“I’m not leaving you, so wherever you’re going, I’ll just go with you.” Anni says, crossing her arms. Larry sighs, shifting himself slightly on the bed and placing his hands on her hips.
“Momma Joy not want you out this late-”
“That didn’t stop you from sneaking me out before, did it?” Anni asks, tilting her head.
“I’m going to the warehouse.” He says, and she rolls her eyes.
“I’ve been there before.”
“Not how it is now. We done with everything. We burning it down.”
“We done. Laurent get scared and say he done and I cannot do it without my brother so it’s over.”
“That’s why I gotta go.” Larry says. “We all coming together one last time and we burning it down and everything with it. We sold the last of the guns, we changing our numbers, we done with that life. But they wanna say good bye and I want to also.”
“Because…” He didn’t want to tell her Lamar would be there. He didn’t want to tell her he had even been working with him, even if his job was to be a tester. He had managed to become cool with Donovan, and despite their hatred for him, he and Laurent tolerated his presence.
Throughout the months, he managed to become apart of the ‘team’.
“Larry, please.” Anni mutters, carefully shifting on top of him. Despite it being a month since he had gotten jumped, she was still mindful. When he went down due to multiple stab wounds, the guys ganged up on his and repeatedly stomped him out until Laurent started shooting. “I don’t wanna leave you alone. I don’t want you to leave me alone.”
“Fine.” She says, rolling off of him. “Go ahead.” She breathes out. Larry sits up, scooting off the bed. He moves in front of her, crouching to look her in the eyes.
“Baby, don’t take this the wrong way.” He pleads, kissing her cheek.
“I’m not.” She says, closing her eyes and yawning. “Goodbye.”
“I’m in love with you Anni.”
“Yeah, I know.” She says, rolling on her side, away from him. He lets out a breath and kisses her bare shoulder before getting up and walking out of the room.
“Finally.” Laurent mutters when Larry walks outside. “I thought you wasn’t gonna come.”
“Nah, I’m coming.” Larry sighs, walking past his brother, who follows. “Annette is mad though.”
“She wanted to come and I said no.”
“Why? It’s not like we killing someone.”
“No, but Lamar gonna be there.” Larry says, making Laurent suck his teeth. “I don’t want her being around him.”
“She’ll get over it.” Laurent says, but Larry closes his eyes.
He not professing her love back as usual hurt him. As he walked beside his brother, his chest and heart ached. What if she didn’t get over it? What if this one small ass thing ruined their whole relationship.
“Maybe I should bring her.” Larry mutters as he sits down in the passengers seat.
“But then she gonna get even more mad cuz she find out you work with Lamar.”
“Just make it up to her.” Laurent says, starting up their car. “Right now, we have to go and burn it down. Donovan text me to say he gonna cut the wires soon, so we have to hurry.”
The six of them watch as the warehouse burns, all of their hard work burning with it.
“We done.” Laurent mutters. “All that work we put into drugs… done.” He pulls out a lighter for the blunt he left hanging in his mouth.
“Finally.” Larry says, breathing deeply. “It’s finally over.”
“Man…” Ace chuckles, smoking a cigarette. “Shit, we had some good times working with each other.”
“What we gonna do now?” Zukko asks, looking around.
“We going our separate ways.” Laurent says. “We all got different shit to do. Now, y’all free to do whatever you want.”
“Y’all just finna dip?” Donovan asks. “Like we weren’t friends or some shit?”
“Nah, we all still cool. We just not fucking with y’all like that no more.” Larry says, shrugging as Laurent passes the blunt his way. “No, Anni kill me if I come to her bed smelling like that shit.”
Laurent laughs, shrugging and smoking more.
“That’s fucked up of y’all.” Zukko chuckles. “You just gonna forget all about us.”
“It looks bad when two young niggas like us fucking with some old niggas like y’all.” Laurent laughs, and the rest join in.
“Alright then. We’ll go our separate ways.” Ace says, finishing the cigarette. “But when you and yo girl get married, I better be invited, Larry.”
“You’ll be my groomsman, Ace.” Larry says, the two slapping hands. “All of y’all will.” Larry looks at Lamar, then frowns. “Not you.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t go anyway.” Lamar says, shrugging. “Fuck you nigga.”
“You all big and bold now that you ain’t gotta listen to me, huh nigga?” Larry says, smirking.
“I oughta beat the fuck out you.” Lamar says, and Larry’s smirk changes. Lamar almost felt scared at the way he looked. His usually soft and calm and melancholic features had shifted into something sinister and crazed.
