Chapter 19 #3
Meeting my niece for the first time did bring a little nostalgia.
Being an older brother to sisters, I always remembered the joy and chaos associated with having another sibling.
Kaiwhare was really small, but maybe she just looked small in my arms versus my sister’s, but she was already the cutest, sweetest little baby on the island. And I was finally getting to hold her.
“Well, don’t you look comfy,” Jaq said from the threshold, as everyone invited her in. I wasn't so sure Jaq would enjoy being around this, so initially I hadn't asked in fear that I would scare her. If she were uncomfortable, she was certainly silently fighting through it.
“Hey Kaiwhare,” I kissed her forehead, Jaq sitting down next to me. “I'm your uncle Graham, and this is Jacqueline—”
“Oh, you should hold her, it's such great practice!” Kylie yelled.
“I don't—”
“Jaq's not—”
As both of us seemed to cut each other off, only to have me finish the sentence. “Jaq's not used to babies. No offense, baby, but you have to hold them a certain way. I'm kind of used to it being an older brother.”
“Well, what better way to learn?” my mum asserted.
“Mum, let's not pressure—”
“I'll try to, if you teach me,” Jaq surprised me.
“Really?” I asked, skeptic.
“Guess it's finally time for you to teach me something,” she dismissed.
“You have to keep the head and neck supported. One hand, always behind the head and neck, and the other under the bottom while you're carrying her,” I said, transitioning, passing Kaiwhare from my arms to Jaq’s. “Careful.”
Jaq secured her, afraid to do anything else. “I can take her back if you want,” I offered, positive she was only offering to not come off as rude.
“Jaq looks so beautiful holding a baby,” Payton teased. “Imagine if that were you and Graham's baby,” she said, without thinking.
“Okay, that's enough,” Jaq handed her back to me. I was ashamed to admit that a small part of me liked the image of it, even though it was the furthest thing from both of our minds right now.
“We mustn't bring up stuff like that,” my mother singled out Payton. “Not everyone wants or can have kids.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Baby, it's not an answer you'll understand until you're older,” my mother defended. “But sometimes the older you wait, the harder it is.”
“Mum, don't be rude,” I interrupted.
“I will actually answer why I don't and didn't have kids. I actually had a really cool job,” Jaq singsonged.
“And that cool job meant taking too much time off, I could easily be replaced.
I liked my cool job, because it wasn't an easy job to get.
Long story short, some people love having kids.
Some not so much. I don't fall neatly into one or the other.
I just know I wouldn't be vacationing here out of the blue if I had decided not to be child free,” Jaq defended in a snarky, sarcastic tone.
That’s what I loved about her. I had no problem defending her, but when she stood for something, she didn't cower or conform. How can anyone not respect that?
“I apologize if I implied as much. Graham just grew up in a big family, and since he was little, stressed having one of his own one day.”
“Mum…just change the subject. Jacqueline doesn't need to hear things I wanted when I was twelve years old.”
“I'll do you one better. Graham was in a band when he was twelve,” Winnie interrupted, grateful she changed the subject.
“There's no proof if there's no pictures,” Jaq singsonged.
“Thank the heavens this sis has video,” Wilhelmina scooted over, showcasing performances we had posted on YouTube that barely got one hundred views.
“There's me in the background, slowly hating myself in that moment, because everybody hates the bass player. Only to find out later that the bass is one of the coolest. I should have kept it up,” Winnie pointed and explained.
“I'm afraid to ask what kind of music.”
“We were, like part Christian cover band, part whatever you consider the Beach Boys. We’d change our minds like every ten seconds. Not surprised to see we disbanded after like, a month,” Winnie joked.
“Graham could basically hold the band all by himself. He played like twelve instruments,” my sister bragged.
“Trust me, I’ve seen him in action. But please, tell me anything else I don't know,” Jaq taunted.
“Actually y'all, Jaq wanted me to take her to the beach, and I want to go while if there's still sun left,” I persuaded.
“Okay. But we wanted to have dinner later, so please say you'll join us.”
“Wouldn't miss it,” Jaq chimed.
It wasn't long before I was grabbing the keys to the Rav 4, reveling in the fact that I'd have Jaq all to myself. It wasn't lost on me that the first few hours at the house had been rocky, but I was sure things would pick up at the beach.
“Everything all right, baby?” Comforting her on the way, kissing the hand of hers that I had access to.
“You gon’ definitely have to find somewhere and park. Your girl definitely gon’ need some dick,” she announced, half serious, but definitely in a tone that suggested she was joking.
“That bad?”
“No, Graham, it's not…bad. It's just being at your family house. Our upbringings are vastly different.” I found somewhere secluded and parked, letting her climb on top of my lap, as we awkwardly adjusted to accommodate a quickie.
“What do you mean?” I strained being enveloped in her warmth.
“Your family is so nice. They just have baby and marriage fever—”
“Oh, fuck!” I shouted. “Sorry, I’m listening, it’s just…” I acknowledged, easing her to slow her pace.
“I feel like a heathen that's corrupting you.”
“You did corrupt me,” I smiled into her kiss. “But the good kind of corrupt. Like low level kind of corrupt,” I joked, trying to latch onto one of the bouncing tits hitting my face.
“I'm gonna need you to take control, baby. I just need a quicker release,” she commanded.
“Coming right up,” as I grabbed her hips, with just enough wiggle room for her to grind her hips against mine as I thrust up into her from below.
Heavy panting, hilted breaths and spasming bodies later, we laughed into the aftermath, holding on to each other so tight you’d think the plan was to never let go.
“Have I already told you how much I love you?” I joked.
“Only about a couple a hundred times after you came,” she kissed my forehead.
“But I mean it, though. I'm not just saying it because I love having sex,” I smiled, letting her climb over back to her side.
“You seem really good with kids,” Jaq noted, resting her chin in her hand to regard my reaction.
“I mean, she's my niece.”
“Wanting a big family by the age of twelve?” she taunted.
“Okay, but remember, I have siblings. That's all I know. If I hadn't had my sister, I would have been like the only weird brown LDS kid left to fend for myself. At least I stood at chance with her. We didn’t all grow up cool like you,” I flirted.
“Just because I grew up liking all those things or wanting certain things doesn't mean I expect you to.
I swear, that's like the worst of it. Outside of stuff like that, my family's pretty chill.”
“Okay,” she dismissed.
Balancing my attention between her and the road, I smiled, reaching for her hand to hold. “Still love me?”
“Of course, baby. I'm just doing my best to adjust.” By the time we reached the beach, we still had about forty-five minutes of sun left, and with no convincing, I got Jaq to join me in the water.
“See, I told you everything would work itself out if some of the trip was spent on the beach,” I leaned in to kiss her, balancing on my board.
“You seem happier than normal.”
“Of course, I'm happy,” I smiled. “I'm with my family. I've got my girlfriend here. From where I'm wading, everything's perfect again,” choosing happiness over sadness. “I wouldn't mind if you met my dad, though.”
“Is he okay?”