3 C.R.I.M.E.S

Chapter 19

No further explanation had been given by my grandmother as she called for an emergency family meeting unexpectedly in the middle of the week. It was a Tuesday, but she pleaded that everyone in the family be here on Wednesday because there's an important announcement.

Knowing the terrible sick state that my grandparents were in, I knew for sure each of my siblings would be present and myself as well. My grandmother was suffering from arthritis and my grandfather was aging terribly.

"Jacky!" I smiled wide seeing my grandmother and grandpa standing in front of me.

"Natty!" Natalya jumped down from her father's arms, running to her great-grandparents, smiling wide and cheering when she saw them.

I went to hug my grandpa, smiling as I breathed in his scent, he smelled, well, old. But it was a familiar smell. He held me by my arms, his hands shaking constantly due to old age.

He smiled at me and I smiled back, "you don't visit me no more," he complained like he always does whenever he sees me. It's always the first thing he sees even though I visit him as much as possible which is a lot.

I shook my head, "I do, I came the other time and you weren't here and besides when I ask Joseph to bring me here he doesn't want to. So shout him."

"She's lying, she didn't even ask once," Joseph defended as my grandpa looked at him with a side eye and we all laughed.

They shook each others hands, "how are you, my boy? You know," he paused, taking a breath, "I can see you're treating my grandbaby just fine. She's," he paused again, breathing, licking his lips as he struggled to speak, "looking so beautiful. They," he paused again, breathing hard, "give me a second to breathe. This might take a while," He joked and we laughed but my heart hurt me every time I saw him like this. There was once a point in my life where he could walk and go to work as a construction worker. And to see him now, frail and thin in a wheelchair with grey hair and aged skin- it felt like a stab in the chest.

I sat speaking to him longer and spending as much time with him as I could. I saw that grandma was with Natalya and the other kids, so I used that free time away from Natalya and spent more time with pops as he started complaining about how much medicine he has to take.

"Idris," I greeted with a wide smile, looking at my younger brother who walked towards us dressed in a casual outfit which was a shorts, sneakers and crisp clean floral silk shirt.

Idris was definitely a funky guy, from the dreads and the beard down to his designer shoes which were all different kinds of colours. He was 5'9 and lean, not buff unlike my brother Quinn. He was never into sports, it was always his books before anything else.

He grinned when he saw me and jogged towards me, capturing me in his arms and then spinning me around. I laughed, putting my head on his shoulder like we used to do when we were younger.

"Damn, Jacky, is it just me or are you looking shorter than you did the last time I saw you," he said, chuckling and patting me on the top of my head.

I rolled my eyes at him, "you're just a giant."

"Nope," he said shaking his head, "you're just angry that I'm younger but yet still taller than you, short stuff."

"Oh, my god," I began, "don't call me that."

"Don't call you what? Short stuff?"

"You know what pops, now I remember why I don't visit as much."

"Ah, you hurt my feelings, short stuff."

"Pops tell him to stop calling me that, we're not kids and teenagers anymore," I fussed, "pops why aren't you saying anything? Yes, that's good, shout him."

I smirked, proud as pops 'shouted' Idris and all Idris did was laugh and bend down to hug him.

"How have you been pops?"

He nodded his head slowly, coughing, "I've been well. I'm alive, I can't complain. You don't visit me no more."

Idris shook my head, "I came to see you last week, pops."

"You did?" He asked him confused.

He chuckled, "yes, we even sat outside and ate, it's ok if you don't remember pops."

Idris stood, looking at me, "you're looking good, Jacky."

I smiled, gratefully, "don't I always. I'm kidding, no not really but you're looking good as well. Any ladies yet?"

He laughed, "and now I suddenly remember why I don't visit you often."

I pouted, "what's wrong with me wanting you to find yourself a special lady?"

He shook his head, muttering something under his breath, "I'm not looking at the moment. Maybe some other time, there's no need to rush," he looked around the room, "I have all the time in the world."

"You seen Wendy yet?" I asked Idris.

"No, but she called me and said she'd be la-"

"My favourite siblings in the world!" I heard a voice I knew all too well. Quinn.

I turned, smiling and glad he didn't bring one of his baby mama's or floozy's.

"Aw, my big bro," I said laughing, and accepting his hug.

Quinn was huge. 6 feet tall, broad shoulders, muscular arms and an intimidating face. He grew a big beard, and his head was always shiny and bald, like he took care of it for hours to give it that perfect look. He always dresses like a gentleman, the man with the blazer and a tie, driving different cars on a daily basis.

He was always the overprotective older brother, much to Wendy's disappointment. But he had our backs back when things were tough. He helped my mum and my grandparents, so he was always more than just a big brother, he was a father figure as well.

