Page 54 of Deacon

“Oh shit! They got Evie’s Table out here. Come on, Patricia,” Dad says, pulling on Mom’s arm, causing me to laugh at the giddy look on his face.

“All right. I’m gonna find Deacon. Have fun,” I say, walking away, although I can’t confirm that they heard me due to Dad’s insistence on moving Mom toward the food area.

An undetermined time later…

“You know you don’t have to do this, right? I’m already in love with you, and you’ve made some great progress, so let’s take the win,” I say, looking at Deacon in his T-shirt and ball shorts.

“Nah, all the officers agreed to sit in there. I won’t be the bitch that backs out no matter who is waiting for their shot at me.”

Deacon’s parents are here; ironically, Mom and Mrs. Redmond have easily hit it off. They have been dragging Dad and Mr. Redmond to every game available. Mom and Mrs. Redmond are now standing in front of the dunk tank, where Deacon is about to take a seat. The grins and giddy expressions on their faces have me chewing a hole in my lip because I’m not sure Deacon truly knows what’s coming from our mothers. I’m not sure whose mother seems to be taking pleasure in the opportunity to dunk Deacon from the stars dancing in both of their eyes.

“Are you sure? Tag Shadow in to take your place. He didn’t seem to mind,” I say, pleading.

“Nope. Give me a kiss and be here with the towel because I have a feeling I’m gonna need it.”

Sighing, I lean in and peck Deacon’s lips twice before he opens the door to the tank and walks in, taking his seat. My heart is beating erratically, and my pulse is rising uncontrollably. Walking to the front of the tank, I watch with rapt attention when Mom tosses the ball in her hand in the air a couple times.

“All right, one for the Father,” Mom says, throwing the ball with the speed of a baseball pitcher, hitting the target effortlessly.

*dush*

Deacon drops in the water, and my eyes bulge from the smirk on his face when he pops back up, nodding at Mom.

“Good shot, Mrs. Stephens,” Deacon says.

“One for the Son,” Mrs. Redmond says giddily, taking the ball from a grinning Shadow.

“Man, they’re acting like you killed their prize-winning roses. This is wild,” Shadow says.

“Hush, nigga,” Deacon grumbles.

“I’m sorry, Prynce,” Mrs. Redmond says, throwing the ball, and it hits faster than the one Mom threw, causing Deacon to drop down in the water again.

Like the sport he is, Deacon pops back up, nodding and winking at his mother before looking over at me.

“I’m good, Squeak. Love will wi?—”

“All right, this one is a joint effort,” Mrs. Redmond’s voice cuts off Deacon’s words, and my eyes immediately shift to the front.

“Oh God,” I say.

Mom and Mrs. Redmond walk to the button and interlock their fingers before pushing the button without a ball, and Deacon drops into the water.

“One for the Holy Ghost.” Mom and Mrs. Redmond laugh before high-fiving each other and walking away without looking back.

“Hold up… Did they just baptize bro in this unclean water?” Shadow asks before laughing hysterically, and I shake my head, walking to the back of the tank to help my man dry off.

A week later…

SeeingMa and Mrs. Stephens coming together like the best of friends on the day of the community event let me know my plan had worked out. When I saw Squeak unconsciously clutching her chest I had to try and reassure her that love would still win where we’re concerned. However, I didn’t expect the last dunk coming from Ma and Mrs. Stephens, when they joined efforts to complete a third opportunity to fill my lungs with water. Their asses walked off like they had something too. Since it took me the rest of the day to stop feeling like I was talking through a tunnel, I guess they had. Not to mention, becoming the butt ofmultiple jokes from my club brothers and sisters during clean-up.

“Nigga, snap out of it. Your ass is picking the wrong time to go to outer space and shit,” Shadow says, forcing me back into the present moment.

“My bad,” I say.

“I wish I could say this shit comes as a surprise, but it doesn’t. What I want to know is why?” Gunz asks.

I blankly stare at the two people tied to chairs inside the clubhouse, feeling nothing for either of them. While everybody says they’re loyal to you, some don’t understand the definition with enough comprehension to exercise its meaning.

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