"

"What the fuck is your problem bro," Graham said before I could stop him, and Terry let out a snort.

"Lighten up white boy, Magilla knows I'm only kidding," he said and reached to pat my shoulder but I shook him off, jaw clenched to keep myself in my seat.

"Yeah I'm white and he's gay, so what? And I distinctly remember your brother-in-law telling your wife not to call him that anymore," Graham said, his voice a harsh whisper. We'd all heard the back door open and the approaching footsteps that followed. "How about I kid you about some things you have no control over? Your wife tells my fiancee everything and I know your fragile masculinity can't handle the jokes I could tell...hey babe, everything okay," he said, the last to Bri as he hopped down off the wall to intercept her. The change in his demeanor was smooth and effortless, his scowl very quickly shifted into a grin that Brielle didn't miss and I think she started to ask but he kissed her instead. "I'm sorry about that...I think I should apologize to Brenda too..."

"Nah, you're good," she said with a grin as she tucked a stray lock of his hair behind his ear. "She was actually kinda impressed. Said she won't mind calling you her brother-in-law."

"Sweet," was his gleeful reply as he scooped Brielle up in his arms and gave her a little spin, making her burst into giggles.

"Well I better go check on Brenda," Terry muttered as he pushed himself out of his chair and Graham shot him a look.

"Yeah, you go do that," he said, his heavy brows drawn together and I couldn't hold my smirk. "Ignorant fuck..."

"Hey," Brielle said and gave her man a playful swat across the chest. "What did I just interrupt?"

"Your man here threatening to drag Mr. I'm Better Than You," I said and Brielle rolled her eyes. "He's fearless...I like it..."

"Yeah we know," Brielle said, shaking her head as she wrapped her arms around Graham's middle. "That's why she was all pissed off. Breeze invited us to stay with you guys, then Daddy invited him on his fishing trip. You guys are making this super hard for her."

"Not our fault she married an insufferable asshole."

"So wait, nobody likes him..."

"Hell no," Brielle said before I could. "That whole family is trash..."

"I will knock him the fuck out Brenda," came from inside the house, stealing our attention.

"Guess that's my cue," I said shaking my head, along with Graham. Brielle only laughed as I trotted off towards the house to find Mac trying his best to push Brion out the backdoor.

"He didn't mean anything by it," came from Brenda as I made it inside and took over for Mac.

"The fuck he didn't," Brion shouted as he lunged forward in an attempt to slip my grip but I held on tight with one arm around his waist. "He wish he was half the man Nev is..."

"Why?! So I can get passed around the yard like he did?"

"I bet you think that's funny huh," I asked, giving Breeze a shove towards Graham before I gave Terry my full attention. Somebody muttered something behind me, a hand grazed along my back, but I was already moving across the living room floor. In the blink of an eye, I'd sidestepped Brenda and evaded Margie to tower over Terry only trying to look tough. "Somebody who look like you say some shit like that to a mufucka look like me only end up one of two places. The morgue or the infirmary. Mouth like yours...you better hope it's the first one..."

"Aight bruh, we good," I heard from behind my ear with firm hands on my hips but my chucks were rooted firmly in shag carpeting.

"The fuck if we is," came out in a growl as I lurched forward and Breeze grabbed the back of my t-shirt. Poor Terry nearly threw himself across the room trying to avoid a punch that didn't come and it loosened my jaw enough to smirk.

"I think you made your point," he said quietly, his lips on the back of my neck as he set his feet and pressed into my back. "Come on BabyBoy I need this energy at home." That uprooted my feet but I still needed his push to get moving.

I started to apologize to Mac as I passed him but he waved it off as soon as I opened my mouth. "You ain't do nothing that ain't need doing son. Go home and cool off, I'll send Bri with your leftovers..."

"I'll text you," she said giggling as Breeze forced me out of the door.

I still had eyes on Terry, even as we made it onto the porch and Brion dragged me by the arm towards my car. "Should I drive?"

"Fuck outta here," I muttered and yanked open the passenger door to shoved him inside. I was halfway around to my side when it occurred to me to take a breath, unclench my fist, but I couldn't stop my hands from shaking, even as I climbed into the driver's seat. "My..." There was a hand on the back of my neck and a tongue in my mouth before I could finish my unnecessary apology but I couldn't release my grip from the steering wheel to properly reciprocate until I felt fingers tugging at my waistband.

"Ain't enough room in here for all that," I said, with my hand on his chest.

"Aww man, you ain't no fun," he said, laughing as he took his seat and I started the car. "I'm proud of you bruh," he added with a hand on the back of my neck and I rolled my eyes. "You ain't never been no punk but man...even I was shook for a second.