Grandpop Aries is standing at the head of the room with his cane firmly in hand. His full lips set, focused on the much younger foursome.
"What were my specific instructions?" he taps his cane twice. Everest moves around in his suit just a little. "I know y'all niggas hear me!"
"We were supposed to bring our Bonds here this year. But I don't have one so..." Stone shrugs it off while grabbing a cigar from the case. Aries floor cags him with the cane. Stone fell. "Shit!"
"Yes the fuck you do. I can see the difference in you already. Lie again fuck nigga." The elder in the room goes in on him. Amiri and Antonio, Aries's own twin sons, shake their heads as they sat quietly. Really, although Aries was the man that started this legacy by having them, the twins took the legacy to new heights.
"Grandpop! What if she's not ready to be integrated yet? What if our lifestyles scare them? We can't control how it's perceived." Everest defends Sierra anyway.
"Boy shut that stupid shit up!" Aries taps the cane and slightly pimp walks to his grandson. "How you have a Bond and not integrate her? And you of all people should know, Thanksgiving is laid back! If you planning to bring her around for Christmas, you know we go bigger than this. So, if she intimidated by money, tough damn titty! We some wealthy niggas."
"Pop, maybe Everest has a point. For the last few Bonds you've freaked the women out with the talk of babies and houses. Maybe, we should step back and let them integrate at their pace?" Amiri, the ever-patient voice of reason spoke up.
"That's not tradition. I like getting the ball rolling. Ev is already almost thirty, right?"
"We all are." Greyson speaks up. "I haven't found my Bond yet..." he is truthful. His thoughts temporarily go to that as well.
The room is solemn. "Maybe you need to go outside your comfort zone." Antonio suggests.
"This ain't the old days no more Pop. You can't just say things like you used to. Not everybody takes children in stride." Amiri continues.
"Bullshit Amiri and you know it." Aries grudgingly accepts what his son is saying. "I just like seeing them walk in their purpose. What's the harm in that?"
"Nothing, Pop. Absolutely nothing. But you can't force it on them...not anymore that is." Antonio tries to get his father to see the big picture. "How bout one more holiday and we can go from there."
The younger men shake their heads. One month...Everest thinks.
"Y'all lucky I'm in a good mood." Aries floor cags Everest and Royce on his way out of the room. "Where my cream cheese pastry! These niggas got my nerves bad."
"Thanks, Grandpop." Royce hugs the older twin tightly.
"We grew up with him. We know how he can be." Antonio laughs.
Five years later,
Thanksgiving week
Aquarius and Nora's Estate
Roman stood over his twin brothers with authority. Mia walks by and smacks his long head self in the back of the head. "Dang ma!"
Stop acting like you run somethin then." She retorts back.
Grandpop Aries stood with his cane with a smirk. "I can die in peace nih."
"Grandpop, stop yo shit." Greyson bounced his son on his lap. The green-eyed little dude squealed happily. The four year old love resting on his father.
"I'm just saying! I can..." Aries playfully smirked. "Just took y'all fiddy years to do what I told y'all to do." He watched the next line play together.
Roman had his cousins in line. They followed him like little puppies. Aries is content.
"Do you think we're prepared for them?" Stone asked. The cousins stopped and reflected. "I mean, just because we don't have a Curse, doesn't mean..."
"I highly doubt it...we didn't do it right. Our parents didn't do it right. Nana Diane and Grandpop Aries didn't do it right. Bond or not." Greyson dropped his mouth. "Fuck."
"Even still, they shouldn't be doomed...right?" Royce watches his three closely.
"Only one way to find out..." Stone held one of his sons closer to him.