He chuckled, stepping back and then him and Idris hugged before he took pops wheelchair and told us we should all go outside. We made small talk and caught up. Including me going on with him and giving him hell about having a seventh child from the fourth woman.

"I mean, you're getting too old for those kind of games, Quinn, you're 40 years old. Who's going to want to settle down with you when you have all these children from all these different women?" He didn't say anything but I knew he was annoyed but I didn't care, he needed to hear this and grandma and grandpa had joined in as well, "it's really disappointing, it really is."

All of the kids happened to come around then, two of his children along with Natalya came to us, singing and laughing, and asking for more candy.

Quinn wasn't always like this though. He fell in love with a Latino girl named Amara and she fell pregnant at the young age of 16 years old. He was only a year older than her but he was very serious about her and stepped up to the plate.

He promised to marry her, got an apartment for the both of them and they had two other children before they had a cute backyard wedding. Her mother had sewn her dress and he'd worn a suit he bought from the thrift shop.

Unfortunately she passed away while giving birth to his twin daughters, Tanya and Tina and took Tina with her. Tanya was the last child he got from Amara.

Five years went by before he moved on but when he did, he was anything but the Quinn that we knew and were proud of.

"Guess who's here," I heard a voice sing and I turned around to be met with my sister's pretty face, singing, and spinning around with a bottle of champagne dressed in a detailed knee length dress.

I laughed, "Wendy."

She smiled at us all, calming down the cheers and laughter, "ok, I did not come alone," she announced, "grandma, pops, kids, Quinn, Idris, Joseph and Jacky...please welcome, Andre."

Out stepped a good looking 5'7 guy, with a short afro and wide smile. He walked nervously besides her as she approached Joseph and I.

"Andre," I greeted, feeling Joseph wrap his arm around my waist, "I'm Jacqueline, I've heard a lot about you."

He smiled back, shaking my hand, "I've heard a lot about you too. It's lovely finally meeting you and putting a face to your name."

"This is my husband, Joseph, which I've heard you've already met," I said indicating to Joseph.

He nodded, his eyes now on Joseph and they shook hands, "yes I have."

The rest of my siblings came to greet him, before Wendy and Andre walked to my grandparents to introduce him.

I smiled, turning around in Joseph's arms as I looked up at him, "isn't he so handsome? He's perfect for her."

He shook his head, smiling, "uh I wouldn't know if he was handsome, but I do agree with you saying that he's perfect for her. He seems so."

I nodded, then looked around at my grandparents backyard. It wasn't an overly extravagant house, he had gotten them a small house because of their old age and their persistence that he get them something small.

It was beautiful, and all the kids were running around, playing and splashing water on each other or running around playing with toy cars. The only person who wasn't playing was Sara, Quinn's eldest child, who sat on her phone taking selfies.

It was an amazing day, the sun was out and things seemed to be going so well. To see my siblings after all this time was a blessing because we were all so wrapped up in our own lives. I still hadn't told them about me being pregnant and I wouldn't tell them until I felt the time was right.

Joseph kissed me on the cheek and said that he was going to go play with Natalya and the rest of the kids and I went to talk with my grandmother who was now sitting besides Sara and they were both laughing.

I smiled, walking up to them, "Sara, you're looking beautiful as always."

She grinned, "thank you, Aunty Jacky."

I laughed under my breath, I hated when they called me that. I went to hug my grandma, and she planted a kiss on my lips, then patted the space next to her on the lawn chair and scooted for me to be able to sit.

"So how's everything going?" I asked her, she shrugged her shoulders.

"It's going just well, baby, just well."

"Well, not that I don't appreciate this wonderful invite but why did you want to see us today?" I asked her.

She shook her head, "I didn't invite you. Your mother did."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "then where is she?"

She shook her head, "I guess she's late. How's everything at home going?" She asked.

I smiled, "it's going well."

She laughed softly, placing her hand over mine, "who do you think you're fooling?"

I bit my lip, "what do you mean? Everything's fine, grandma."

"Or so you say," she said, shaking her head, "what's wrong? Tell me."

I sighed, "it's a long story."

"I've got nothing but time."

"I'll tell you later grandma," I said, squeezing her hand back as I saw my mum appear wearing a white laced dress that hugged her in all the right places and teacher till her ankles.

"Everybody," she called, "can I please see you all inside the house. It's important."

My grandma, Sara and I looked at each other confused but nonetheless got up and we all started walking inside. Idris was laughing away with Quinn as they walked ahead of us, and Andre was talking to Joseph.

When we walked into the house she led us to the kitchen and turned to look at us. She walked in last and it seemed this conversation was just for the adults as she asked the younger kids to leave, Sara excluded.

