Page 2 of Through Treacherous Weather
“Do not make me cry,” Fatima’s voice quaked. “Miami is only an hour and a half away by plane. I’ll be here at least twice a month. I love you chick.” She reached over and hugged her friend before getting out of the car.
The stolen watch and earrings were forgotten as Fatima walked through the sliding glass doors with a conflicted heart. Miami had been super fun, but her family wasn’t there. Miami would be there. Even though he could hang with the best of them, Wise wasn’t getting any younger, and she had siblings that she barely knew. It was time for her to touch down in Diamond Cove and make it home again.
Fatima’s heart swelled as she walked into her father’s massive backyard that evening. Some of her family from her mother’s side showed up to celebrate her homecoming, and all of her father’s people were there. It damnnear looked like Coachella. Wise had a DJ, Natalie had hired an event planner, and the rose gold décor set the backyard off. A photographer was present along with bartenders from Ireland’s mobile bartending business. Fatima had seen most of her family at her graduation, but they were acting as if she’d just come home from fighting a war or something. She loved it, however, and the party solidified her confidence about the decision to move back to Diamond Cove.
An overwhelming amount of people pounced on her with greetings and hugs. Fatima had been saying hello for five minutes when Winter squeezed her way into her sister’s personal space and passed her a red Solo cup that contained reposado tequila.
“Here you go ‘cus these folks are not going to let you get over there to the bar anytime soon.”
“Thank you,” Fatima chuckled while noticing that Winter’s boyfriend, Jaiseem was nearby talking to Truce and Kadafi. “I hope your man knows that for at least a week you’re mine, and there’s nothing he can do about it.”
That garnered a chortle from Winter. “Girl, he’s cool. He doesn’t care how much I hang out as long as I bring my ass in the house at a reasonable time. He’s been working so much, he’ll be too busy to keep up with me anyway. But I love that for him because I mean, of course I want my man to win, but ummm I also want to be spoiled, ya know?” Winter dramatically moved her hand while she spoke bringing attention to the very large rock that adorned her ring finger.
Fatima gasped and snatched her sister’s hand with wide eyes. “Sissy, you’re engaged?!” Fatima’s gaze darted from the diamond to Winter’s smiling face.
“Yes. He just asked me last night, so don’t kill me. He wanted my friends and family there, but he didn’t want to do it today and take away from your shine, so he just asked for dad’sblessing a few weeks ago and proposed last night at Louie’s.” Louie’s was Winter’s favorite steakhouse.
“I’m so happy for you, Win.” Fatima truly meant it. Despite her and Heiress being thick as thieves for the past four years, Winter would always be her best friend. People were often shocked at how close the half-sisters were because their mothers hated each other. When Fatima’s mother started sleeping with Wise behind Winter’s mother’s back, all hell broke loose, and the relationship between the sisters had never been salvaged.
“Damn can somebody else get some time?” Wise asked as he walked over and wrapped one arm around Fatima’s shoulder.
“I didn’t think you’d mind too much since I’m the favorite,” Winter jested making Wise kiss his teeth.
“I told you not to say that in front of her. She doesn’t need to know all that.” Wise played along making Fatima giggle.
“Whatever. Thanks for the party old man.”
“The way y’all call me old is crazy. But you see that fine ass woman over there,” Wise raised the cup in his hand and pointed his pinky finger at Natalie. “You see I don’t have any problem keeping up with her, right?” he referred to her growing baby bump.
“Ewwww,” Fatima wiggled out of his grasp. “Just gross,” she frowned while Winter pretended to throw up.
Fatima went back to making her rounds. An hour later, she had greeted and conversed with every guest that was in attendance. She was on her second drink and ready to eat. Fatima couldn’t even begin to fathom how much money Wise had spent on food. There were two grills going, and the spread included lamb chops, shrimp, crab legs, hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, corn on the cob, pasta salad, baked macaroni and cheese, baked beans, deviled eggs, potato salad, chef salad, macaroni salad, strawberry shortcake, a three-tier red velvet cake, peachcobbler, pound cake, chocolate covered strawberries, and cupcakes.
Fatima had just hiked her niece, Brooklyn up on her hip, when her little sister, Imani entered the backyard with her mother, and her mother’s boyfriend. Fatima’s brows rose, and she looked over at Justice.
“Since when is daddy cool with David?”
The entire family knew about Wise being pissed a few weeks back because Imani told him that David had snatched her iPad out of her hands. The growth in Wise was commendable because even after Imani told him that, David was still breathing, and his hands were still attached to his body. Justice replied to his sister while never taking his eyes off of David.
“You better believe that Wise will never be cool with a person that violated one of his children. He done set that man up. Somebody needs to take the kids in the house.”
“You take them. I want to see,” Loyal inched closer to Wise. He knew his uncle wouldn’t need back up but if he was about to get active, the boys would never be too far away.
Fatima walked across the yard and got closer to Wise. Everyone attempted to act normal while they waited with bated breath as Wise tugged at one of ten-year-old Imani’s braids. He laughed and joked with his daughter while David went over to the bar and got a drink. Wise conversed with Imani for all of ten minutes before he sent her in the house to get something out of her room. Fatima knew the action was about to start because Wise was getting Imani out of the yard.
The moment she was no longer in sight, Wise flicked the tip of his nose and walked over to David. Jewel’s lips parted when she saw the darkness flickering in Wise’s orbs, but no sound came out of her mouth. She should have known there wasn’t that much growth in the world. Wise pretended to be over the situation, so he could bait David, and it worked.
“Everything good over here? You enjoying yourselves?” He asked with a serious expression on his face.
Missing the context clues, David bobbed his head. “This is nice. Nice as hell,” his irises darted around the yard. He wasn’t rich, but he wasn’t broke either. Still, from the moment he got with Jewel, he knew he’d never be able to compete with her ex. Seeing the way the infamous Wise lived up close and in person had David in awe.
Wise knocked the cup of liquor out of David’s hand making Jewel gasp. “Wise, please don’t.”
“Shut the fuck up,” he growled at her in a low tone while never taking his eyes off David. “You let this nigga snatch some shit from my daughter and yell at her on several occasions, and you still with this lame ass nigga?” Wise finally gave Jewel eye contact. “The old Wise would let Winter and Fatima handle you for that shit. But I’m just gon’ chalk it up to you being dick crazy and let you off with a warning. But you nigga,” he looked back over at David. “You ‘bout to get yo’ ass knocked the fuck out.”
David couldn’t play it cool if he wanted to. The panic on his face was clear as day. He knew there was no winning. Even if he could beat Wise, his son, nephews, and brother would never let it play out that way. Still, he didn’t want to be completely punked in front of his lady, so he attempted to speak with confidence.
“Her mother told her more than once, shit more than twice to do something, and she was ignoring her. I just took the iPad from her and told her to do what her mother said.”
