Jazz…
After the events of the kidnapping and the mourning of my Mimi, I begged my daddy to let me take some time off from school. I wanted to be homeschooled and he agreed after a little persuasion from both my mom’s. Deep down I think he wanted it that way too he just had to play hard ball. Also I thought I would feel safer living with daddy and Nikki, not that I don’t think my mama could do any worst protecting me I just needed them at this point. I know they always told me at any point if I wanted to stay their full time I could but at the time I just didn’t want to leave my mama at home by herself. We had a long talk and she assured me she was fine with me leaving the nest in a way. Plus she later revealed that her and her now fiancé are planning to travel for a bit. She finally gave up on the details of the kidnapping after I led her to believe I was too dramatized of the events.
In actuality I just didn’t want to discuss it really. I felt it was a rough time we went through, we made it out safely so why continue to beat a dead horse. Bad choice of words considering I lost my Mimi but it is what it is. I overheard Nikki and my aunties saying I got my hardness honestly. They said they didn’t think that kind skill was hereditary. Luckily I’m not naïve and I know exactly what they meant by that. If my granddaddy hadn’t been dealt with already I would have been ready for blood myself for hurting my family but my daddy sat me down and explained what happened to him.
He told me some foreigners set him up similar to the movie Training Day. He was filled with so many holes, they didn’t make enough plugs in the world to close them up. Either way I didn’t feel a thing because he has caused enough trouble with the ones I love. Why cry two tears in a bucket? Nikki may be rubbing off on me too. My daddy also told me they decided to spare Eric’s life instead of dealing him the same fate as the men who snatched me. I would be a bold faced lie if I said I didn’t think about or hadn’t thought about him during or after the situation.
It’s now Christmas Eve and I am some kind of excited. I decided that I would have a discussion with Eric and see what he meant by he was sorry. The look on his face the day I was kidnapped still haunts me, it’s like he regretted his part in this entire scheme. Honestly I forgave him because seeing how ruthless my daddy and secret uncle are, I figured they must have forgiven him for him not to be ten feet under, damn six. Especially since we are the only teens that will be stuck with all these grown-ups and little people we might as well be friendly. I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable.
“Jazz can you answer the door please.” Nikki called from the kitchen. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach who that was but I wasn’t gonna show it. The butterflies swarming let it be evident he was near. It was almost animalistic that I had such a strong connection to him.
“Merry Christmas baby girl!” Big Jim said giving me a big hug.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas Jazz.” Eric shyly greeted.
“Merry Christmas Eric.” He almost seemed surprised by my greeting. We haven’t been in the same setting since that dreaded day. I thought I would see him during Thanksgiving but they didn’t come and I didn’t have the courage to ask my parents why? “Come in, the family is between the kitchen and the family room.”
“Cool.”
“Merry Christmas everybody!” Big Jim and Eric greeted walking into the room.
“Merry Christmas!”
“Right on time, it’s time to eat.” Everyone separated to fix their plates and kid’s plates so we could eat as a family. You would never think that just a couple months ago our family was tested to the fullest with some dangerous stuff.
“Alright y’all let’s make our way around the tree so we can pass out and open gifts.” This is the best part aside from the food. All the kids in the room really hit the jackpot in here including Eric. From clothes, shoes, to electronics and even money or gift cards. The grownups just exchanged envelopes which contained gift cards or gift certificates mainly.
“Thank you everyone for the gifts and for welcoming me into your family.” Eric said full of emotion.
“You’re welcome.” Everyone chorused.
“Um Mr. Walker do you think I could talk to Jazz one on one.” Eric asked out of the blue. Everyone made eye contact but said nothing out loud waiting to see what he was going to say. Daddy made eye contact with me instead.
“First off since you are considered as a friend not a foe, you can call me Brock and second it’s up to Jazz if she wants to speak with you one on one.” Nikki exhaled loudly at that statement causing everyone to laugh. My daddy was really nice to him.
“Y’all can talk in the living room baby girl.”
“Ok mama, this way Eric.” He followed me out of the room. I had actually tried making small talk with him as we ate dinner but interaction with him seemed at a complete stand still. I took a seat in one of the chairs in the room as he stood at the fireplace looking at the many pictures on display. I was wondering was he ever going to start the conversation or were we going to sit in this room until the grownups were ready to call it a night.
“Jazmine, I just want to really express how extremely sorry I am for what I helped them do back in October. What I did was foul and I don’t expect you to forgive me. I honestly still have trouble believing that your family has forgiven me. I don’t know what I did in life to deserve a second chance at living or to be accepted into this family unit. You are very blessed to have such a support system around you. I fully expected to be taken out for my part and I was willing to die for my actions. I should have had the backbone and tried to defend you in some way. I’m just grateful they got to you in time.” He rambled on but I got the jest of what he wanted to say.
“Eric I forgive you.” I simply stated. He whipped his head around to look at me so fast I think he may have given himself whiplash. I had to laugh at his shocked expression. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Why?”
“Look Eric, if I wasn’t sneaking around without introducing you to my dad the proper way some of this stuff could have been eliminated. Maybe you would have been less afraid of my father enough to at least see that he could have been an ally. Someone to confide in but what’s done is done. Life is too short to hold grudges plus we are going to be around each other for a long time to come with Big Jim as your guardian.”
