6. All in the Family #2
Pulling anxiously at her fingers, Deja watched everyone crowd Jax to dote on Chloe. Jax wore an uncharacteristically proud smile as he protectively held Chloe. Their daughter giggled at all the attention.
Deja’s eyes darted from the women surrounding Jax and Ian as if they were enraptured by their presence, to the children gravitating towards Keith and asking a million questions about his tattoos, to her father shaking Caleb’s hand and introducing him to her uncles.
Everything felt… normal. Too normal. She felt on edge.
As if at any moment, something would go horribly wrong.
“Baby-Boo!”
Deja turned around just as Diamond, Shawna, Ari, and Kristin bombarded her. She squealed with laughter as they wrapped her in a suffocating hug. “Girl, look at you! That baby weight looks good on you!” Diamond said, slapping her ass.
Deja snorted. “Stop lyin’.”
“She’s right. The weight does look good,” Shawna grinned. “I mean, you’re practically glowing.”
“You look so hot. This skirt!” Ari beamed. “Kristin, doesn’t she look cute?!” Ari turned around when Kristin didn’t respond to see her glaring at Jax across the yard. “Kris?”
“Like, why is he even here?” Kristin muttered.
“Aww nah, here we go,” Diamond grinned.
“Kris is still mad as hell,” Shawna snickered.
“Kristin,” Deja sighed. “I told you that we worked things out-”
“Okay, I know what you said,” Kristin said, turning to Deja and lowering her voice.
“But Deja, like, you were freaking terrified of him last time. You were depressed and lonely and scared. And now all of a sudden, because he mysteriously is back from the dead, we’re supposed to believe things just worked out between you two? ”
“Yes,” Deja insisted. “It was just a rough patch. We worked through it-”
“Rough patch?!” Kristin blurted. “Deja, you nearly killed him in self-defense. Clearly, he was trying to hurt you-”
“It wasn’t like that,” Deja whispered. “Jax has never hurt me. He never would. It was just a misunderstanding.”
“You sound like a victim trying to cover for her abuser,” Kristin said, annoyed.
“Aight, Kris. Take it down a notch,” Diamond warned.
“Well, that’s offensive because I wasn’t abused. And really, Kristin, the first time you’re seeing me after giving birth, and I can’t even get a ‘hi’ from you? It’s just straight accusations?” Deja asked, annoyed.
Kristin exhaled, looking at Deja apologetically. “I’m sorry, okay, Deja? I just… I care about you. And I don’t… trust him.”
“Do you trust me?” Deja asked.
“Of course…” Kristin frowned.
Smiling sympathetically, Deja grabbed Kristin’s hands. “I love you, Kris. Can you please just play nice? Please?”
Kristin rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
“Besides, I wanna hear how things are going with Joseph,” Deja smiled.
“They’re on a break-” Ari started before Kristin roughly pushed her. “Oops. Was that a secret?”
“Yes, Ari!” Kristin blurted.
Deja frowned. “A break? What- why? What happened?”
“It’s a long story…” Kristin muttered.
“He cheated,” Diamond said, sipping her drink.
Deja’s eyes bulged. “Joseph cheated?!”
“No!- Diamond, shut up!” Kristin snapped. “He didn’t cheat- It was just some weird text messages I found on his phone-”
“Yeah, sure. ‘Weird’,” Diamond snorted.
“Diamond!” Kristin snapped.
“So you can criticize Deja’s man, but we can’t criticize yours?” Diamond asked with a raised brow.
“True,” Shawna nodded.
“Look, Krissy-boo. We all loved Joseph. But let’s be real. If he’s cheating on you, he can go kick rocks,” Diamond shrugged.
“With open-toe shoes,” Shawna added.
“Girls, stop,” Deja said, looking at Kristin sympathetically. “Clearly we need to catch up…”
Kristin frowned. “Yeah… we do…”
“Ummmm… Is that the brother?!” Ari asked suddenly. “The tall blonde with the piercings and tattoos? Why didn’t you tell me he was hot?!”
“No, forreal. Cause who’s Daddy Suavemente in the black blazer next to Jax?” Diamond grinned.
“And also, did you really bring your baby daddy and your current man to the same event? Are you and Caleb still together?” Shawna asked.
“What- No, I mean, yes. It’s… complicated,” Deja said.
“Wait. Didn’t your mom say Caleb was their cousin?” Ari chimed in.
Diamond and Shawna looked at Deja bug-eyed. “Stahp! You fucked his cousin?!” Diamond blurted before Shawna slapped her hand over Diamond’s mouth.
“Trick, lower your voice! There are children here,” Shawna said before looking at Deja. “Did you know Caleb was Jax’s cousin when y’all were… you know… getting nasty?”
“Are you back with Jax or are you still with Caleb?” Kristin asked. “Why are they both here?”
Deja’s lips parted, but she was at a loss for words. “...It’s… complicated…” she muttered.
“ Bitch!” Diamond blurted as the girls groaned.
With his sleeves rolled to his elbows, Jax carried a large bin of ice and placed it next to the cooler. “Thank you, sweetie,” Debra smiled. “I’m enjoying my granddaughter.”
Jax grinned at Chloe, clinging to her grandmother’s bosom. “She enjoys the attention. I’ll prepare her bottle so you can feed her,” he said, grabbing the baby bag.
