ZOOM
I got in the Range Rover as fast as I could. I was having a moment and needed something real good to listen to. I pulled out all of my CDs, looking for the only one that could help me right now.
There was too much going on.
It was Election Day and I was sitting in front of Drew’s parents’ house.
Mr. Mills was at the door watching me to my car and waiting for me to drive off. But I couldn’t. I needed a stiff one right now.
I found the right CD mix from Jordyn. It was volume 6, and I wanted to hear Zoom by The Commodores. I smiled and waved as Mr. Mills went back inside the house. I just simply adored Drew’s family. I just had the visit I couldn’t dream of in all my wildest dreams.
The one thing we’d all been waiting to hear had happened. Twelve years had passed and Drew’s attorney finally found a break in his case.
They gave him a lie detector test. He passed and now he’d be released from prison and would be coming home within the next six to nine months.
Even though he and I were not together, his parents still treated me like their daughter. I’d been adopted into their family years ago. I had a relationship with his mama and nothing could stop that. The one thing that was bothering me was how I was I supposed to celebrate his homecoming when we weren’t an item. Was Jules supposed to come with me to his “Welcome Home” party?
Breaking up didn’t seem to ever be apart of our plans. We’d done the friends with benefits thing forever, because being exclusive drove us both crazy.
We finally realized our situation was not cool, and the only way things could go well was to do whatever we wanted—just don’t do any of my friends and if you fall in love with someone else, just tell me and I’ll leave you alone. That worked as long as I was chasing behind Jason, but I didn’t think Drew and I would really fall out.
I thought more about bringing Jules as a date, along with Drew having a new boo on his arm. That’s supposed to be me.
Wow! I decided that if Drew called again, I would answer his call. We needed to talk about this. I wouldn’t be able to go over to his parents’ house whenever I wanted.
To avoid him and his chick, I would have to call first and then eventually the new girl would be his wife and my replacement. His nieces and nephews would call her Tee Tee and not me. His brother would call her Sis and not me.
I wasn’t liking this too much. I was there for every birth of the kids, birthday parties, the kid’s plays, fellowship at church, graduations, some holidays, movies, concerts, hospital visits, and we’ve gone to dinner so many times.
“I’m the damn wife!” I said out loud.
Whew!
I needed things sorted out and talked through. Zoom went off and I repeated it ’cause I didn’t hear it the first two times it was on.
Jules had been calling me like crazy, but I had my phone on silent.
Drew’s mama and I had talked for a few hours and had coffee while we watched the news about the election.
Everyone was so excited for change.
Bush did a lot of us dirty. Our nation was in bad shape and we needed a bailout badly.
As soon as I picked up my crackberry, it rang. I finally drove off.
It was Jules again.
“Did you get my messages?”
“No,” I said dryly. Did you vote today?”
“Yes, I voted. I went right to the church around the corner.”
He was loud and acting like a little boy. He was such a moodkiller. I was beginning to not miss him as I listened to him venting his frustrations.
“The ex had a miscarriage,” he said.
I thought Jules would have been happy like I was, but I could tell he wasn’t.
“So, I guess you got your wish! You happy now?”
I didn’t want to answer and scream “hell yes” because he sounded sad. He didn’t understand why this was happening to him. “Maybe because she was a ghetto hood rat and she had stressed herself out, causing a miscarriage,” I thought to myself as he told his story.
“All I wanted was that baby,” he said. “I did right by her and the baby.”
Why is God punishing me? I thought. What the heck was he talking about when he said he did right by her?
I just listened. I was excited, thinking about the possibility that our next president could possibly be a black man until he asked me to take a pregnancy test.
“I told you I wanted to take the test with you there,” I said. “I bought an EPT test the last time I went to Target.”
He really wanted me to take the test as soon as I got home. He said he needed more time to get over the loss of the baby. I didn’t understand that because he had me. I’m willing and able and have been waiting on him, but this timeout was getting on my nerves.