“Wow, you and your family are something else.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“So friends?”
“Of course. I’ve been trying to play nice with you all night but you’ve been distant so I left you alone.”
“I thought maybe you were made to be nice, I really didn’t want you being nice forcefully.”
“No force here, everyone gave me the choice to be around you.” He nodded in understanding.
“I only have one question though.”
“It was all real as far as my feelings towards you and the way I treated you. The feelings were genuine.” It’s like he read my mind or something. “Was that what you were going to ask?”
“Um, how did you know?”
“Look Jazz, let me level with you. I know I’m young and I shouldn’t know shit honestly especially about grown folks feelings but I loved you, as a matter of fact I still do. I know we may never get back to that level and that’s cool but I got your back as a friend to assure that no harm ever comes to you again. I feel everything about you. I felt so damn low about myself that I was contemplating taking myself out after everything blew up.”
“How do you know it was love and not just strong like or puppy love as my mama would put it?”
“Mainly because I didn’t have love coming up with my mama and especially giving me away so quickly. My father never being around. I listened to how you and your friends talked about Brock and Nikki, I knew then that’s how I looked at you.”
“Aww, but don’t think you off the hook that easily. I believe you Eric and I was really hurt at first at how easily you could set me up like that. Once my daddy told me about your past, I understood why you did it honestly. I’m just glad everything worked out in the end.” I finished that statement and just looked at him for few minutes before I continued. “Maybe we could start off dating if it’s okay with my parents that is.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah seriously.”
“Well I got you a Christmas gift, I waited to give it to you in private.” He pulled a fuchsia colored felt jewelry bag from his pocket.
“You didn’t have to get me anything but since you did now I can give you my gift as well.” I went to my hiding spot inside the ottoman table. He started laughing at my hiding spot. “What?”
“You hiding stuff in the furniture that’s what.”
“Whatever the twins are walking too dang good now so they are into everything. Plus I planned to pull you in here to talk alone anyway at one point tonight. Anyway just open it.”
“You first.” I didn’t know what to expect but an I.D. bracelet with my birth stone in the shape of a heart as the dot in the ‘I” spelling my name certainly wasn’t it. There was also a locket charm hanging on the side. I opened it and it was a picture of the gorilla he won for me at the fair.
“Thank you Eric, this was so sweet. You really shouldn’t have. Since you still have BoBo, I want him back punk.” I joked trying to hide the tears I felt. At least they were happy tears.
“It’s all good, I wanted to and no it’s not a guilt gift.” He answered my next question. How the hell is he doing that? “I will give him back one day but for now we gotta have shared custody.”
“Ok mind reader. Open my gift.” He opened the gift bag pulling out the custom made fitted cap with his name engraved on the front, a red polo shirt, and black Levi 501’s. I already knew my mama got him the red and black Retro Jordan 4’s. My daddy got him a leather bomber jacket.
“Thank you Jazz.” He unconsciously hugged me rather tight. I relaxed in his embrace because I did miss how he made me feel.
“I love you too Eric.” He tensed at my words but eventually let me go.
“Everything alright in here.” My daddy popped up out of nowhere. Eric jumped back and away from me with the quickness. It was utterly hilarious.
“Yes sir, everything is fine.”
“I was just checking on y’all.”
“Um Mr. … I mean Brock, I was wondering if it would be alright if I took Jazz on a date some time. I mean when she is ready that is.”
“Date?”
“Yes sir, I swear it would be innocent straight up.”
“Oh I know that.” My daddy said with a straight face.
“What’s going on y’all?” Nikki asked walking up. “Bae, why the ugly face?”
“Eric asked daddy if he could take me on a date and daddy is having a moment.”
“Aww, how cute.” Nikki cooed. “I think it would be okay.”
“We could double date if it would make you feel better.” Eric said.
“I don’t know about double dating Eric.” I said not feeling that idea at all.
“And why the hell not?” Daddy asked.
“Brock quit being so damn overprotective damn. I was sixteen when I went on my first date.”
“Daddy please?”
“My baby is growing up too damn fast. Baby girl you know what I expect out of you and Eric I know you know what I’m capable of, so I guess its ok.” Daddy finished before turning to Nikki and not so subtly whispering, “as for you young lady you will be going half on a baby with me real soon and not for practice, understood?”
“EWW DADDY! REALLY?”
“I’m just saying.” Nikki rolled her eyes stomping out of the room and my daddy followed.
By the end of the night we agreed that we would start off talking like before and with the agreement of our parents we will officially have our first date on New Year’s Eve. Life couldn’t get any better at this point and I pray it never gets any worse than what I have already went through. At least I have faith that if anything should ever come up again that poses to be life threatening, my family will be there just as before. I have my best friends, family, and technically the ideal boyfriend that my daddy actually likes no matter how hard he tries to act. If any other bull tries to tear us apart they better be ready for a fight of a lifetime. As I heard many family members say, I’m a chip off the old block even being a girl so bull-shitters beware. My familia will always be first.