downplay- to make something seem less important than it is
It's a mechanism really, a defense , no one ever really bares their soul or heart, I know I've never.
Isla poked her sister's side quickly, joking as she fixed a curl framing Yara's face, careful to not fuss too much with the intricate updo that held her long jet-black hair elegantly. Yara simply brushed her away while Elizabeth gave her younger daughter a stern look.
"That's the last thing I'd want." Yara assured, her fingers going to the sapphire earrings that Al had given her the previous night. They were once Kim Porter's. He'd purchased them for her after she'd told him she was pregnant with Quincy.
It was good luck Al told her, Quincy was the best thing that came out of that relationship, and she was marrying him now. He gave her his blessing and his hope that Yara would be gentle with his son, and she promised she would. She didn't take any of it lightly, how eagerly Al had taken her in nor how kind Quincy's siblings were to her. They didn't simply make her feel like she belonged, they assured her that she was family.
Amari peeked in from the door, his eyes zeroing in on his wife who he gave an appreciative look before he looked at Yara.
"How's it going in here?" He queried, watching as Aya fixing the ribbons in Destin and Callie's hair while Zolee, Ebony and Kaia were setting up Yara's dress for her to jump into.
In the back of the space Denise and Elizabeth were fussing over Jahi who was refusing to go quietly into his little tuxedo pants.
"Aside from trouble getting pants on my son, everything is fine Mari. Isla and Ivy still need to get in their dresses, but we should all be set soon."
The twins took Yara's subliminal rush into account and grabbed their dresses before heading behind a partition where they shimmied into the fabulous gold gowns.
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"Okay good, because the men are all set, and the guests are filling in quickly. So, I wanted to make sure we were good in here. Aunt Nisey and Ms. Elizabeth, when you're done with Jahi could you all meet me in the foyer. Uncle Greg and Al will be ready to escort you in first to start the procession in twenty minutes."
"You got it Best Man." Denise winked at her nephew before she glanced suspiciously at Elizabeth who buttoned Jahi's pants in triumph, not realizing the question in her counterpart's eyes. There was a faint smile on the woman's face that Denise had seen too many times in full force since they'd gotten to California. Still, she'd save her questions for later.
With two taps and a quick kiss to Payton, Amari dismissed himself and Yara looked from Payton to Zolee, relieved that the latter seemed to not even register the exchange. Zolee and Amari had moved on long ago, but Yara wondered if it was possible to lose every iota of passion for a person that had once been your everything? She would never ask Zolee, but she wondered.
"Mama!" Jahi's voice took her out of her thoughts as she held out her arms to him and hugged him close.
"Hey bug!" Yara kissed his nose as she got up and turned to Zolee and Kaia who were now ready to help her into her dress "Can mommy put you down without you causing havoc?" Yara gave Jahi a pointed look, but the baby just giggled as she lowered him.