I had to meet with Jason and Drew for closure, so that I could make this relationship work. But when Jules went into another tangent, I disconnected the call. I decided that I better wait on that stiff one ’cause there might be a bun in my oven. I turned the volume up so I could “Zoom” with Lionel Richie all the way home.
Soon as I got two feet in the door, he called again.
“Stop calling me Julius.”
“I’m just trying to see if we’re having a baby. I need something to cheer me up, Journee.”
“Okay,” I surrendered.
I went into the bathroom and picked up the EPT and peed on it.
I sat it on a paper towel as I finished up on the toilet. I asked if I could call him back when I had the answer from the test.
He said he would call back in five minutes. I hung up.
I hovered over the towel, waiting on the test. Honestly, I didn’t know if I was gonna be happy or sad either way. But my stomach was in knots. Before I knew it, it showed me one line. I remembered that I had taken a morning after pill the day of our slip up. Well, I can say at least those pills do work. I smiled.
I made some margaritas with Patron for me and Derrick. I went into his room where he was packing getting ready for his comedy tour.
I handed him his drink and sat down with mine.
“Hey, D,” I said.
“Hey there Nee, what’s up?”
“How you doing?”
“I’m cool.”
“You packing early aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I gotta do it now because I got a busy week ahead. With the wedding this weekend, I don’t want to wait till the last minute ’cause I want to get ripped at the reception.”
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Yep.”
“I know you’re excited about your tour.”
“Yes, I am. This is the big break that might get me closer to the top. Ya know?”
“Yeah, you gonna miss your kids huh?”
“Yes, I am. But they got their Ghet-tros on so I can call them. I got a buddy that works at Southwest and she got buddy passes for me to fly back for the holidays next month. It’ll work out. It’s only for three months. Mama will help my baby mama out with the transportation and y’all gone look after them, right?
He paused and looked at me.
“You got that look on your face, Journee. It tells me you need to talk. So get-ta talking so we can tune in to the races and see history take a different turn when that black man wins this election.”
“You’re right. There’s a lot going on. The wedding is Saturday and that’s the great part that’s going on.” I sat down on his bed as he was taking clothes out of his closet, folding them and packing them into a green suitcase. “I’m so happy for Kalena and Todd. But my happy is being interrupted with,” I took a deep breath, “Jules and his drama. Let’s face it, he needs his own reality show.”
“That dude is a character and that chick he got knocked up is crazy too,” Derrick said. “They just hollering and fighting all out in public in front of crowds of people. He was just disrespecting her to the fullest.”
“She’s no great example of a woman herself.”
“Yeah, this is true. But she is a woman and he should respect her even if she’s not respecting herself. It takes two to fight.”
“Newsflash, that chick lost her baby,” I happily announced.
“Oh yeah, that’s good. Now he can have a baby with a real woman.”
“Tell him that, because he’s on this ‘I’m depressed’ kick.”
“What?” Derrick asked. “I’m sorry, but your boyfriend is hella stupid.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m sorry baby girl.”
“No, you’re right.” I said. I took a deep breath. “I’m so on-the-fence with him at this point. I can take it or leave it.”
“Well, have fun, I think that’s what’s important is enjoying the moment. I don’t know what’s gonna happen either, but I want you to enjoy the ride.”
“Yeah, that’s about all I can do now.” I said. “Not to mention, Jason’s coming on Friday and Drew’s been found innocent and he’ll be home soon.” I blurted out.
“Word?” Derrick asked smiling.
“Yep. I texted everybody and everyone seems happy that he’s coming home,” I said smiling.
“Wait, who? Jason or Drew?” Derrick asked.
“Drew, fool!” I shouted.
“Ok. So how do you know that? You answered his call finally?”
“No, I went to his parent’s house, because they were calling me to check on me and to give me the news.”
“So, you haven’t talked to him?”
“Nope, but I guess I will. We need to agree to be cordial or something. I don’t want unresolved feelings.”
