Sister’s Pact/Still Tryin to Plan My Life
By
Almalia Card
Smashwords Edition
PUBLISHED BY
Almalia Card on Smashwords
Sister's Pact/Still Tryin to Plan My Life
copyright c 2009 by Almalia Card
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Dedications
To the men in my life – The Most High-God, My husband Rod, and my son’s CAD and Drewski: My Husband - Please say a special for Mr. Poopee At the printing of this book is having some health challenges. Please say a little prayer for him.
My Sons, I know my writing embarrasses you, but when I become a well known author the royalties will make you forget about how embarrassed you really are.
MOMMY: I thought it was cute when you scolded me for cussing and talking about sex in SP1, that's why I'm not going to let you read this one. LOL!
To My Nieces and Nephews: (ages 39 to 1years-old) Michelle, Keva, Kyra, Darien, Marcus, Paige, Calvin, Brelyn, Micah, Marcel, Devin, Noelle, Tacala, Mike, Kamari, Kyron and Dolce’: Back in the mid-60’s, when I was in Noble Jr. High School on Detroit’s Westside, I had an English teacher named Ms. Williams. She was a sassy little lady. On the first day of school she stood in front of the class, put her hands on her hips and said, “Hello, my name is Miss. Williams and I don’t take no mess. This is the first day of school and everybody in here has an ‘A’. It is up to you to still have it by the end of the semester.” Hopefully there will be hundreds or, by God’s Grace, thousands, of people who are going to read this book. Auntie has just illuminated your names to the world, and it is up to you to keep it radiant. I’m crazy about all of you.
Miss Audrey, Kelli-Kel, Loretta, Elaine –Y’ALL MY GILRS! Life and different sides of town/map may keep us from seeing each other all the time, but when we do it is LIVE! Praise God for who ever invented e-mail and texting. LOL! A special Thank You to Loretta My spirtual siater/Advisor-You are the only person to successfully give me a surprise birthday party. When it comes to graphic arts you are the bomb-diggadee. Thank you for my business cards and my letter head.
Prof. Q. Norwood: Thank you for proofing the parts that you could. Your students are very lucky to have you and you are still my boy.
Smooches,
Almalia
(Ram,
I am)
CHAPTER 1 - Momma Liz’s Recap
Hi! Long time no see. It’s Liz, you know Jacqueline’s mother. A lot has happened in the last two years. I am so happy for my daughter. Not only because she got that good job working as a secretary at the General Motors Headquarters; but the first man she dates since her husband’s untimely death is a good one. You never know when love is going to find you, but when it does, you should take heed.
Desmond, or Dez as she calls him, is a good guy. He’s wonderful to her, and the boys just love him. But, his family is a trip! Just being around them has taught me never to judge people by their family members. His family is like something straight out of an old blaxpoitation sitcom, especially those women. They are so catty and malevolent; they make me want to lose my religion. If you spent even just a little time with them, you would know what I mean. They are some mean and hateful… bitches. Ooo! See what I mean? Excuse me for cussin, Jesus.
You would think after they failed to keep Jackie and Desmond apart, them bit…ladies would have just given up. But you know what they say, misery loves company. Them bit…, dang! I mean sisters are still scheming to tear a good thing asunder. And at no time were these devious women’s ways evidenced better than on the day Desmond moved out of this mother’s house two years ago. Desmond had taken Jackie to his New Year’s gig in Las Vegas with Sister Sledge. I guess they had a good talk while they were there, because as soon as they got home Desmond started looking for his own place. He didn’t tell those crazy women in his family that he was looking for an apartment. Instead he secretly moved his drums and some of his clothes to Jackie’s until he found a place of his own. Then came Moving Day, that fateful day in March 2002. He backed his SUV into the driveway, with my grandson Arthur in tow, and the shit hit the fan. Ooo!, Excuse me again, Jesus.
Arthur said when they pulled in the driveway Dawn was outside shoveling the snow off the porch and steps. At first she started fussing about how she wouldn’t have to shovel if he had been home. Then she noticed he had backed his car in and that Arthur was with him. It went down something like this:
“Why did you back the car in? Oh, I see you tryin to play step-daddy again,” Dawn said when she noticed Arthur.
“Arthur is here to help me get my stuff. I found a nice townhouse in Oak Park so I’m moving today.” Desmond tried to give her the news as nonchalantly as possible as he walked towards the side-door of the house purposely avoiding eye contact with his sister.
“Moving Out!? What!? Oooh, to go live with that Bitch, Jackie!?” She follows behind him and Arthur to the side door. The fight he was trying to avoid for months was beginning.
Arthur turns around and fronts her off to protect his mother’s honor. “Who you callin a bitch, lady?! You better stop calling my mother names!”
Desmond pulls Arthur into the house with him “Get in here Art, man, I got this.” He turns to Dawn, “No not with Jackie, but away from your crazy ass, for sho.” Even though he still loved his sister, her shenanigans from two years ago seriously strained a once amiable relationship.
As Art and the arguing siblings walk through the kitchen and turn down the hallway that led to Desmond’s old bedroom, they encounter his mother, Zetha, standing there with her hands on them wide hips.
“What the hell is going on?” She questions the commotion.
“Momma, Desmond is moving out,” Dawn informs her mother as she stands in the hallway blocking the door to the kitchen.
“Moving out!? You leave me for her?” The anger in her face wells up and brings tears to her eyes.
Desmond places one hand gently on his mother’s shoulder and with the other he tenderly holds her aging brown face, “Mom, I am moving out of here, but not in with Jackie. I found my own place in Oak Park. Jackie and I did discuss moving in together but we don’t want to live together unmarried in front of the kids. It doesn’t matter where I live; you my momma and I’m gonna always love you.”