Debra’s eyes widened with joy. “I love a good family man.”
“Debbie’s just grinning ear-to-ear,” Aunt Chandra smirked. “Your daughter hit the jackpot with this one.”
Jax chuckled as he warmed Chloe’s bottle. “Actually, I’m the lucky one,” he said, handing the bottle to Debra. “Your daughter is brilliant and wonderful. She’s… changed my life.” Debra’s cheeks hurt from smiling so hard.
Deja heard laughter coming from the table where her mother and aunts were.
She was surprised to see Jax sitting at the table with Chloe on his lap while the women crowded him, speaking boisterously as if they had known him all their lives.
Jax’s eyes immediately landed on Deja as she approached the table.
“You guys sound like you’re having a good time over here,” Deja smiled.
“Deja, I knew your fiancé was handsome, but I didn’t know he was so funny and charismatic,” her Aunt Taraji said. “Where you find one of him? They got any more?”
“Oh god, Auntie…” Deja snickered.
“She thinks I’m kidding. Your kind is bred in Scotland, right? They like them some Black women?” Aunt Taraji continued.
“Auntie!” Deja blurted. “Please stop.”
“Straight foolish,” Debra cackled.
“Have you eaten?” Jax asked Deja.
“I was just about to fix a plate,” Deja said.
“I’ve got it,” Jax said, handing Chloe to her. “Have my seat.”
“Now, Jax, you know it’s tradition for a woman to serve her man food, right?” Aunt Chandra smirked.
“That’s alright. I like doing things for her,” Jax said, preparing Deja’s plate.
“This guy,” Aunt Taraji smirked. “Deja, listen-”
“Auntie, please,” Deja laughed as Jax placed her plate in front of her.
“So, when you two lovebirds gettin’ married?” Aunt Chandra asked. Deja choked on her first bite.
“When she wants to,” Jax said, squeezing Deja’s shoulder.
“You mean you guys haven’t set a date yet?” Aunt Chandra asked, looking at Deja, surprised.
Deja stammered. “I um… we’ve-”
“She’s been pretty busy,” Jax chimed in. “Being a new mother, her work. That’s her priority right now.” Deja smiled at Jax gratefully.
“Family needs to be priority. Deja, you’ve been obsessing over your work since you left Georgia. And look, we’re all proud of you, but you’ll be 40 soon. Don’t you wanna give Chloe siblings?” Aunt Taraji asked.
Deja’s breathing escalated as she tried not to panic under the judgmental gaze of her family’s matriarch. “I… I’m just… trying to figure th-things out f-first… um-”
“That’s well and all, but you know it’s dangerous to have children the older you get,” Debra warned. “Didn’t you have a rough birth with Chloe?”
Deja didn’t know why, but her chest tightened, and her eyes started to burn. “I um… it was, b-but-”
“That was my fault,” Jax said suddenly. “I wasn’t there when I should have been.”
Debra snorted. “Well, sweetie, you were dying.”
“That’s not an excuse,” Jax said, holding Deja’s gaze.
“But I promise on my life, I will never leave her side again.” Deja slowed her breathing as Jax’s tender gaze calmed her.
“We also have incredible healthcare,” Jax added, looking at her mother.
“So even if she waited a few years to have more children, I’ll make sure she has the most qualified doctors.
I don’t want my future wife to sacrifice her life’s goals for the sake of tradition. ”
Debra looked at Jax, surprised, but she didn’t have a response.
She glanced at her daughter, who seemed anxious until she met Jax’s gaze.
There was something peculiar about the way the two of them looked at each other that she couldn’t figure out.
Jax seemed to hang on Deja’s every word while Deja seemed fully aware of the effect she had on him.
“You cheated!”
Looking across the backyard, Deja saw her uncle jump up from the table as several cards fell. “Ain’t nobody cheatin’, you dramatic lil girl. Sitcho Black ass back down and stop actin’ like a damn fool,” Jared snapped.
“Have I done something wrong?” Ian asked, confused.
“Nah, you ain’t do nothin’. This fool just a sore loser bettin’ money he don’t have with his broke ass,” Tyreek snickered.
“Bullshit! I thought you said you never played spades before!” Rahsul snapped.
“We haven’t,” Ian said defensively. “We’re learning as we go.”
“To be honest, I’m still not sure what’s happening,” Caleb shrugged, sipping his drink.
Tyreek cackled as Rahsul sucked his teeth. “Somebody here lyin’, and I know you mothafuckas cheatin’.”
“Ooo! Auntie Chandra! Uncle Rahsul cussin'!” one of the kids shouted.
“Not Jelani rattin’ your ass out!” Tyreek snickered as Jared cackled.
“Lil boy, if you ‘on’t shut yo lil snitchin’ ass up!” Uncle Rahsul whispered angrily as Jared cackled.
“Auntie Chandra, he still cussin'!” Jelani shouted.
“Rahsul, you forreal right now?!” Aunt Chandra snapped.
Ian leaned towards Caleb and whispered. “What… is happening?”
“Just go with the flow,” Caleb said, casually flipping through his cards.
“Are you guys serious?” Deja asked, standing in front of Ian and Caleb. “Didn’t we talk about this?”