May 2022 | QOH Cemetery
Sevyn Taleek Elmore
"Hey Ma. It's been a long 4 years since you've been gone. I miss you with every breath that I take, my whole heart. I been raising lil' Tristian the best I can. Safe to say, he lowkey turning out pretty good." Sevyn said, adjusting the picnic blanket that was laid out in front of his mother's headstone.
It was Sunday, May 31st. Officially marking the day that Sevyn and Tank's mother passed away.
Making a promise to go to the cemetery, the brothers decided to deck her headstone out with plenty of flowers and ballon's. They even brought Kanari along, she was apart of the family now. Their mother loved her some Kanari ever since Tank introduced the two.
"Nigga, stop playin' wit' me in front of my Momma!" Tank responded, slightly shoving his big brother.
"Ma I can't even lie, it hurts to be here. It hurts to not hear you yellin' at me when I get in trouble. I'm fucked up Ma, I miss you so much. And I'm glad that you're not suffering anymore, but I'm mad that you're not here. I just wanna hug you and tell you that I love you one mo' time." Tank cried out, starting to breakdown.
Looking over, Sevyn watched Kanari pull his little brother into a warm embrace, rubbing his back, trying to sooth her bestfriend.
Wrapping his long arms around the both of them, Sevyn made sure to cherish the moment, because it was times like this that you couldn't get back.
Kanari slickly slipped out of the hug, letting the two brothers get their own bonding time.
"I love you lil' bro, we gon' be straight. It's gon' be ok." Sevyn reassured Tristian, trying to keep him calm.
"Is it really tho'? Ma ain't Neva' comin' back foe. This some bullshit shorty. She ain't even get to see me walk across the stage." The younger brother continued to cry harder and harder, thinking about his deceased mother.
Sevyn was trying to hold it together, but his tears started to slip out as well. Their mother was gone forever, and it was nothing they could do.
He tried to trust God and believe that everything happened for a reason, but he wanted to know why did his mother have to get taken away from him. It already made it bad enough that his father wasn't in his life. So, him losing his mother really set the cherry on top.
Pulling back from the saddened hug, Sevyn looked his little brother directly in the eyes.
"Ma might not physically be there with you when you cross the stage, but she damn sure gon' be there spiritually. She gon' be right there holding yo' hand, cheering you on. So yes, you gon' be straight, Ma loved us and we can't forget that."
Wiping his tears with the neck of his t-shirt, Tank took a few deep breaths before speaking again.
"You right. I love you big bro. You more of a father ta' me than a brother, to be honest. Words can't explain how much I thank you for the things that you do fa' me.
"Fasho, I always got you. You my blood, ain't nun eva' gon' change that." Sevyn spoke, mushing his little brother's head.
Behind them was a smiling Kanari, she loved their bond and felt the genuine love behind it. She was happy to see the two brothers expressing their emotions without labeling anything as 'gay'.
Wrapping up their man to man conversation, they seen Kanari taking a seat down on the blanket.
"Hey Ms.Pretty. I miss your warm hugs that you used to give anytime that I came over. In my eyes, you were like a second mom to me. You cared for me everytime that my own mother didn't, so thank you for that." Kanari smiled, showing her deep dimples.
