Duke's Jazz

Chapter 12

Duke

After speeding off, I headed home because I knew in my gut that my parents knew Avery was mine. I just don’t know how long they have known. Did they know about him all these years and never told me? Hell didn’t even bother to tell me my youngest brother was gay. So who is to say they haven’t known this and have kept it from me? How could they do this and why? I am letting my insecurities get to me since I was taught family was there for you. After all the s**t Eva put me through. Now I doubt every one thanks to Jazz’s betrayal. She was the one person who always told me the truth and never lied to me.

Finally, home I park my car and stomp to the door, slamming it behind me.

“MOM” I yelled. “DAD”

Both came around the corner from the living room. “What’s wrong son?” my Father asked.

“How long have you both known?” I spoke through my gritted jaw.

“Known what baby?” My mother asks, still confused about my outburst.

“Avery Mother, about Avery?” My mother puts her hand to her mother to hide her gasp.

“She finally told you, I told that girl to tell you the first night Millie brought him here. After I realized he was yours,” My father states.

“No, dad she didn’t tell me, I figured it out on my own!” My anger was there but lessening knowing that my parents didn’t know about him either, but I still felt betrayed that they believed he was someone else from the get go.

“Duke answer me this: would you have divorced Eva to be with Jasmine if you knew about Avery?” Not understanding why she asked

“Back then, probably, not I was doing my duty for the family!” Still confused about what she was getting at.

“Would you have taken Avery and raised him with Eva?”

“Yes, she was my wife!” I said through gritted teeth.

“Now that you know how your ex-wife really is, do you blame Jasmine for keeping it from you?”

I was too tried and mad to give her a real answer, “To be honest mom, I don’t know!” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose to relieve the headache starting behind my eyes. Still pissed and more confused than ever, I went to my room.

***

For a whole week I lived and breathed my mother’s question “Now that you know how your ex-wife really is do you blame Jasmine for keeping it from you?” By Jazz’s birthday the anger started to lessen, but it was still there. I knew she texted me thank you for the day I picked up Avery, but I just couldn’t find had in myself to care. I ignored her calls and I knew she was starting to worry since Sam kept telling her she had asked about me.

Yesterday, before passing out in bed, I decided I wanted to spend the day with my son, whether his mother liked it or not. Now standing at her door early in the morning, I was getting nervous and the anger I was trying to suppress was rising. Manning up, I rang the doorbell. I didn’t have to wait long, considering I heard her feet hitting the floor as she ran to the door.

“Duke, come in.” She looked confused and surprised by my arrival.

Walking into her two-story house, I could tell she did well for herself with her business.

“I want to spend the day with my son.” I didn’t ask, I demanded.

“Ummm….” Shocked by my admission, she just stared at me.

“Duke, I can explain…” she started.

“Jazz I don’t care right now, I just want to know my son.” I could see her face go from shocked to anger in a second.

“You know what...you can spend the day with him!” I felt a ‘but’ coming on “but you can’t tell him, not today, do you hear me not today!” now my anger was flaring.

“whaa..” she cut me off.

“We will tell him together, because I really don’t want MY SON to come home and be mad at me just like you are!” she inhaled, then I watched as tears fell from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t want him to hate me, okay, I just don’t! You can hate me all you want, but him I won’t be able to stand.” She was in full-blown tears. Seeing her tears made my chest hurt, slowly moving me passed my anger. I realized that this woman did what she did because she loved him with her whole being.

“Stop staring and leave. I have to go to work! Also, make sure he does his homework and I want him home by nine.” As she wiped the tears from her face with her shirt.

Dropping my voice, “That’s fine Jazz, see you at nine.” With that she closed the door. I stood there for what seemed like forever before I got in my car and headed to work before I went to pick up my son.