don’t have to be so rude all the time. Treat people kindly. All people. You never know when you’re going to need their help. And especially be kind to those handling your food.”
The heat of Lovello’s gaze penetrated my face, but I did my best to avoid him. “Are you going to berate me all day, Daddy?”
Before he could start another lecture, a curvaceous woman dressed in a black pencil skirt, red silk blouse and red heels walked out onto the patio. She had a flawless caramel complexion and her honey-brown hair was cut low. Looking at her, I could understand why my mother felt threatened. The woman was stunning, well put together, and had an amazing smile that was brightened by her ruby-red lips.
Vince’s face lit up when he saw her and, yes, there was love in his eyes. She bent at the waist and pecked him on his cheek then used her thumb to wipe away the lipstick stain. “Good morning, honey.”
Pulling her twinkling eyes away from my father’s, she looked over to Lovello and me, then conveyed politeness with a smile and a “Good morning.”
Vince wrapped his fingers around her perfectly manicured ones which were also painted red, and used his free hand to wave in our direction. “This is Lovello Nelson, and this is my daughter, Axia. Lovello, Axia, this is Eve Tomb.”
She held out her hand to Lovello who shook it and smiled amiably. Then she held out her hand to me, saying, “Nice to meet you, Axia. I’ve heard so much about you.” To which I shook it and replied, “Nice to meet you, too. My mother, Seleste D’costa- Blacksille , she hates you. Very much.”
Eve made a nervous laugh and glanced at Vince with questioning eyes. “Ignore her,” he told Eve as he stood up from his chair. “We were just about to have breakfast and I would’ve loved for us all to do so, but my daughter is rather crass and erratic and I don’t want you holding me accountable for whatever comes out of her mouth. So let’s have breakfast inside.”
“What?” I asked, frowning.
“What, what, Axia?” Vince snapped.
“A few minutes ago I was going about my business and you forced me to have breakfast with you and this prick next to me, and now you’re gonna just ditch me for your new sweetheart?”
“Axia, today is a pretty big day for Eve, and I don’t want you to ruin her mood.”
Eying his hand that was now wrapped around her waist and the other that was laced with her fingers, I asked, “So it’s true, then? You’re in love with her?”
Vince trembled with irritation. He glanced at Eve then back at me. “And what if I am?”
“You know what, Daddy.”
“Axia…” he trailed off, then unlaced his fingers from Eve’s and raked them through his hair. “I … we’ll talk later. Get to know this young man beside you. He might know what to do with you. ‘Cause God knows I don’t.”
I narrowed my eyes at their retreating forms, watching the way my father touched and smiled at Eve. Vince was only like that with my mother. If he wasn’t already in love with Eve, he was falling for her and that would break my mother in two.
Becoming aware that Lovello was still beside me, I pushed back my chair and started to get up but he clamped his hand down on my knee. “Don’t. Move.”
Having more energy and control than yesterday, I raised a foot and stomped it hard on his toes in his expensive shoes, and he yelped.
“I told you not to touch me!” I hissed at him.
Lovello Nelson looked grave. “Are you going to continue being a bitch for the rest of your life?”
“Did you just call me a bitch ?”
“ Yes . You’re a cold-hearted bitch and you need to be bridled.”
Again, I raised my foot and stomped on his toes. “How’s that for a bitch, huh?” Before he could shift his foot, I stomped on it again. “A bitch is a female dog and bridles are for donkeys, estúpido!”
I aimed for his foot again but he grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Axia, stop it! You’re acting silly. What the
The heat of Lovello’s gaze penetrated my face, but I did my best to avoid him. “Are you going to berate me all day, Daddy?”
Before he could start another lecture, a curvaceous woman dressed in a black pencil skirt, red silk blouse and red heels walked out onto the patio. She had a flawless caramel complexion and her honey-brown hair was cut low. Looking at her, I could understand why my mother felt threatened. The woman was stunning, well put together, and had an amazing smile that was brightened by her ruby-red lips.
Vince’s face lit up when he saw her and, yes, there was love in his eyes. She bent at the waist and pecked him on his cheek then used her thumb to wipe away the lipstick stain. “Good morning, honey.”
Pulling her twinkling eyes away from my father’s, she looked over to Lovello and me, then conveyed politeness with a smile and a “Good morning.”
Vince wrapped his fingers around her perfectly manicured ones which were also painted red, and used his free hand to wave in our direction. “This is Lovello Nelson, and this is my daughter, Axia. Lovello, Axia, this is Eve Tomb.”
She held out her hand to Lovello who shook it and smiled amiably. Then she held out her hand to me, saying, “Nice to meet you, Axia. I’ve heard so much about you.” To which I shook it and replied, “Nice to meet you, too. My mother, Seleste D’costa- Blacksille , she hates you. Very much.”
Eve made a nervous laugh and glanced at Vince with questioning eyes. “Ignore her,” he told Eve as he stood up from his chair. “We were just about to have breakfast and I would’ve loved for us all to do so, but my daughter is rather crass and erratic and I don’t want you holding me accountable for whatever comes out of her mouth. So let’s have breakfast inside.”
“What?” I asked, frowning.
“What, what, Axia?” Vince snapped.
“A few minutes ago I was going about my business and you forced me to have breakfast with you and this prick next to me, and now you’re gonna just ditch me for your new sweetheart?”
“Axia, today is a pretty big day for Eve, and I don’t want you to ruin her mood.”
Eying his hand that was now wrapped around her waist and the other that was laced with her fingers, I asked, “So it’s true, then? You’re in love with her?”
Vince trembled with irritation. He glanced at Eve then back at me. “And what if I am?”
“You know what, Daddy.”
“Axia…” he trailed off, then unlaced his fingers from Eve’s and raked them through his hair. “I … we’ll talk later. Get to know this young man beside you. He might know what to do with you. ‘Cause God knows I don’t.”
I narrowed my eyes at their retreating forms, watching the way my father touched and smiled at Eve. Vince was only like that with my mother. If he wasn’t already in love with Eve, he was falling for her and that would break my mother in two.
Becoming aware that Lovello was still beside me, I pushed back my chair and started to get up but he clamped his hand down on my knee. “Don’t. Move.”
Having more energy and control than yesterday, I raised a foot and stomped it hard on his toes in his expensive shoes, and he yelped.
“I told you not to touch me!” I hissed at him.
Lovello Nelson looked grave. “Are you going to continue being a bitch for the rest of your life?”
“Did you just call me a bitch ?”
“ Yes . You’re a cold-hearted bitch and you need to be bridled.”
Again, I raised my foot and stomped on his toes. “How’s that for a bitch, huh?” Before he could shift his foot, I stomped on it again. “A bitch is a female dog and bridles are for donkeys, estúpido!”
I aimed for his foot again but he grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Axia, stop it! You’re acting silly. What the
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