“Larry.” Laurent calls out, making Larry’s demeanor shift, reverting him back. “This is a good night, so shut the fuck up Lamar.”
“No nigga, you shut the fuck up! You two ruined my fucking life!” Lamar shouts, taking a step forward. “Now because of y’all, because of all of y’all, I can’t see my fucking son anymore and that…” His voice cracks. “That kills me.”
Silence runs through the group and everyone but Larry and Laurent looked at Lamar.
“I won’t be able to be there when he rides his first bike without training wheels. I won’t be able to tell him about girls and sex and tell him to keep himself safe. I won’t be there to teach him how to fight. I won’t be able to teach him how to play any sports. I won’t be there to see him in his first tuxedo for his first prom. I won’t be able to see him walk across the stage for his graduation. I won’t watch him grow up into a man, a much better man that I was. I will miss out on his whole life.” He says, his voice cracking. “But you… you will.” He growls, looking up at Larry, who had lazily turned his gaze back to Lamar. “You’re going to take my fucking spot as my son’s father.”
“You’re having twin girls-”
“It’s not the fucking same!” Lamar shouts. “He’s my first kid, my son! My son, Larry!”
“You fucked up.” Larry says, shrugging. “Don’t get mad now. You should’ve been mad and you should’ve fixed things. I didn’t tell you to take that stupid shit at Jayden’s party. What type of father does that anyway? Takes drugs at his son’s party? You were never a good dad. But I will be. I’ll give Jayden plenty of brothers and sisters.”
“You fucking bitch!” Lamar says, lunging for Larry. Donovan gets in front of him, stopping him.
“Yo, y’all need to chill the fuck out.”
“No, tell your nigga to chill out.” Ace says. “Larry’s right. He was the one that fucked up. And I’ll be honest, I’m fucked up for saying take the shit, but he didn’t say no type of shit about it being Jayden’s birthday. Nor did Donovan say it was some type of sex drug.”
“It was just a stimulant. I thought he’d be home alone.” He says, pushing Lamar back. “But, Larry, don’t you think you’re going a bit too far? We put him in this position and now you mocking him?”
“He do whatever he wants.” Laurent says, finishing the blunt. “You not the one who girlfriend almost get raped not twenty feet away and not know shit about it. And until you are, you can’t say shit about what my brother does.”
The five of them launch into an argument, their voices getting louder and louder until Zukko stops them.
“Hey!” He shouts, making everyone go silent. “It’s time to go. I’m hearing sirens.”
“I’ll catch you niggas then.” Ace says, walking off.
“Let’s take you to your girl, frère.” Laurent says, slapping his brother’s chest. Larry nods, the two walking past Donovan and Lamar, purposely bumping shoulders with Lamar, and to their car, speeding off.
“Jesus…” Anni mutters, ringing her hands. “Mommy, I’m scared as hell.”
“I am too.” Her mother says, placing her hands on her daughter’s shoulder. “Maybe we should reschedule-”
“A whole wedding? Momma, I don’t think we can do that.” Anni whines, taking deep breathes. “Oh Lord, momma, I’m shaking.”
“Girl, I am too. I didn’t think it’d be so soon, I mean… Oh Lord, you’re barely twenty one.” She says, looking her daughter over. “Jesus Christ Annette, you are gorgeous.” She tears up.
“Momma, if you start crying, Imma cry.”
“I can’t help it. You’re getting married and…” She sniffs, sitting down in a chair near by. “You’ve gotten so old, and so has Jay. Soon, the two of you are gonna be living in the beautiful house he bought and you’re gonna be having kids of your own and…” She bites her bottom lip to keep in her sobs. “I’m just so happy for you, baby.” She says, her voice quivering.
“Momma.” Anni groans, unable to keep the tears out of her eyes. “I really don’t wanna cry right now.”
“I’m sorry baby.” Her mother says, wiping her face. “Okay, I’ll be alright. Just… let me go get Laurent and-” She was interrupted by a knock at the door, making Anni freeze.
“Is it Lau?” She asks, looking at herself in the mirror. Her mother slowly opens the door.
“Is she ready?” Laurent asks, a large smile on his face.
“Yes, yes.” Her mother answers, looking back at Anni. “Get your bouquet dear. Come on, it’s show time.” With that, her mother moves to leave the room.
“Wait, wait, Momma!” Anni says, grabbing her mother’s arm. “Momma, I haven’t even met his mother yet, what if she hates me?”
“She’s not gonna hate you, Anni.”
“Momma, she might. This’ll be the first time we meet, and that’s bad. Usually, you meet the mother before the wedding, way before. Momma, what if she doesn’t approve of me?”
