Lost One

48

❝TAE❞

               "𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃𝙰 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙾𝚄𝚃?"

               The question placed Romeo's attention to the doorway his father stood as he packed his suitcase. He rocked a crisp white t-shirt and casual joggers, with jet black hair freshly blew out and pulled in a ponytail. "Uhh, yeah. I told Momma I'd be there for Thanksgiving and I wanna spend the rest of the day with Miry before he go back wit Lorelei tomorrow. That's why I'm going a day early. You gonna be okay?"

               Tae chuckles quietly, "I'm gonna be fine, Rome. Don't worry bout me."

               Romeo sighed. "Can't help it. Besides, it's quiet in here. You gonna be alone in silence."

               "Silence probably what I need right now; allows me to think."

               "Just don't stay in here by yourself and try to miss Thanksgiving. You need to be around family and since I've been here you only went to see Grandma and back home. You haven't been wit your brothas and that's not normal for y'all. Just promise me you're not gonna skip out on seeing family."

               "I promise," The look his son have makes him further say, "I'm foreal. Ya Uncle Toby picking me up in a li'l bit to shop wit Aunt Sasha to grab they Thanksgiving items. I'm not gonna skip out on the holiday. I'm good."

               Romeo nods, taking in his father's answer. "Okay. You gonna call?"

               "Of course. . Lemme know as soon as you land and I'm on the phone."

               Nodding, Romeo zips his suitcase and pulled it off the mattress and onto its wheels. Tae walked forward in the room. "Thank you...for staying wit me," he appreciates knowing what his son was preparing to follow up and say, "I know whatchu going to say but you doing whatchu done for me proved to me how much of a good Father I am. You showed me you notta boy no mo. You a man. Still my li'l dude; but a man."

               The father and son laughs.

               "Grandma got cancer.." Tae voices out loud to remind himself of the family's new reality, "And it's gonna be a hard road for everybody. We gon' cry, we gon' get mad, we gon' get silent—feel every emotion through this—but we gonna feel those together. We all gon' be each other's rocks."

               Romeo pulls his father into an embrace; Tae hugging back.

               They held the hold for a comfortable moment. .

               "Aight," he reels back from his son, "Lemme walk you out."

               Romeo walks out with his suitcase and Father and out to the driveway as Toby's Chevrolet Silverado was pulling up on cue. "Gave em the code back?" he asked his Father.

               Tae shrugs a little, smiling. "Trying not to close myself off."

               The driver retrieves Romeo's suitcase and placed it in the trunk of town car as Toby climbs out, "Where you off to, nephew?"