Zetha knocks his hands off of her shoulder and steps in front of his bedroom door, “Yeah, right! Who you think you talkin to? Jackie? or, one of your other hoes out there in the streets? You can’t sweet-talk me and you can’t move out because I need you here to help me around the house.”
“Mom, cut the drama and move out of the way. I will come by here a few times during the week to check up on y’all. Anything you need done I’ll do it. You’re not losing me, but after all that drama with Jackie and Shi-Shi, I’m out. It was gonna happen one day. It just happened sooner than later and that’s you all's bad. Now step aside please?”
“No!” Zetha stood there defiantly with her arms crossed underneath her sagging breasts. Dawn took the same stance as she blocked the kitchen door.
Desmond looked up at the ceiling, inhaled exhaled, and asked again, more firmly this time, “Mom, please move”.
“No!”
He knew this meant he was gonna have to do what he didn’t want to do. He picked his mother up in his arms then he instructed Arthur, “Hurry up man. Go in there and get my stuff. Just dump it in those garbage bags and drag them out to my truck.”
Arthur has matured physically over the last year. My grandbaby is a tall good looking eleven year old; well he’ll be twelve in May, so he can handle what Dez wanted him to do. So, as Arthur ran in to do as instructed, Desmond blocked his bedroom door with his body still holding his mother in his arms like a baby. Dawn fronted him off as both women threatened him and cussed him out. Dawn tried to swing on him a few times, but he used his mom as a shield.
When Arthur was finished packing and ready to go to the car Desmond instructed him to walk behind him as he protected his path way to the front door. He still had his mom in arms. Once outside, Arthur ran for the truck dragging the plastic bags in the snow. Dawn broke and ran after him. She would have caught him if she had not slipped and fell on the ice that covered the side walk leading to the porch. This gave Arthur all the head start he needed. He threw the bags in the back of the truck and then jumped in and locked the doors. Once he was safely inside he pointed and laughed at Dawn for falling. Desmond backed up to the truck, still using his mom as his human shield, both women still cussing and swinging on him.
Once he was by the driver’s side door he hollered through the window and told Arthur, “Unlock the door at the count of three. One… two… three. At that moment Desmond tossed his mom into his sister’s un-expecting arms. Dawn catches her and they fall into the snow. In one smooth movement he jumps in the truck, locks the door, starts the motor and speeds out the driveway. He sped away knowing it would be a while before he would dare try to talk to them again. On the way to his new place, where Jackie and Daiquan were waiting, Desmond made Arthur promise he would not mention any of this to his mom. Arthur agreed to honor his request. He told me instead, and I told Jackie.
Now as you may remember, my Jacqueline is a well-bred church-girl, but dealing with Desmond’s family has taught her how to 'get with' people. So, when I finally told her what Arthur said happened that day, she immediately grabbed her cell phone. Jackie was calling Dawn to tell her how much she didn’t appreciate her and her mother’s scandalous and immature behavior being displayed in front of her child. Jackie started out calm, until Dawn told her, “Bitch! Who you think you are, callin and checking me? You ain’t my momma!”
Jackie responded with, “You threaten my child again and I’ll twist your ass in so many knots you’ll be callin for your momma.”
And then it was on. I didn’t know Jackie knew all those cuss words. She certainly didn’t learn them at home. Desmond walked into the house in the middle of her tirade and said,
“What is going on? Who are you talking to?”
She was in ghetto- mode by this time and she answered, “Yo got-damned sister Dawn! I heard what happened at your mom’s house the day you moved. If she ever comes near my kids, or anybody else in my family, again, I’m gonna kick her ass. As a matter of fact, who the fuck you think you are Desmond, telling Arty not to tell me what went on. Don’t you ever tell my kids to keep secrets from me, especially concerning your crazy family!”
Dawn heard Jackie going off on her brother. Even though she hadn’t spoken to him since the day he moved out she was still protective of him, “Wait a minute bitch, don’t be cussin at my brother. I’ll come over there and kick yo ass.”
“You know where I live?” Jackie retorted.
“Sho, the fuck, do!” Dawn answered.
“Then come, the fuck, on. I’ll be waiting outside!” Jackie threw the phone down on the carpeted floor and headed out into the cold and slushy pre-spring weather. She paused briefly, not to put on a coat, but to take off her ear-rings. Desmond picked the phone up off the floor. He was surprised it wasn’t broken even though the floor was carpeted. He told his sister, “Dawn If you come over here I will call the police on you. You calm down and I’ll go calm down Jackie,” and he hung the phone up. He ran out of her upper flat door and passed her up on the staircase by taking them two at a time. As she reached for the door knob he jumped in front of her and used his body to keep her from opening the door.
She slapped him and he enveloped her into his arms. She tried to get out of his caress, but he was too strong. He held her close as he whispered into her ear. “Jackie baby, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to betray you. I was trying to protect you. I knew if you found out what happened you would do exactly what you just did and I didn’t want that to happen. I’m sorry for what happened. I would not have taken him with me if I had known they were gonna clown that bad. I protected him like he was my own the whole time. Please forgive me. Please forgive me baby.”
Jackie stood there stiff and let her breathing slow, but the tears still streamed down her face. Finally, she spoke, “If you ever instruct my kids to keep that kind of secret away from me again, it’s over Desmond Keir.”
“I know, I understand and I’m sorry. Do you forgive me?”
“You protected him?” Jackie inquired.
“Yes.”
“I forgive you, this time”
“Thank You” and Desmond kissed her.
I’m going to stop the story there because something else went down in the foyer of that two-family flat, but it was T.M.I. for my motherly ears and eyes, if you know what I mean. Jackie and Dawn have seen each other since that day. Sometimes they are civil when they get around each other. Actually Jackie is ready to forgive and forget. Dawn, on the other hand, is the type of person who has a problem with people she can’t control, so she still hates Jackie.