“Yeah, y’all need to talk. It’s been too long. Y’all can at least be friends.”
“We’ll see. Seems like all of y’all are rooting for Drew.” I said. “Najah thinks he and I will work things out. I told her to pray about it because I don’t see how.”
“I don’t think Jules knows how to treat you and Jason is way too intimidated of you, and that about sums it up, Nee!”
I laughed.
“Mama always say if the person you’re with doesn’t bring out the best in you, then you’re really wasting your time with them. And that’s the truth Ruth!” Derrick said. “So you said you’re on the fence right?”
“Right,” I answered.
“Stay there and let someone come get you. Don’t call nobody. Let them call you.” Derrick said.
“Ok.”
I was looking in my back pocket for my crackberry and it wasn’t there.
No wonder I was able to have a talk and not be interrupted by Jules.
I heard it ringing from my bathroom. I decided I didn’t want to be bothered. Something more important was happening. Besides my hopeless relationship, there were other things going wrong. My house was worthless and I hadn’t worked in over two years. Food was high, gas was high. It wasn’t quite as ridiculous as last year, but still. The State was broke and crime was high. Along with General Motors, Ford and the banks, I needed a bailout too. Plus, I needed to check in with the bride and her family to see if anyone needed my help.
The wedding was Saturday and that was gonna be my focus, because I know that Kalena’s friendship is gonna change with us. We were gonna have another brother, and she wouldn’t be as available to us anymore.
Chelsea was having a baby with Greg, so she would be unavailable too.
Derrick was touring now, so he would now be a famous comedian. My twin was a lesbian, so the dynamics of our bond were going to change, because I don’t know anything about her lifestyle.
Wow, we were all changing in the same year.
All except Najah.
She seemed to be in a good place. She was waiting on her miracle. Being still and letting God bring Mr. Right to her.
Maybe I should try that. ’Cause now I felt like I was in a bumper car.
I needed my phone. This was an epic moment, seeing someone black run for the presidency. I didn’t want to miss any of my 541 friends’ statuses on Facebook.
Just when I was about to log on, I noticed that I had 17 missed calls, all from Jules. I called him back.
He answered on the first ring. He still sounded depressed and bitter.
“Well, what did the test say, baby?”
“It said ‘you are not the baby’s father’,” and I hung up.
After that, we texted back and forth.
“What?”
“LOL! I’m not pregnant.”
“Damn, I gotta correct that.”
“Ha! Are you excited about our cruise coming up?”
“Not yet but I do need it.”
“Yeah, me too.”
After that text, I lost my mind. The crowd on TV went crazy and I could hear all my neighbors shouting and screaming at once.
Barack Obama had just become our President for 2009! I had never been so happy, and never in my lifetime would I have dreamed of ever seeing something like this.
I spent the rest of the night celebrating via on Facebook, BBM, and talking to my parents.
Then we ended up on Skype with Najah, Chelsea, Kalena and Todd.
Jordyn brought Chinese food over after she closed her salon for the evening. She, Derrick and I had a party. We were so excited when President Obama began his speech, me and my sister hugged and cried together.
It was so touching.
We all got a kick out of Jesse Jackson standing up there crying. Derrick pulled out his new camera. He said he wanted to test it out. He began taking pictures of all of us and then he uploaded them and tagged us on Facebook.
I especially loved the picture Derrick took of me and my sister, so I made that picture of us my profile picture. She made it hers also. The twins with our matching Obama t-shirts on. She had her red colored locs and I had golden blonde locs. We still looked alike, but we had our own identity.
This night was something special. I finally went to bed around 2:00 am. Jordyn stayed over ’cause we were gonna walk the lake and plus I wanted to get up early and go raid the newspaper stand.
I loved my sister the same, even if I didn’t understand her lifestyle. We each have to learn to respect people who are different than us.
That was my Facebook status update before I called the hogs.