Page 61 of Risking it All

“Oh, honey,” she said, wrapping her arms around me.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d hugged my mother. It was a seven-hour drive to my parents’ house from mine. With the time change, it was just after nine when I made it there. I could easily fly out to see them, which I usually did.

I didn’t have time for that this time, so I had to drive. It had been over a year since I’d seen my mom in person, but damn I didn’t know how much I needed to feel her embrace until I was in her arms. My mom was a tiny thing, just under five-four, but her love was powerful.

“You look good, Ma,” I told her as she pulled away.

She held me at arm’s length, never taking her eyes off my face. “What happened, baby?”

“What makes you think something happened?”

“Because you’re here.”

Not that I wasn’t glad to see my mom. I hated that I was there under the circumstances that brought me there more than anything. Being there meant that I knew I couldn’t take care of Zenia without my family’s help.

“You’re right.”

“Your father is in his man cave.”

“OK,” I said, nodding as I continued through the house.

I found him sitting in a recliner with a glass in his hand. His attention turned from the two huge TV screens, playing a football game and world news respectively. He only looked at me for a beat before he put his eyes back on the screens.

“You look like shit. Who is she?”

“What makes you think there’s a woman?” I asked him.

“Your mother and I have been married for almost forty years. I know when there’s a woman.”

“I need your help.”

“She must be really special if you came to me.”

“It’s Zenia Morgan, Zahad’s oldest daughter.”

“She’s missing, right?” he asked, turning to look at me as I occupied the seat next to him.

“She’s been with me.”

“Gah damn, son,” he said, sitting up to put his cigar out. “Wait a minute, wasn’t she engaged to your boy? The Fuller kid.”

“A long time ago. He’s married now, and she was sold to the St. Thomas family. I met her after she ran away to escape from them. I left her at my house to come here, but she left a little bit ago saying that she had to turn herself in to save her sisters. I need my seat back, dad.”

“Saw, when y’all opened that casino, you said you were done with the life. You left this family because you wanted something different.”

“I still do.”

“Then what the fuck are you doing here? I can’t let you make a rash decision without knowing that you’re thinking straight.”

“I love her.”

“With your dick or your heart? There’s a difference.”

“Both, if I’m being honest.”

“And you sure she’s worth it?”

“I’m positive that she’s worth me coming back. I’m ready to return full force into everything I left behind.”