Now here it is two-years later and we, as well as his family, have been invited over to Desmond’s house for Easter Dinner. Everybody is supposed to bring a dish. Personally, I’m kind of scared to eat anything his family brings. It might be laced with strychnine.
Chapter 2 - The Darkening of Dawn
Hold up! OK y’all. First let me say Elizabef Blakely is a lyin, snotty bitch! That’s not what happened at all, but I do know she and that hoe-ass daughter of hers is trying to steal my boy away. They just want his money. They think he’s rich because he played drums for them famous people, but he ain’t. If he was, he would have told me. Besides, I’m his mother, who you think he’s gonna give money to first?, me, or that sack-chaser, Jackie? If he was rich, would he be working as a computer repair man? Yeah, after he graduated from that school he got a good job working for, ummm, some company in Beverly Hills, Michigan. Lucky for him his job is only thirty minutes away from his place.
Them two uppity heffaz walk around thinkin they’re better than everybody and they talk like they white. I offered Elizabef one of my beers at that sad excuse for a barbeque she threw last summer, and all she did was look down her nose at me. I almost went to sleep I was so bored. All they did was talk and play jazz music. Not even one blues song.
You know what? I don’t even want to talk about that because nothin we do seems to break those two apart. I’m here to talk about Dawn. I’m the only one, except for Quita and Shi-Shi, who really understands her. I know she’s hard to get along with and I even know why she’s a lesbo. People always get the wrong impression of her. So I’ve decided that I need to explain why Dawn is the way she is. I want you to see that she really is a sweet girl, who has a lot of love for her family.
I was born and raised in a small town in the Big Easy. My daddy’s name was Zachariah. So my momma gave me and my sister and brothers names that started with “Z”. There was Zach, Jr., my older sister Zoephelia (Zo), Zebidiah (Zeb), the baby boy Zion, and me, Zetha. I named my kids the same way. My husband's name started with “D”, so that’s how I named my kids.
Anyway, we lived in the Tensas Parish of Louisiana. It is a small town of about six thousand people. Me and Zo was the only girls in the family so we was each other’s best friend. We had a ball together. We hung loose and partied hard. We both was a hot mess. There was hardly anything we wouldn’t do, but Zo always had to do one better and she developed a taste for women. I tried it a couple times, just to see what the big deal was. It was OK, but I will always favor men. To me, ain’t nothin like a real one. You know what I mean? Ha! Ha! Ha!
Long
story short, Tensas got boring, so two years after we dropped out of
high school, me and Zo moved in with family here in Inkster, Michigan
to work for Ford Motor Company. We still hung like wet clothes. Heck,
people is people.
I met Dexter while I was working at Ford, married him, and had his kids. On the weekends, me and Zo still hung out. She’s my sister, was I suppose to stop hanging with my sister just because I got married? Yeah, Dexter and Desmond would get mad when me and Zo would hang out because that meant they had to watch Dawnyce and Diallo. Sometimes we would stay gone the whole weekend, depending on what we got into. Desmond could have hung out with his friends if he wanted to, it’s not like his daddy wasn’t at home to watch the two younger ones.
There were times when Zo would let Dawn spend the weekend at her house. Dawn loved her Auntie Zo, and Zo spoiled her to death. Whatever Dawn wanted, Zo bought it. If I said “no,” Dawn could go to Zo and she would buy it for her. After a while I stopped telling Dawn no, cause it didn’t do no good. Zo gave Dawnyce, her sense of style and a taste for women too. I kind of figured that’s what was going on, but what the heck; it’s not like Zo was teaching her to rob banks or somethin.
I’m the only one who knows the real story about Dawn and Zoephelia, so please don’t tell the others. Desmond and Diallo always thought Zo didn’t like them. To this day Desmond don’t know Dawn like women. Diallo probably know since his wife is one of her lovers. Dexter hated Zo because he feels she came between us. But, like I said, just because I got married didn’t mean I was gonna stop hanging with my sister.
Back in the summer of ’98, Zo was hanging out with Dexter’s brother Clark. They were both drunk and Clark went the wrong way onto the freeway late one night and ran into an on-coming truck. They was both killed instantly. Zo’s sudden death put me and Dawn in a deep depression for at least a year. I guess Dexter was depressed too, since Clark was his brother. When Dawn finally came out of her depression, she had changed a little. She surrounded herself with her girls and family all the time, to the point of being clingy. She’s always been bossy, but that’s because Zo spoiled her so bad. Everything has to be what she wants, when she wants it. Letting her have her way is better than the temper tantrum she throws if you don’t.
I don’t know why Desmond is tryin to act brand new. He knows his sister is bossy. Everybody’s life could get back to normal if he had only married Shi-Shi, like we planned. That plan got ruined when Shi-Shi broke down and told Desmond he wasn’t her baby’s daddy. Dawn got so mad at her, so of course they aren’t the best of friends anymore.
So y’all understand now? She’s not a bad person, she’s just spoiled.
Well, let me go get in this kitchen. We havin Easter dinner at Desmond’s place with his stuck up girlfriend and her momma. I am not looking forward to this, but he said we had to be there. Bye
Chapter 3 - He Died!
Easter Sunday, April 20, 2003, 2:30am
“If you carry my snare, then I can carry the hardware to the car and we can leave sooner.” Desmond said to Jackie as he handed her the snare case.
Desmond had just finished playing a gig with a blues band at a martini bar called Robusto’s in the well-fixed Grosse Pointe area on Detroit’s east side. The only time Jackie would go with him was if the place was classy. Depending on who he was playing with, it would not be unusual if Desmond found himself playing in a hole-in-the-wall bar filled with the neighborhood drunks and perverts. Those are the gigs she doesn’t go to, anymore.
