Page 126 of The Sweetest Devotion

My mother leaned down and kissed my father, sweet and romantic, before rising and excusing herself out of the room. We used to watch the movie as a trio, but I’d been avoiding my father, and this alone time was needed.

“McDonald’s?” he appraised. “What’s the occasion?”

I removed my shoes before I went and climbed onto the bed beside him. Testing his strength, I passed him the bag and sat cross-legged. “Haven’t seenComing to Americain a while.”

Today was a good day, as my father managed to fish out each drink and hand mine over before placing his on the nightstand beside his bed. He grabbed his Big Mac and smiled at the sight, knowing what this all meant.

I watched with blurry vision as he grabbed his remote to find the movie we both loved and brought us close.

Twenty years, let him be strong for twenty more years, I begged the universe. When his legs had gone weak on him, he’d all but given up on himself. Confining himself to this bed and refusing to be seen in public. There was nothing but excuses issued out whenever my mother and I made appearances at events and galas on why my father was missing in action. For so long, he’d been miserable, depressed over his plight.

Cain must’ve put a spell on my father, because he seemed the most jubilant I’d ever seen him since his diagnosis.

“So, what’s the damage?” he asked as he took a bite out of his Big Mac.

I took a straw and stabbed it into my Sprite. “The dress? Not so much. I found one that was nice. It only cost you seven hundred dollars.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t break bank buying the most expensive dress you could find,” my father joked.

“I’d rather wear a burlap sack than a pretty dress down the aisle to a man I don’t love,” I said bitterly.

My father lost his smile and I lost my appetite.

I forced a fry into my mouth anyway as he found the movie on a streaming service and put it on.

It was ironic how the movie I loved so much growing up now mirrored my life. It made our rewatch bittersweet.

When we got to the part where Akeem tried to beg his father to let him choose his own bride, I heaved a sigh. Evenhisfather wasn’t listening to a word he’d said.

“Neddy,” my father began as he paused the movie. “I’m sorry.”

I nodded quietly.

“Do you like Cain?” he asked me.

In the beginning, it was easy to hate the guy. He’d been nothing short of a monster. But the more I got to know him, the more it was easy to feel sorry for him instead. He’d gotten the short stick in life.

“Not likethat, but he’s not as bad as I thought,” I said.

“I like him. He’s a good kid, a hard worker, and most of all, he listens. A lot of these young brothers get a little money and don’t wanna listen. But I can talk and break down the business and he’ll listen and ask questions, take notes—study.

“James was a piece of shit for not being there for that boy, but in the end, Cain’s more of a man without his influence.” My father took a moment to gather his Coke and take a sip. His hand shook a little as he set it back down and he wrung his fingers. “I’m working him. Keeping him close, letting him know I respect his ideas and plans, and I’m working my way into convincing him to let this engagement go.”

“Yeah?” I refused to get my hopes up. Cain was stubborn and set on having me as his bride.

My father nodded. “The Residence at Cartier should have nothing to do with you.”

It shouldn’t have, but it did. Forged on the birth of my impending marriage to Cain. If the money was enough, Cain would’ve never sought me out. Something told me it wouldn’t be easy for my father or my mother to change his mind now.

And for that, I stuffed another fry into my mouth and looked back at the TV across the room.

We continued the movie, laughing at the antics of John Amos, singing along with all the passion to the Soul Glo commercials, and then when we got to the ending where Lisa and Akeem were waving to the crowd as they rode away after their wedding, I felt my heart break. Break at the fact that Akeem got his happy ending, but I never would.

24

Friday afternoonI picked Dominique up from school. Something in my gut told me to handle his debt personally. Shit could go left before it ever went smooth.

Dominique had contacted his “friends” and told him he had the money. They wanted to meet up in the alley by Third and Maple, but I wasn’t feeling that dynamic. On one hand, it was out of sight from authority should things look as shady as they were. On another, it was too much free rein for them to pull a caper. Too many times across news stations did I hear about some unfortunate soul who’d gotten robbedandkilled. Taking the money wasn’t enough for these guys. It was if theyhadto take your life.

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