Chapter ten #2
I waited for her to look up at me and finally she did.
The look on her face was definitely shock as she stared up into my face.
The dude sitting next to her eyed me up and down as well, so I assumed she must have mentioned me to him.
I was waiting to see if she would greet me, but she didn’t so it looked like I had to take matters into my own hands.
I leaned down, pulled her up and embraced her tightly. “Who the fuck is that nigga with his arm around you?” I whispered harshly. “Is he the reason you haven’t come to see me at the hotel yet?”
She tried to push out of my embrace, but I held on strongly. What she wasn’t about to do was make a monkey out of me after my marriage had fallen apart because of my feelings for her.
“Answer me!” I responded in a stern and sharp whisper as I held on tightly.
“Let go of me!” she cried.
“Excuse you!” some older man said. “Get your hands off my niece!”
“Let go!” Gianna spoke through clenched teeth as she pushed out of my arms.
She sat down next to the dude who had been comforting her. He leaned next to her and asked, “You alright?”
“Yea.” She looked back up at me and said, “Thank you for coming.”
“That’s how you gon do me?” I asked.
“Excuse me, but in case you haven’t noticed, this is a funeral! That sweet lady in the casket behind you is my mother. I don’t know who you are or why you’re here, so you can either have a seat or get out!” her uncle said in a firm tone.
Looking at him, I knew that he would have no problem escorting my ass out. However, at this moment, the only thing I was concerned about was who the fuck this nigga was sitting next to Gianna.
“Sir, I don’t mean to disrespect your mother…”
“But you are doing exactly that!”
“I apologize!” I said.
I looked at Gianna and gave her the eyes. She already knew that if she left it up to me, I would air all our shit out right here in front of everybody. I knew I was probably making a scene, but I didn’t care. How dare she play me like this!
“I’ll be right back,” she whispered to the dude.
“You ain’t gotta go nowhere with him!” my uncle said. “This is your grandmother’s funeral, Gigi.”
“I know, Uncle Calvin. I’ll be right back.”
“If you ain’t back in here in the next five minutes, I’ma come out there to get you!” her uncle said as he glared at me. I wasn’t scared of that nigga! Shit, he could get it!
Gianna grabbed me by the hand and roughly led me outside. I couldn’t believe she was behaving this way.
Once we were outside, I asked, “Who the fuck is that dude? Is he the reason you didn’t want me to come down here?”
“Why are you doing this? I told you not to come as soon as I read your text message! Regardless of why I told you not to come, I still did!”
“So, you can be with that other dude!”
“Do you know what today is Jonas? Huh?! It’s my grandmother’s funeral!
Do you understand that?” Gianna asked as tears spilled from her eyes.
“How dare you come here and cause a scene like that on this day! My whole life got turned upside down when my grandmother passed! And you don’t have enough decency and respect to let me grieve her passing! What kind of man are you?”
Now, she had me feeling bad for the way I had come at her. I reached out to try and comfort her, but she pushed me away. I just wanted to hold her in my arms. I needed to feel her close to me.
“Damn! I came all this way, and I can’t even hold you? Just let me hold you, Gianna!”
“You shouldn’t have come here, Jonas! I want you to leave,” she said.
“What?”
“I want you to leave! I cannot believe you would come here and make a scene like this at my grandmother’s funeral! I don’t need to be dealing with you and your shit! Not today!” she hissed angrily.
Who the hell was she talking to like that?
This was a side of Gianna I had never seen before.
Usually, she was perky and happy to see and be around me.
This chick here was someone I didn’t recognize, and I didn’t like her at all.
Before I had a chance to respond, the dude that she was with inside the church walked out.
“Gianna!” he called out as he approached us.
“This muthafucka here,” I mumbled under my breath.
Gianna turned to face him. “Your aunt and uncle are looking for you. I told them I would come out here and get you. Are you good?” He stared directly at me as if he was sizing me up.
I wished that little punk would feel froggish enough to jump. I wasn’t scared of his ass. As a matter of fact, I had something for him just for putting his hands on my girl.
“Yes. Jonas was just leaving,” Gianna said as she turned to walk away. The dude put his arm around her waist and escorted her back inside.
That shit had me hotter than the grease they fry chicken in at Popeye’s! If she thought I was just going to turn around and leave, she had better think again because I wasn’t going no fucking where!
I straightened my posture, fixed the collar on my suit jacket and walked back into the church. I decided to sit in the back of the church next to an old woman who smelled like Ben-Gay and a chick with a whiny baby. Around 9:45, the funeral director stood at the altar and addressed the church.
“I invite anyone who wishes to say their final goodbyes to Ms. Corinne to do so now.”
People began to make their way to the front of the church.
I stayed seated with my eyes locked on Gianna.
I was supposed to be comforting her right now, but instead she had some other dude sitting next to her and holding her.
Who the fuck was he anyway? She told me that she was single when we got involved.
She hadn’t been out here for a whole week, and she was hanging on that nigga like he was hitting it.
If she had been fucking that nigga this whole time, why didn’t she just say that shit? Why have me waiting for her like that when she knew she was seeing someone else? Had me out here in New Orleans looking like a damn fool!
It took several minutes for everyone to say their goodbyes. Then Gianna and her family walked up to the casket. They were crying so hard, especially Gianna. I wanted to run up there and wrap my arms around her so I could try to take away her pain, but I knew I couldn’t do that.
“Maw Maw I’m gonna miss you!!” Gianna cried. She was beside herself with grief. I felt myself tearing up and had to catch myself.
Watching that nigga wrap his arms around my girl and guide her back to her seat quickly made me catch myself.
Once in the pew, she leaned against him as he tried to comfort her.
The sight of that shit made me sick to my stomach.
I probably should have left, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that.
For some reason, I couldn’t just get up and walk out.
Thankfully, the homegoing service didn’t last longer than an hour.
There was no way that I was going to the cemetery, but I wasn’t leaving either.
Me and Gianna were going to hash this out one way or another.
She knew that I was in New Orleans and planning to be at her grandmother’s funeral.
Why the fuck would she have that nigga here?
I drove a long ass way to be here just for her, and she shoved her foot directly in my ass with a steel toed boot. While they went to the cemetery in true New Orleans fashion with the fucking brass band and parasols, I stayed in the truck.
Last time I checked, someone had died. These people were definitely celebrating instead of mourning, but I heard that was how they got down here in New Orleans.
Fifteen minutes later, everyone began walking back towards the church parking lot.
The crowd started to disperse with everyone getting into their vehicles.
I wondered where they were headed, so I turned the key and followed behind the other vehicles. We ended up at a reception hall not too far from the church called The Wisdom Reception Center.
I parked my truck then headed inside with everyone else.
I didn’t give a shit about any of these people around me.
My mind was solely focused on Giana, who hadn’t made it here yet.
I took a seat and while waiting for her to arrive, hoping she wouldn’t keep me waiting all damn day.
Half an hour later, her and her family walked in.
They looked sad but also looked at peace.
I guess it had a lot to do with the brass band.
The fact that she walked in holding that nigga’s hand had my blood boiling.
I bet she thought I had gone back to the hotel.
I wondered what her reaction would be if she knew that I was sitting over here watching her.
Everything in me was telling me to get up and go confront her, but I knew this wasn’t the right time to get in her face.
Besides, too many people were around them, probably still offering condolences.
Finally, they were able to sit, and the servers began to walk out with food plates.
I really didn’t have an appetite, but once the plate of barbecue chicken, rice dressing, potato salad, homemade macaroni and cheese, and baked beans were put before me, I couldn’t help but to dig into it.
Damn! One thing these folks knew how to do out here was cook and season their food.