She reminisced about one time, in the summer about a year ago, Desmond played at a tore down little neighborhood bar that could barely hold the patrons, much less a band. They pulled up in front one hour before show time and Desmond told Jackie, “Wait here while I find out where they want me to unload.” This was their usual method of operation. She waited in the car while he went inside to make sure they were at the right place and to find out where to set up.
The five minutes that Desmond was away felt like hours. The building was brick but the front door was a raggedy dirty-white. The “B” in the flashing bar sign was out, so instead of flashing BAR, it flashed AR, … AR, … AR. Even with the streetlights on, the area was not well lit. Trash, stray animals, and young thugs roamed the streets. As they passed by Desmond’s truck they checked out the rims and then Jackie. One guy even said, “What’s hap’nin Shorty?” before he went into the bar. Unbeknownst to Jackie she had just met her suitor for the evening.
Desmond and the mystery man passed each other in the door way. Desmond asked Jackie to push the trunk button. She did. “Sit here until I get all my stuff inside so nobody will steal it.”
“O.K., hurry up,” she already didn’t like this place.
Desmond began to unload his drum equipment. When he got down to the last two pieces he said, “Baby, this place is so small. I don’t know how they thought they could fit a band in here. Come on let’s go inside.”
Jackie slid out of the passenger seat in her simple black sandal pumps, white straight legged jeans and pink paisley print handkerchief top. She let her braids hang down her back. She would have preferred to pull them up into a pony tail because it was humid outside, but she knew letting them hang long turned Desmond on. Her boys were spending the night with her mom. Jackie and Desmond had plans to spend some time alone at his place. This was the beginning of an interesting evening.
Everybody in the club saw the couple walk in together and Desmond found Jackie a seat at one of the front tables. As Desmond went about setting up his drums, Jackie settled in her front row seat. She called her mom to see how the boys were doing and to let her know where they were. As she described the ambiance to her mother, ‘What’s hap'nin Shorty’ came and sat down at her table, un-invited.
“Hold on a minute, Mom… Yes, may I help you?”
“Yeah, how you doin tonight?” He sounded like Huggy Bear from the Starsky and Hutch TV show, or the movie depending on how old you are. He kind of dressed like him too, like he was stuck in a 70’s time warp; Years worn gold polyester pants and flowered pointy collared shirt that was open at the neck so you could see his fake gold chain that had a synthetic gloss to it. He topped it all off with a vented Bogart straw brimmed hat that was accented with a brown and black feather that was tucked inside a satin gold band on the right side.
“I’m fine. May I help you???” Jackie was in awe of his boldness.
“My name is AJ. What you drinkin tonight?”
“Well, AJ, I’m here with my husband,” she lied as she pointed at Desmond. “And he’s buying my drinks tonight.”
AJ looks at Desmond setting up his drums and then back at Jackie. He leans in uncomfortably close and tells Jackie “He shouldn’t leave such a pretty lady sitting here all by herself, somebody might take you.” He gave Jackie a sly smile that let her know he thought he was that somebody.
“Rrright, AJ, I think I’ll be fine. I’m on the phone right now, so if you’ll excuse me.” Jackie rolled her eyes as she continued her conversation with her mom. AJ left looking dejected. “Could you hear that?”
“Who was that?” her mom inquired.
“Some guy trying to buy me a drink.”
“You go girl!” her mom teased.
“Believe me if you saw him, you would know it ain’t that kind of party.”
As the evening progressed, Jackie stole glimpses of AJ staring at her from the bar across the room. She contemplated telling Desmond, but feared that may start a fight, or worse, a shooting. So, she decided that as long as he just stared, and didn’t touch her, she would keep his weird behavior to herself.
This was the last hole-in-the wall bar gig she went to with Desmond. The patrons were not her kind of people. Besides, she felt like Desmond’s own personal groupie tagging along with him every time he played. She decided she would rather use the time to be with her boys, do stuff around the house, or hang out with some friends.
Jackie took the snare case from Desmond and as she stood up she felt the effects of the three martinis she had; one Purple Rain, one apple and one cranberry. It was the first time she ever had any kind of ‘tini, and they all were good. When the waitress brought her the first one, she took a cautious sip. It was so good she chug-a-lugged it and ordered another one. She sipped the other two not feeling the effects, until she stood up to leave.
“Woooo, the floor is moving, baby!”
“Uh-huh, those drinks are working on you ain’t they? I saw you over here guzzling them things down. I was gonna tell you to slow down, but I got some things planned for you tonight so I just let your ass get drunk. Hold on to the equipment bag and let’s get home, girl.”
Jackie giggled, “You set me up!” As she grabbed hold of the bag and followed him, bobbing and weaving on tippy-toes, out to the truck.
“Yeah, but you love me anyway, right?”
“Sure do!” she giggled.
They simultaneously set the equipment bag down behind the truck. Desmond took the snare bag from Jackie and set it on top. He then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. As he walks her to the passenger side door he snickers at her drunkenness as she tries to walk normal. Once belted in safely, he hurriedly puts the equipment in the car, jumps in the driver’s seat and speeds toward his apartment.
As they headed for the freeway, Jackie hit the button on the moon roof to reveal a starry and unusually warm spring night. The wind blew through her braids, and she was feeling goooood. She snapped her fingers and chair danced to the songs on the radio, all the way home. Her euphoria was contagious and Desmond got caught up in it and began singing too.
