Chapter 4
Jabarri
It”s been a couple weeks since our family dinner, and I can’t get the drive out of my mind. When I got to her house, she was out of the car so fast I could barely get out of the car before she was in the house, yelling ‘thank you’ as she closed the door.
“Jabarri! You’re not paying any attention to me,” Natalie says.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“My parents are planning a party for the holiday,”
“Natalie,”
“I know, but if you could just make an appearance, I would really appreciate it,”
“Okay,” I concede, “But it really will have to be a quick stop since Brooklyn is graduating, and my family is also doing something to celebrate her,”
“I understand. Are you still thinking about your family dinner?’
“Yeah,” I replied.
“No, you’re not thinking about taking Skai home,” she says, and I look over to her. Natalie and I don’t keep things from each other.
“She was hurt, it’s very rare to see her broken like that. My brothers call her a walking menace. She is like a honey badger, cute to look at and mean as hell,” I tell her and Natalie starts laughing.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t tell her that,”
“Oh, she knows,”
“I really like Skai. I hate that she is still hurting, but please tell her she doesn’t have to apologize to me,”
“I tried to. I was going to explain things to her, but she wouldn’t let me. Honestly, it isn’t for me to tell,”
“Of course it is! I may not want your whole family knowing, but Skai is obviously different,” she says. I look over to her to see if she is serious, or not and she is.
“When are you…”
“I don’t know, but I understand that I’m going to have to and probably sooner rather than later. You’ve allowed me to get comfortable, Jabarri, but I guess I’m going to have to blow my world up,”
“I would never leave you alone, Natalie. I’ll help you with anything you need,”
“I know, and I love you for it,” she says, leaning over to peck me on the lips.
Natalie
My parents have always been hands-on parents and that is putting it mildly. They have always been involved in every single aspect of both my and Camryn’s life, school, friends, and especially significant others. Going so far as trying to pick girlfriends and boyfriends for us, but I swear their parents are the same way. I wouldn’t be surprised if my parents told my brother and I that their parents were in the room with them, telling them how to fuck, what position, and even setting the mood for them. The only reason they haven’t been around is because they took the ultimate world cruise, two hundred seventy-four days, eleven world wonders, and 60 plus countries but they are set to be home for this party. If I am going to get through the day, I will need Jabarri. Since I met him he has been saving my life and being an amazing friend and partner. We became close really quickly, he was so easy to talk to, and I found myself opening up to him about things I had never spoken out loud before, and I think I gave him the space to do the same.
His family seems amazing, but after we were together for a little while, I felt it was better not to get too close to them, even though there were more times than not I wanted to. They constantly reached out to me, inviting me to do things with them, but I always declined with some lame ass excuse until they got to the point where they just stopped asking. The family he has is the family I always wanted, I couldn’t imagine our families meeting each other. My parents would be mortified. With as much money as the Gideons have, they are so down to earth and accepting of people, and even though my parents haven’t stepped foot in a church in all my life, they like to act like they are good Christian people, more like hypocrites, but I wouldn’t dare say that to their faces. Ugh, I don’t want to sound ungrateful, I love my parents, and I guess they did their best, but a lot of their beliefs are ass backward. I want to go grab a gift for Jabarri because he deserves it, and gift-giving is one of my love languages, so I like to do it.
I drive to a new shopping center that’s just about an hour away to go to the specialty electronics store. Luckily, I know exactly what I am coming in here to get for him. He was talking one night about the drive and monitor that was coming out that he wanted. So I went to work trying to find them, and I ran across this store, so here I am. I had the stuff ordered and shipped to the store, so it was a simple transaction, but on my way out of the mall, a dress catches my attention in a cute little boutique, so I slip in to see if they have it in my size. It’s the perfect dress to wear for the party this weekend and I also want to see what else they may have that I can get for myself. This wasn’t supposed to be a shopping spree, but why the hell not? I love to give gifts, especially to myself.
“Hi, what can I help you find,” I hear the voice walking up behind me as I look through the rack to hopefully find my size in that dress.
“Yes, I’m hoping you have this dress in a… Yes, I got it!” I say, practically snatching the hanger off of the rack before spinning to the voice. “Do you have a fitting room…” I trail off when I see the person attached to the voice. Shit, I think this changes everything.
“Are you okay?”
“Um, yes, uh, can I try this on?”
“Sure, the fitting rooms are in the back,” the smile has me hoping I am not the only one who is feeling this. Needless to say, I left with the dress, a few other gems, and more, Jabarri and I have to talk. I knew this would eventually happen, but I didn’t think it would be like this and definitely not today.
This could change everything for Jabarri and me, and as much as my parents’ overbearing nature has been a pain in my ass, I have never been without them, and honestly, I don’t know if I can be. And as unfair as it might be, I would need Jabarri more than ever. Maybe I should have gotten close to his family after all, but then again, maybe not. I know they are accepting and all that but I don’t think they would be accepting of this. I am sick to my stomach thinking about the possibility that my life as I know it now might be over. But it doesn’t have to be. I can continue on as I have been, I think, as I put the bags in my car before sliding behind the driver’s seat. But it’s about time I be brave and live my truth. I put the car in drive just as my phone rings, “Hello,”
“How long do I need to stay?”
“Not long,” I tell him. “But we need to talk,”
“Uh oh, no man likes to hear those words,”
“I don’t think this will be a bad conversation. It’s probably a conversation you’ve been wanting to have,”
“Um okay, but it might have to wait after the graduation and party. You know my family parties until the sun comes up,”
“Yes, I am aware. Whenever you are free is fine. What time will you get to the party?”
“It depends. If I leave there without making sure no one needs me to do anything I will be homeless,” he says, making me laugh.
Jabarri
Of course, my family threw a hell of a party for Brooklyn, and we didn’t go to bed until the sun was up. I spent a couple hours at Natalie”s party, and I just about ripped all of my hair out. I don’t know how Camryn and Natalie came from their parents; they are nothing alike. I started to come to the party in ripped jeans and a tee shirt, but I wore my signature black with my “hippie” hair down. That’s what her grandparents called it the one other time I went around them, and it was down. I practically ran when Natalie said I could go, but now that I have partied, passed out, and then stuffed myself at breakfast. I am heading to Natalie’s house to talk about whatever is bothering her. I have made this drive so often I can do without giving it any real thought allowing me to think about Skai at the party. She looked a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw her, but she went out of her way to avoid me, and I didn’t push her. I pull into Natalie’s driveway, and I didn”t even realize I was so close.
I use the key, “Natalie!”
“Back here,” she yells, and I walk towards the back of her house.
“I hope you’re not back here trying to cook,”
“No, smart ass, I am not,” she says with humor lacing her voice. I find her sitting at the kitchen table enjoying leftovers from last night’s party.
“As ‘traditional’ as your parents are, I am still trying to figure out why your ass can’t cook.”
“I just never took to it. Now Camryn did, but my parents almost gave him a lobotomy, so he stopped cooking for them.”
“Your parents are weird as hell.”
“I never thought so. I always thought everyone’s parents were like mine until I got older, and then I realized my parents are crazy as hell.”
“Okay, so let’s talk,”
“I met someone,” she says, and time stops.
Three words. Three words changed everything. Three words I had been waiting to hear and finally Natalie said them. But with the revelation a new set of challenges presented themselves. Not for me, but for Natalie and I plan on being there to help her through this. But for the first time in almost a decade I am free to go after her, and I hope she’s ready for me.