“Annette, you are fantastic. She will love you because she can see how happy you make Larry. No mother can deny their child their happiness. And dear, you know the only reason you haven’t met her yet is because she had been in the hospital.”
“But she wasn’t last year. Momma, she’s gonna hate me-”
“Anni, grab your bouquet and get out there.” Her mother says, kissing her cheek. “Don’t worry about any of that right now. Go down there and get married.” And with that, her mother leave the room, letting Laurent in.
“Lau, I’m scared. What if I trip?” She says, her hands flying to her chest to hold her heart. She was wearing an ivory strapless trumpet sequin gown with gold lace, simple pearl earrings, her hair in an elegant bun with several strands hanging to frame her face. Her makeup had been simple yet flawless. Her wrist bore a simple diamond bracelet Larry had gotten her for their one year anniversary, her engagement ring still on the ring finger of her left hand as instructed by Larry.
“Don’t be scared sis. You not gon trip. I got you.” He says, holding out his arm. She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow. She grabs the bouquet of white roses. “We gon do how we practice all those nights, okay?”
“Not be scared. Trust me.”
“I’m not scared of that anymore Laurent. I’m scared of getting married.” She chuckles.
“You not want to do this?”
“No, I do. I really do, Lau. It’s just… I’m nervous. But I’m so so happy.”
“Then let’s go. My brother not gonna keep waiting too long before he walk down the aisle himself and come find you.” Laurent says, making Anni smile. He opens the door, the two of them walking out and walking together. Laurent gets to the doors of the church hall, where their family had been waiting, excited for the joining of Anni and Larry.
Anni takes a breath, two men standing by the door opening it in a slow sweeping motion revealing the two. She smiles softly as her and Laurent step into the room, making their entrance. Jayden smiles, scrambling out of his seat, holding the hands of his twin three year old half sisters, Ayasha and Ayashe, who had baskets full of flower petals. They make their way forward, the twin girls giggling and tossing flower petals everywhere.
Anni smiles, her and Laurent slowly trailing after them until they make it to the altar.
“And by the way, Anni.” Laurent whispers, the two facing each other. “My mama will love you.” He presses a kiss to her forehead before moving to his spot and Anni to hers.
Ayasha and Ayashe go sit with their grandmother, and Jayden moves over there also, grabbing the white pillow holding two rings. He carefully makes his way to Niko, Anni’s maid of honor. Niko smiles, pressing a kiss to Jayden’s forehead as she takes the ring meant for Larry. Jayden then nods to her, carefully walking over to Laurent, who ruffled Jayden’s growing afro and takes the bands meant for Anni.
Jayden tucks the pillow underneath his arm and stands behind Laurent, his chest poked out, proud of himself.
Anni keeps her eyes on Larry as the pastor talks about love and marriage and all that good stuff.
He looked great in a classic black and white tuxedo, matching Laurent, with the exception of Laurent’s last minute bow tie (to be different), and his groomsmen Ace and Zukko.
Anni had dressed Niko in a ivory sleeveless short mesh dress with side cascade, and her bridesmaids, Victoria, and the girls she befriended at beauty school: Cristina, Danni and Mina in an ivory short mesh with a sweetheart illusion neckline.
Her girls were beautiful.
She really never thought the first wedding she’d ever go to would be hers, but she didn’t mind. She loved how her life turned out. She loved Larry. She loved Jay and she loved Ayasha and Ayashe. She loved Niko and she loves Laurent. At this moment in time, she loved everything.
Everything had turned out very well and she couldn’t ask for it to happen any other way.
She blinks back tears as Larry goes through his vows and she shakily recites hers, trying her best to not cry. If she cried right now, she’d be so embarrassed.
“Larry Nicolas Bourgeois, do you take Annette Leticia Jackson to be your wife in holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart’s deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Larry steadily says, keeping his eyes on Anni. They were filled with all of the love he had in his body, every single ounce, and it all poured onto her, filling her. He watched as a tear falls from her eyes at the simple sentence, and he wished he could lean forward and wipe her face, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Anni sniffs slightly, wiping her face before looking back at Larry.
“Do you, Annette Leticia Jackson, take Larry Nicolas Bourgeois to be your husband in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart’s deepest devotion, forsaking all other, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Anni nods. Niko and Laurent hand the bride and groom their rings to place on each other’s finger.
Anni slides the wedding band on Larry’s finger, smiling as she does before looking up at him. Larry slides her engagement ring off, sliding an all around diamond wedding band on first, then the engagement ring, then another diamond wedding band before bringing her hand up to his lips and gently kissing it.
“Now, with the exchanging of the rings, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
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