Then Phil Perry’s “song, One Heart, One Love”, came on the radio. “Woooo, that’s my song!” Jackie flung her arms open. One arm was out the window and the other was blocking Desmond’s view. Desmond swerved a little bit, “Girl! You trying to kill us?", he laughed as he moved her arm from in front of his eyes. Without missing a beat she sings at the top of her lungs. Desmond was enraptured by her melodious alto singing voice. He’s seen her sing in the choir, and the praise and worship team at church, but never a solo. She turns to him and sings:
I'm
putting' my heart in your hands
What better way to show my faith
in you
Givin' you a lock and the key
In other words babe, give
you all of me
Cause I've searched this world
Around and
round
For someone like you
And I thank my stars
I finally
found
A man like you
One Heart One Love
One lover
baby
I'm givin' my all for you
Sweet baby
One Heart One
Love
For the rest of my days
I promise this I'll be
true
You showed you trust in my heart
You opened up
And gave
your love to me
And I'll be yours for all time
24-7, both day
and night
I've searched this world
From mountain high
To
river deep
And now that you're here
I'm yours for life
I'm
yours to keep
I'm in too deep
One Heart One Love
One
lover baby
I'm givin' my all for you
Sweet baby
One Heart
One Love
For the rest of my days
I promise this I'll be
true
One love for the rest of my life
That's all
All I
want
All I need baby
One heart
That beats for all
time
For you, for you
I don't need money, fortune, or
fame
What I need my love
Is for you to share my name
One
Heart One Love
One lover baby
I'm givin' my all to you baby
One
Heart One Love
As
she sang to him Desmond felt like the car was on a magic carpet as it
glided down the freeway toward Oak Park.
For
the rest of my days
I promise this I'll be true
One Heart One
Love
A ain't lyin' no
Forever baby
I'm givin' my all to you,
baby
One Heart One Love
For the rest of my days
I
promise this I'll be true
To you, you, yoOooOoou.
When Jackie’s serenade ended they found themselves in front of Desmond’s townhouse. As they sat in the car in silence, unspoken love was alive and glowing in their eyes. As if on cue, they lunged at each other. Their lips were drawn together as if by suction. Their tongues wrestled as they groped each other as best they could in the front seat of the truck.
Ahhh, to be young and limber. As Desmond laid her down on the seat, Jackie parted her legs. One on the floor, the other on the drivers-side headrest. Desmond already had his pants unzipped and part way down when he reached under Jackie’s denim skirt to pull down her underwear. Much to his surprise, and his pleasure, he realized, “Jacq, You don’t have on any draws, girl?” She just laughs full-heartedly as Desmond, totally turned on, mounts her right there in the cramped front seat of his SUV. With every thrust, Desmond bumps his head on the car door arm rest. Jackie continues to laugh, hysterically. Not that he was doing anything wrong, but she was drunk and the shit was just funny. At 3:30 in the morning they weren’t really worried about anybody hearing or seeing them.
Desmond lay on top of Jackie. When he finally caught his breath enough to speak he looked at her, “You are sooo crazy. Girl, what made you come out the house without underwear?”
“I just felt adventurous. I knew you would eventually try to feel on me and when you did you would find out I was ass out.”
“Baby, you are so silly,” and he gives her a quick smooch on the lips. Desmond sits up, “WOW, We better go inside and go to bed. We have both these families coming over here for Easter dinner in about twelve hours. I don’t know about you, but I need my rest so I can be in a good frame of mind when your mom and my mom are in the same room.”
“And you know this,” Jackie agreed.
They straighten out their clothes and get out of the car. Jackie helped Desmond bring in the drum equipment as much as she could. Most of that stuff was too heavy for her. They just dropped the stuff by the front door and went to bed. Well, they got in the bed, had sex again and then went to sleep about 4:45 a.m.
If the bright noon sun had not shown through the curtains in Desmond’s bedroom they would have slept through Easter dinner. As it were, they were shocked awake.
“Oh, My God what time is it?” Jackie bolted up in the bed looking for the clock. She peered at the clock on the night stand on Desmond’s side of the bed and it said 12:10 in the afternoon. “We gotta get up Dez. They’ll be here in three hours.”
Desmond stayed in his comfortable position on his side of the bed, “When have you ever heard of black people getting anywhere on time?”
“OK. Let me rephrase that, my mother, will be here in two hours to help me.”
“Well, since you put it that way.”
Jackie runs in the bathroom for a quick shower and Desmond makes the bed and then goes downstairs to the kitchen to make coffee and find something to snack on since he knew Jackie wouldn’t be cooking breakfast this morning.
1:47 p.m. Jackie is in the kitchen with her cooking gear on, grey sweats and a t-shirt, ready to do battle. She had pulled her braids into a ponytail and the hair beads rattled like an African wind chime. Her house shoes make a sweeping sound as she shuffles across the kitchen floor; to the refrigerator, to the sink, back over to the cabinets.
Jackie got her cooking chops from her mother and grandmother. She can cook anything, but her dish du’ jour is macaroni and cheese. She uses three different kinds of cheeses, eggs, Pet milk, sour cream, and a sprinkle of marjoram to make the cheese taste snap. For special occasions she liked to use the shell-shaped pasta. When the cheese melts, some would always get inside the shell for that extra tasty surprise.
The Honey-baked ham was sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to go into the oven about one hour before dinner time. The potatoes were cooling on top of the stove when the door-bell rang.
“Get that for me sweetie. I bet that’s mom. If she ain’t on time, dang-gone it, she’s early.”
Desmond opened the front door to the townhouse and the boys rushed in, wearing their new Easter suits. “Hi, Mister Dez !” they sang in unison. As they stood in the doorway giving each other play, Liz stepped in. She was church fine, in her new cotton candy pink Easter suit, with matching shoes, purse and hat. A suit from Biz-R in the New Center Mall +/plus Matching accessories = Coord’nate! That’s hood-rich math.
“Aw, now Sister Blakely, “Jackie teased as she admired her mother’s outfit, “did you come over here to look cute or to help me cook?”