She smiled, looking at us, "you are all looking so beautiful."

She walked up to Idris, hugging him and kissing him on the cheek, calling him her baby and he blushed like he always does. She hugged Quinn right after calling him her big boy. When she saw Andre she laughed, calling him cheese boy and then went to hug Joseph. She went around hugging us all, seeming to be in a good mood.

"Alright, sit down, sit down."

I walked to Joseph, kicking him out of the chair and sat instead. I mean, there were only 6 chairs in the kitchen and three people would have to stand. So it was Joseph, my mum and Sara who were standing. She took out a glass, pouring herself some of the expensive wine that I had brought for the family to enjoy.

"It feels so good to finally see you all in one room," she began, looking around the room and looking like she wanted to cry, "you're all so grown up and there's never any time to see you all. Days like this are rare and I want to thank you all for coming today."

She put her hands on the counter, biting her bottom lip and looked down before looking at us, "there's something important I need to tell all of you, which is the reason why I called you all at such short notice because everything was kind of rushed and happened last minute."

She paused, stood up and chugged down her whole glass of wine and we all remained silent, waiting for her to start speaking and tell us what's going on. I was starting to panic.

"I...don't know which to begin with," she said softly, putting the glass down, "I don't know...what's worse," she breathed out loudly, "the fact that I'm...going to be getting married in 72 hours or the fact that I'm going to be marrying a man who's younger than my youngest child."

The silence in the room was deadly, nobody could register her words. It was like what she'd said hadn't sunk into our heads. I didn't even realise what she'd said.

I mean, she was kidding right? There's no way...

"What?" Andre seemed to break it all. He seemed to take us all out of our stupor.

"Yes," she said nodding, "I'm getting married to a 29 year old man, in three days, in Vegas."

"What do you mean you're getting married in three days to a 29 year old man, mum?" Quinn asked, his tone surprised.

"I don't think I can get any clearer than what I have just said. So now," she began, "I want you all there. I want to have a nice ceremony, I want a big wedding. I want Jacqueline, Wendy and Sara to be my bridesmaids. Dad, I want you to give me away and ma-"

"Mum, can you hear yourself right now?" I asked her, shocked at her audacity to even speak about bridesmaids, "you can't just drop this all on us and expect us to be ok."

"I don't get why it's such-"

"You're 58 years old, what do you mean you're getting married to a 29 year old man?" Quinn snapped, his voice raising, "matter of fact, what do you mean you're getting married?"

"Yes, I am," she said back, her tone short and sharp, "age has nothing to do with anything-"

"Mum can you hear yourself right now," I snapped, getting up from my chair, "age has everything to do with this. You can't get married to this guy!"

"Why are you all getting angry, it's a good thin-"

"Because it's wrong," Idris snapped, "it's not normal. It's wrong. He's young enough to be your child!"

"But he loves me," she defended, pointing her finger at Idris, "and he proposed to me. In fact it was his idea to get married, and I agree with him."

"This isn't right mama, this is not...right at all," Wendy said, looking at my mum with a confused face.

"He loves me, and I love him. I want to marry him," she said, looking at us with sad eyes, "I've never been this happy. He makes me-"

"Oh, my god. I can't," Idris said, flinging his chair and getting up, "I can't listen to this nonsense. You're losing it, this money has gotten to your head. This is messed up, this is crazy. This isn't Empire where s**t like this is acc-"

"Idris, please!"

"No ma, what will people say when they hear that my mum married a guy who's what, a year younger than me, people talk and this is just another level of messed up, I can't be in here," he said, walking around grabbing his jacket, "and you still have the nerve to ask for pops to give you away."

"Yes, because he's my father, Idris," she said, stepping up and blocking him from leaving the kitchen.

"You're 58, you can't be given away! Especially to a 29 year old," He exclaimed, pushing her out of his way and left.

Quinn after that, got up from his chair, looking at my mum then left the room, and Sara followed after him.

"Jacky..." She said softly looking at me, looking as though she wanted to cry and I shook my head, looking away from her as I got up.

I didn't want to look at her, let alone speak to her. I went to the backyard, and saw that Quinn had already taken all of his children and left. I saw Natalya sitting by herself playing with sand and I called her over.

I took her hand in mine, making my way around to the front yard so I could leave. I saw Joseph already waiting for us by the car and I got in without a word.

He got into the passenger seat and I sat in the back with Natalya as the driver started the Bentley and we began to drive away.

He turned back, looking at me, "are you ok?" He asked me.

I pursed my lips, shaking my head as I laid my head on the seat and looked out the window. It seemed to be one thing after another.

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