Page 59 of When Love Takes Over
“Have a seat, Son,” my father said.
I sat on the couch while he and my mother sat in the two chairs across from me. I waited anxiously for them to speak, but they didn’t seem to be in a rush as they stared at me.
“Are either of you going to say anything?” I asked.
“You told us you weren’t in love and didn’t see yourself falling in love anytime soon,” Pops reminded me.
“You also said you didn’t have any prospects,” Ma added.
“That was true at the time.”
“That was only two weeks ago,” Ma said.
“Gramps said he knew he wanted to marry Gramsy the day he met her.”
“Is that what happened?” my father asked.
“No, but why does any of this matter? You wanted me to get married, and I’m married. Can you two do me a favor and be nice? She’s been through a lot, and the last thing she needs is her new in-laws treating her like shi?—”
“Kenny!” my mother shouted.
“My bad. Can you just be nice?”
“We’re always nice because we’re nice people. Speaking of people . . . who are her people? Based on what she said, I can’t imagine she comes from a wealthy family,” Ma said.
“I don’t know who her family is, and I don’t care.”
“You should care. What if you gave our last name to a former crack baby or?—”
“Dinah! Really?” my father scolded.
“What? That’s a legitimate concern. We’re trying to build a legacy here. If she gets pregnant?—”
“Enough!” he chastised.
“Fine. No sense in me trying to have a civil conversation here, so I guess I’ll go and get to know my new daughter-in-law.”
Her voice was filled with sarcasm, and I refused to allow Malyah to be subject to my mother’s nonsense. I stood to follow my mother out of the den, but my father stopped me.
“I apologize on your mother’s behalf. You kinda caught us by surprise with this news.”
“I’m sure you were no more surprised than I was when I was told to get married or else.”
“It wasn’t like that, Son.”
“Were we not in the same room? I was told?—”
“Okay, okay. No need to rehash it. You’re married now, and from where I’m standing, you’re happy with your decision. That’s honestly all that matters, but it may take your mother a minute to come around.”
“Hopefully not.”
“She envisioned you marrying the daughter of someone wealthy, and?—”
“Like you said, Pops. I’m happy with my decision, and that’s all that matters. I need to get out there and make sure your wife is behaving.”
“Oh, she’s my wife now?”
“She was your wife before she was my mother. That’s all you.”