“Both!” as they gave each other Hollywood cheek smooches.
Liz took off her cotton-candy pink suit jacket that was adorned with rhinestones and fake pearls around the neck, cuffs, and hem to reveal a matching satin shell. She handed the jacket, her hat and purse to Dez, “Hang that up sweetie. Don’t lay it across the bed. When you come back out here bring me a pair of Jackie’s house slippers. Please and thank you.”
“Sure Mom,” Liz never had any sons, so she got a kick out Desmond’s adoration.
“Thanks Baby.” She watched Dez walk away and when he was out of sight she asked Jackie, “What are you making? If you make enough sides then I won’t have to eat Zetha’s cooking. What is she bringing anyway?’
“I don’t know,” her daughter replied, “but I’m thinking like you. If I don’t like it I know I won’t starve.”
Desmond came back in the kitchen with a pair of Jackie’s house shoes. “Mom, did you hug me when you came in?” Desmond inquired as he held her hand and helped her balance while she took off her heels and put of the house shoes.
“No baby, I sure didn’t. How have you been?”
“I’m fine. I gigged last night so I’m a little tired, other than that, I’m good.” They hug.
“Yeah, that’s right. How was the martini bar?”
“OOOO momma, them thangs is gooood. I had a Purple Rain martini, but they have all kinds of martinis, even peanut butt… Hey, where are my boys? They didn’t even speak to me.”
“Probably playing video games. Art and Quan! Where are you?", Desmond called.
A small voice answers, “Upstairs playing video games.”
“Get down here, now!” Their mother ordered.
“There’s an upstairs?” Liz asked inquisitively.
“Yeah, let me give you the tour” Desmond offered Liz his arm and he escorted her out of the kitchen and started her tour with a look at some art work in the living room.
Art and Quan came into the kitchen looking at their mother like, how could we possibly be in trouble we just got here.
“Yes Ma’am?” Arthur spoke for the two of them.
“Why did you come into the house and not speak to me?” Jackie feigned being mad. “You haven’t seen me since yesterday afternoon. Didn’t you miss me?”
“I missed you mommy. Don’t be mad at us,” Daiquan said as he hugged her leg. His sweet little baby face always melted her heart and he knew it. In the palm of his hand, she was butter.
Now Art was another thing. He was Jackie’s heart, for sure, but he was getting older and smelling himself. That’s why she finally gave up and started calling him Art, instead of Arty, like he used to beg her to do. When they moved back home to Detroit, he was nine years old, now he was about to turn twelve. She had seen one or two stands of hair under his arms which means there was probably hair on other body parts too. He didn’t like to show his mother affection, nor did he like for her to call him baby names anymore. On top of that, they were the same height. Where had the time gone?
Jackie turned to Art, “Does that go for you too?”
“Yes.”
“Well, can I have a hug?," she hugs him.
“Mom” , Art squirmed like she was hurting him.
“OK, you can go back to your games. Next time, speak first. It hurts my feelings when you ignore me.”
“Sorry Mom,” Daiquan apologizes and then he and Art go back upstairs. As they leave Desmond brings Liz back into the kitchen. “You have a very nice place here Desmond. What schools are in this neighborhood?”
“Mom! Don’t go there” Jackie warned.
“What? I just wondered.”
“Yeah, I know what you was wondering. Come on over here and get your hands and mind busy on something else like helping me cook.” Jackie reaches in one of the kitchen drawers, pulled out an apron and hands it to her mother.
Liz twisted her face into a sulk as she took the apron and put it on. Then she grabbed the pot of cooled potatoes and eggs and began to peel them and cut them into cubes into a bowl. The women continued to cook and talk until Jackie’s cell phone rang.
“Hello,” Jackie held it to her ear with her shoulder because her hands were gooey.
“What’s up sis?!”
“Nina! Girl what’s going on?”
“Happy Easter ! I tried to call you at home but nobody answered. What you got up today?
“We’re all over Dez’s house. Both families are having Easter dinner together over here.”
“Oh my, you and Dawn in the same room?”
“Dig it, Momma and Zetha in the same room.”
“Oh my. Should be interesting. I’ll call you tomorrow so you can give me the 411, on who dropped kicked who.”
Both sisters laughed because not only did they know that was a line from Aretha Franklin’s song , “Whose Zoomin Who?,” but it was the truth. There was no love lost between the women of the opposing families. Jackie, Liz, and Nina are polished, poised, musically gifted, God-fearing, and spoke near perfect English sprinkled with Ebonics for emphasis.
Then there is Dawn, Zetha, and Desmond’s sister-in-law, Shaquita. If you looked in the urban dictionary under the words; Uncouth, Ghetto- Fabulous, Hood-rat, or Hater, you’d see a picture of one of these women. You could also look up the word “DL” and find a picture of Dawn and Shaquita because their relationship is more than sisterly. Mix the two groups of women together and you have a combustible mixture that should only be used for fireworks displays or acts of war.
Nina continued, “…So let me speak to momma.”
“Okay Sis. I’ll talk to you later. Here Ma, Nina wants to talk to you.”
“Hi Baby. How’s the play?”
“Everything’s going good. We’re getting pretty good reviews here in the Chocolate City. We’re gonna be in the “D” sometime this summer.”
“Yeah, I remember you telling me that. As soon as they say when the tickets go on sale we’re going to buy some.”
“Well hold on because I might be able to get you comp tickets.”
“Ok now, don’t wait till the last minute. The last time you said that, we wound up in the last row of the floor seats. How does that look that the star of the show mama is sitting in the back of the theater?”
“I wasn’t the star of the show Ma.”
“Details! I was still in the back.”
“OK, I’ll find out as soon as I can.” Before her mom could answer she changes the subject because she knows, with Liz, this subject can go on for another forty-five minutes, “So how was church?”
