41 - Basement

*I’m glad that you’ve found someone. But you’re not sleeping together while you’re here. – Jasper*
Watching Keisha lead Camille upstairs, Darkness thought about how he always found it ironic that his older brother was so uptight now. It was like he completely forgot his own upbringing. Darkness could still remember the wild and crazy brother he grew up with. Even if Jasper could not.
He could remember the man whore who would take two or three women to his room in the clubhouse. Sometimes one after the other, sometimes together. There were still stories that were told about the *Tramp* and his escapades.
If he wanted to be a total ass, he could be petty and remind his older brother that there was only five months between his and Keisha’s wedding day and the birth of his oldest son. But since he and Camille did not sleep together, Darkness went along with the demands. Ridiculous as they were.
Darkness followed Jasper down the stairs to the basement where his nephews were playing video games. They both got up and hugged him in greeting. He slapped the back of the older boy and then bear hugged the younger.
“Marvin, you playing football again?” Darkness asked.
“Yeah, I go by Vin. Got moved from left tackle to nose tackle,” the teen smiled broadly.
Darkness caught the soft huff from the boy’s father at the shortened version of his name. There was a little part of him inside his head that was giggling with glee over this and deciding that he would call the teen Vin as much as possible.
“Well, Vin, that’s what your granddad played.” Darkness smiled. “Made it to the farm league and was on the practice team for the Saints.”
“Really?” both boys asked with excitement.
“Yeah, I’m surprised that your dad hasn’t told you about that.”
“Dad doesn’t tell us anything about the family,” Mitchell said quietly.
“Well, you two can ask me anything that you want to know.”
“Really?” They both looked at each other and he could feel the excitement rolling off them.
“We have so many questions.” Mitchell admitted.
“Later,” Jasper cut them off before they could start to ask any questions. “Go upstairs and help your mom.”
Vin considered arguing with his father, Darkness saw it in his eyes, in his stance, he was ready to go to bat, this was his hill. Darkness shook his head slightly, right now was not the time to die on the hill. It might be the right hill, but it was not the right time.
The broad shoulders of the teen slumped slightly, and he placed a hand on his brother’s back to nudge him towards the stairs. “Come on, Mitch.”
Darkness offered them both fist bumps and that seemed to lessen the tension in the room. At least from the boys. Their father bristled at the shortened name of his younger son also.
After his sons disappeared up the stairs, Jasper walked over and turned off the TV and game console. Darkness hoped that the boys had saved their game progress. And wondered where such disrespect came from.
“I put you down here so you can watch TV or whatever. I’m assuming that you still have insomnia.”
He motioned to the couch and two recliners that were in front of the large screen TV. And then pointed towards the weight machine and free weights on the other side of the room.
“Yeah.” He almost said that Camille also had insomnia. But really, what would be the point? Darkness was hoping for a better weekend. A come meet my family weekend. Not an invitation to battle.
Then again, maybe they were one in the same.
“Are you sure about this *girl*?”
“I’m very sure about that *woman*.” Just as his brother emphasized girl, he emphasized woman.
Jasper scoffed.
“Keep an open mind. Give her a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”
“You realize everything that’s against you? Her age. Your race. How long have you even known her?”
Something snapped inside Darkness. The cold darkness that he was named for took over.
“Longer than you knew Keisha before you two were married. Did she get pregnant on your first date? Or the second?”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what, *Tramp*? You earned your name. How many other kids you got out there?”
“Shut up. I grew up. I take care of my responsibilities.”
“And I don’t? I brought her here to meet my family. Not for us to be judged.”
Jasper rubbed his forehead, and for briefest of moments Darkness saw their father. Except Shadow always seemed to have a grin and not a scowl. “What are your plans?”
“Enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and my girlfriend.”
He sighed and pierced his brother with a cold glare. “I mean in the long run.”
“I plan on marrying her.” Darkness could not help but smile at his attempt to be tough. The thoracic surgeon had not been able to intimidate his younger brother in at least a decade.
Jasper looked at his younger brother. “You can’t mean that.”
“Why not?” Darkness asked crossing his arms. He was younger by six years. And taller by four inches and so much bigger and stronger.
“Don’t try to intimidate me.”
“Not trying. But it looks like it’s succeeding.” He couldn’t help the smirk.
“Look, she’s a guest in my house, I’ll be nice. But don’t think that I approve of this, whatever this is.”
“If that’s the best I can get, I’ll take it for now. But I want you to know, I'm not changing my mind. I love her, and I’m going to marry her.” He took a step closer to his older brother, Jasper started to step back but then stopped. “I have her father’s blessing; I would like yours. But I do *not* need yours.”
Jasper shook his head and gave a small, exasperated sigh. “I’m not going to try to change your mind. I’m not going to support you either. And that dog stays outside.”
Darkness laughed and suggested that his brother try to take the dog away from Camille as they headed back up the stairs. He went out and got his backpack from the back of his bike. He was on his way back down the stairs when his phone chirped. After tucking his bag out of the way, he pulled the phone out and looked at the message from Camille,
*Staying in the dungeon?*
Grinning, he snapped a quick picture of the gaming area and then the weights. He sent the pictures to Camille and added *At least it has something for me to do. You?*
*HA!* pictures of the room filled his screen. *PSL HELL*
He laughed as he saw the same bedding that Keisha had brought to Momma Dee. *Is that comforter reversible?*
A new picture popped up with the other side of the comforter as he was headed back upstairs to join the rest of the family. Coming around the corner, he found Camille and Monique sitting together near the fireplace with Camille’s computer.
Leaning down, he gave his girlfriend a light kiss before placing a light kiss on his niece’s temple. “What are you two doing?”
“Looking at clothes from a goth store.”
“Pagan’s wife, Shiloh, the one that lives in the old funeral home, it’s one of her stores, Dark Moon. She sent me the pictures and details on the Black Friday Deals.” She flipped back over to her email and scrolled through the information. “I’ll update the website tonight and code the release schedule for…”
“Just because I don’t understand, doesn’t mean that I don’t want to know.” He reminded her gently.
“Oh my God!”
“Monique!” Keisha admonished from the kitchen.
The teen rolled her eyes. “Sorry, mom, you should see this bedding set.”
Her mom walked over and looked at the Tim Burton bedding set and sneered at it. “That’s not coming into my house.”
Darkness watched his niece’s shoulders slump in defeat as Keisha walked away. Waiting until the woman was out of hearing range, he leaned down and spoke softly. “How about I get that for Momma Dee?”
Monique laughed and then cut her eyes at her mother in the kitchen area of the open floor plan. “Momma Dee would like that better than the basic white girl set that mom bought.” She looked at Camille with a knowing smile, “The basic white girl vibe is strong with that black woman.”
Camille laughed and nodded. “I described it as PSL Hell.”
“Oh my God, yes!” she hissed quietly so that her mother wouldn’t hear her this time.
“So,” Darkness settled on the hearth between the two chairs that Camille and Monique sat in, “Marvin is now Vin and Mitchell is Mitch. What is your preferred name?”
“Nicki,” she grinned at them. “Mom and dad do not like that we’ve changed our names. Or even developed our own personalities.”