I Want You Close | The Other Side Of The Game Series

EIGHT

J A N E L L A

A few days had passed since my father's announcement about selling the restaurant, and during those few days everyone had been trying to convince him to keep it, but like I mentioned before, it was useless to waste words on a mind that didn't want to be swayed.

Right now, I was in said restaurant with my brother, Sasha, and Hayden. They had stopped by to have a meal and to do what others have been doing for the past week, convince my father that his decision was the wrong one.

Gabriella couldn't make it because she and her wife had to pick up their kids from her parents.

"Dad, are you sure you wanna sell it?" Jermaine questioned our father, who was currently closing up the place after the last customers took their leave.

"For the last time I'm sure." He stated, brushing past us to approach a dirty table with the intention of cleaning it as he removed the cloth that sat on his shoulder.

"But we have a whole bunch of memories here." Sasha declared while moving towards the counter to take a seat on the stool. We followed suit.

"He's right, over there is where you proposed to mom." Jermaine voiced, pointing to a spot in front of the booth nearest to the front door.

"And right at that door is where I first met Janella." Hayden reminisced, drawing a sigh from my father as he faced us.

"Just because you have memories with something doesn't mean you have to hold on forever, and if you do, well, that's called hoarding." He expressed, and the end he chose for his sentence had an entertained smile greeting my features, "I mean look at me selling the restaurant where Malcolm X and Yaa Asantewaa had a meal."

Not this again.

"Stop the cap." I demanded before joining the light laughter with my friends.

"Dad can't you hold off for a little while and see how you feel about this in a few days?" My brother requested, and by looking at my father's face I could tell he was gradually getting tired, if not, annoyed by everyone's constant attempt to persuade his made up mine.

"Jermaine just leave him, he's already made his mind up." I instructed my brother, who didn't look like he was ready to admit defeat, but after a minute he released a sigh.

"Fine."

"So are y'all gonna help me move the furniture out next month?" My father inquired, quickly stopping the air from growing tense while he continued cleaning off the table and then the chairs.

"Next month? Why not call some movers tomorrow?" Hayden asked him, and I silently agreed with his query as it was one I was gonna ask.

"Now why would I hire some movers when my brother owns a trucking company and I have y'all?"

Right, Uncle Demarcus. My father's younger brother.

"Okay, but still why next month? We're bound to have another day off soon." I queried, before anyone else could.

"Yo cousin, Lia, wants your mother and I to head down to her place and look after her kids because she has to fly out for some work." He explained, and this information didn't exactly come as a shock to me because my parents carrying out this task was somewhat regular since Lia's parents, my aunt and uncle had passed a few years ago due to gun violence, "Y'all know how far she lives so you know why I can't bother with the up and down especially with toddlers."

"Alright, are y'all good with that?" I questioned my companions while sparing them a long look in order to capture the sight of them silently agreeing with movements of their heads which permitted me to face my father once again, "A month will give yo back some time to heal."