“Oh, church was fine. The CME members (the people who only come to church on Christmas, Mother’s Day and Easter) had the balcony full. You know Reverend Peterson did his usual Easter sermon. You know the one…” All three of the ladies growled in an old Baptist preacher voice, “He Died! Jesus laid in another man’s tomb Friday, All day Saturday, then on the third day He Rose! With all power.” They laughed, “If it wasn’t for me having to play for service I wouldn’t have been there myself. I know that sermon backwards and forwards.”
“I know. It’s the same one he was doing when me and Jackie were children. Some things never change, like for instance I know you was sharp today. What did you have on Miss Liz?”
“Oh nothin’. Just a little cotton candy pink somethin’ somethin’.” Liz was trying to sound coy.
“Umm-Huh. Cotton-candy Pink is it? Tell Jackie to take a picture of you with her cell and send it to me. OK mom I gotta go. Me and some friends are going to a soul-food restaurant for Easter dinner. But before I let you go, tell me as best you can, without Jackie knowing what you are talking about, how is Desmond treating her? You Like him?”
“Yeah sweetie, everything is just fine. No complaints yet.”
“OK, good. Well, I love you and I’ll talk to you guys later.”
“OK sweetie. Momma loves you too.” Liz snaps Jackie’s phone closed and lays it on the counter top.
“Things going ok with her?” Jackie inquired about her older sister.
“Yes. The play will be here in the summer. She said she can get us comp tickets.”
Jackie fans at the air “Yeah, right. Remember what happened last time?”
“Yeah, that’s what I was telling her. If she doesn’t know something, I’ll say, two-weeks before opening night, we’ll just get our own tickets.”
“Bet.” They give each other a pound, but it was gooey because Jackie had mac and cheese and sweet potato on her hands and Liz had potato salad on hers.
Desmond told his family to be over at 3pm for dinner because he knew they wouldn’t get there until 4pm. At 4:30, the door bell rang. When he opened the door there they all stood; Zetha, Dexter, Dawn, Diallo, Shaquita and Little D. They looked like the dictionary definition of urban wear.
Zetha had on her usual sweat suit that she wears around the house and she was carrying a bowl of potato salad. Dexter had on a dingy white dress shirt, tired black dress slacks and his worn out Adidas. Diallo was carrying a bowl of salad and an eleven piece box of Popeye’s chicken, with biscuits. He had on his Timberland boots, jeans slug low on his hips, and his MSU hat turned to the back that he never bothered to take off the whole night. Little D was matching his daddy with his jeans and boots. Dawn and Shaquita were hair and fingernail perfect. As always, both had matching short cropped hair styles. Dawn’s hair was dyed Jazzin’s Spiced Cognac with honey-blond streaks while Shaquita’s hair was jet black. They also had on matching booty jeans but different tops. Shaquita’s was, of course, low cut so you could see all of Clev(age)land. They were carrying salad dressing; Dawn had the French; Shaquita had Ranch.
Jackie and her mother stood in the kitchen and the two families studied each other. Jackie and her mother deliberated over what Desmond’s family had brought for dinner. Jackie bit her bottom lip to keep from saying anything. Liz, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and let out a disgusted, “Humph,” as she turned away.
Keeping her emotions under stern restraint, Jackie greeted them and instructed them to bring the food into the kitchen. Diallo and Zetha stepped into the kitchen to unload. Dawn and Shaquita, ignored Jackie’s request, set their bottles of dressing on the table in the foyer and hugged and greeted Desmond like he was the only one there. Little D heard the video games and ran upstairs to play with Jackie’s boys.
To herself, Jackie thought, “strike one.” She had planned to change into a better outfit, but when she saw what the Keir family was wearing she decided her food splattered sweats and t-shirt would do. She also decided she would serve Zetha’s potato salad, not the one her mother made, in an effort to try and keep things peaceful.
Dinner is served. Desmond sat at the head of the table. Jackie normally would sit next to him but Dawn and Quita prevented her from doing so by sitting next to him on both sides of the table. The rest of his family took up the rest of the chairs on his end of the table. The kids took the chairs in the middle. None of the women in Desmond’s family helped Jackie and Liz set the table or serve the food. Jackie and her mom, had to sit way at the other end of the table. While they ate, Desmond laughed and joked with his family on his end leaving Jackie and Liz to talk amongst themselves.
Jackie whispered to her mother, “Strike two.”
Liz rubbed her daughters back attempting to console her, “Let it slide dear. Don’t mess up the holiday.”
Jackie heard her mother but she wasn’t sure if she could comply. She shot dirty looks at Desmond but the camaraderie he was sharing with his family acted like a force-field. In Desmond’s defense, the sisters shot looks back at Jackie, and her mother, and smirked when they saw their enemies looking disturbed. Their plan to ostracize Jackie seemed to be working.
After dinner was over, Jackie announced, “We have desert.” Immediately, Desmond’s family started shouting out their orders. Jackie had planned to serve, but since she didn’t like the way she was being treated, she decided they could fend for themselves. “I will put it all out on the counter and you can serve yourselves. All I ask is that you rinse your plates out and place them in the dishwasher.”
Jackie and her mom cleared the kid’s places and served them the desert of their choice. Jackie noticed that Desmond had run up stairs but she thought nothing of it. She and Liz sat back in their seats, desert in hand, and talked amongst themselves. After Desmond’s family realized that Jackie wasn’t joking about not serving them they got up, leaving their dinner plates on the table, and went in the kitchen to get their own desert. Desmond came back downstairs as Dawn was setting some peach cobbler on his placemat. “Thank You Dawn,” then he held his hands up to get everyone’s attention. “OK family. I need everyone’s attention. I have something to say.”
Jackie knew Desmond was excited about having everyone over and was proud of him settling into his position as man of the house. She would certainly speak to him about his family after everyone was gone though.
“First I want to say I am glad to see everyone and welcome to my home.” Desmond continued, “I want to especially say thank you to Jackie and her mom…”
Dawn interjected, “...and your mom.”
“ …yeah and my mom, for cooking us such a delicious meal.”
Shaquita interjected, “It was al'ight.”
“Yeah, them sweet potatoes needed some more brown sugar or somethin.” Dawn added then her and Shaquita snickered and gave each other play. The insult hit Jackie hard, but she pasted a smile on her face. Her mom on the other hand knew her daughter was fast approaching strike three and she grew afraid of what would happen then.
“Shut up Dawn and Quita and let me finish talking. As you all know, Jackie and I have been together for three years now. It’s the same number of years we’ve both been back home in the “D.” Neither one of us have dated much since we’ve been back. I’ve had some dates, while Jackie really hasn’t dated anyone but me.”
“As far as you know,” Dawn retorted.
“Dawn, I’m warning you, don’t you, or Shaquita, say another word.” His cold stern look let both sisters know he was not joking. “Anyway, I know as a family we are not yet used to each other, but I think it will come with time because love conquers all.”
Now Jackie and Liz’s interest were piqued. This was turning into more than a ‘thank you for coming’ speech.
“Real love is hard to find and when you find it you should consider yourself blessed” Desmond starts to walk towards Jackie as he continued his soliloquy, “ …and I know I’ve found love in you Jackie and I know you have found it in me also.” He stopped in front of her, stuck his hand in his left pants pocket and pulled out her diamond journey necklace and let it dangle in front of her face.
“Hey! I’ve been looking for that. Where did you find it?”
“I took it. Remember when I gave it to you three years ago. I said when I filled the necklace in with diamonds I would ask you a special question?”
“Yeah.” Jackie kind of sang her answer because she was wondering where he was going with this.
He drops down on one knee at her feet and the room grew still. Jackie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open when he pulled out a red velvet box from his right pants pocket, “Jackie, I’ve been all over this world and I’m not gonna lie, I’ve had a lot of women. But none of them can stand up to you. They were just something to pass the time until I met you. You are the last one for me. I hope you will agree to be my queen for life and take my last name as my wife. Will you marry me Jacqueline Stewart?”
At that moment he pops open the red velvet box revealing a Pave’ set diamond heart shaped ring in a platinum setting with a matching eternity ring. This bling was bad! In the engagement ring there was a total of 30 diamonds, with a total carat weight of 0.32. The eternity wedding band had 135 diamonds that encircled the pave’ setting. It had a total carat weight of 1.02. Estimated price with tax included, $4,796.50
Jackie screamed and everybody else simultaneously said, “Dammmn!’’, even Liz. Desmond took the engagement ring out of the box and took her left hand and he asked again, “Jacqueline will you marry me?” She screamed, “YES!” He slipped the ring on her finger, she jumped up and did the happy dance right there in the living room. For the moment, she totally forgot about the animosity between her and future sister in laws.
Liz ran over and joined her daughter in her dance as they both admired the ring. Daiquan and Lil “D” screamed and jumped around too. They didn’t really understand what was going on they just saw it as a chance to be loud and crazy. Unfortunately, the others didn’t share in their joy. Desmond’s family was awe struck. The look on their faces was pure horror. Dexter wanted to embrace his new daughter-to-be, but was afraid of the backlash from his wife.
Art wasn’t happy either. He just sat there with his head in his hands. He liked Desmond, but he wasn’t sure he wanted another daddy before he could get over the loss of his real daddy.
Jackie and Liz were so preoccupied with the joy of the moment that they weren’t aware, nor did they care, about the other family member’s dismay. Jackie stopped dancing with her mother so she could embrace Desmond. They shared a very sensual kiss, complete with tongue and slob.
While trying to catch her breath, Liz picked up the ring box from where Desmond had set it on the table and saw that the box was engraved with the jewelry store’s name, Jared Jewelry Store. She started screaming again, “You went to Jared?!”
Jackie and Desmond had finally stopped kissing. As she looked at him puzzled she asked him, “You went to Jared? That place is expensive. How much did this ring cost?”
“That’s not important baby. Just know you were worth every dime.”
Jackie knew Dez had a habit of being extravagant. She fussed at him constantly about his spending habits, admonishing him to be thrifty.
“OK, I’m going to ask you again and you better answer me Dez or I’m giving it back. How much did this ring cost?”
“Baby…”
“Desmond?”
“A little over four-thousand dollars” Everyone gasped. For the first time that evening they all shared the same emotion.
“FOUR-THOUSAND DOLLARS!?” they all sang in unison.
“We are taking this ring back tomorrow,” Jackie scolded. “I don’t need a ring this expensive. We can use the rest of the money to pay for the wedding expenses.”
“No don’t worry about that. I have that too.”
“You been saving baby?” Liz questioned.
“Well, see, that’s the other thing. I’ve kind of been holding some information about myself back from, well, all of you.”
Jackie starts to take the ring off her finger as she said, “I knew there was catch. Please don’t tell me you’re a drug dealer or something like that.”
“No, that’s not it, but I am filthy rich!”
Jackie froze, “How filthy?”
“We could quit work and never work another day in our lives. You can pay for a new house and car and put the boys in private school because college is already paid for.” Desmond stood there waiting for the other shoe to drop, because not only was Jackie unaware of his financial status, but the rest of his family was also hearing this information for the first time.
“What the Fuck!” Dawn screamed. Zetha piped in angrily, “We been living in poverty all this time. Now you want to let everybody know that you’re fucking rich so we can watch you give it all to her?”
“Is that all you all care about?” he asked his family.