Love Through Pain (21 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

“Buenos dí
as.” His mom knocked on the door. “Breakfast is ready.”

Javier rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms
; he looked over at Jazmine, and she was still sleeping. Her hair was a mess.
She’s going to kill me,
he thought,
she forgot to wrap it.

“Javier, Jazmine, breakfast is ready,” his mom repeated.

“Okay Ma, can you give us a few minutes.” Javier sat up, combing his hair with his fingers. He was still sleepy; he looked up at the clock on the wall, nine in the morning.

There was a soft bang on the door. “Da
… da … dy.”

He chuckled
. “Good morning, cookie monster. I’m coming.” Javier couldn’t ask for more. He had a beautiful family. They weren’t perfect, but they were his. She got on his nerves occasionally, one being when she turned down the TV while he was watching it. And he knew she was annoyed with him at times, especially when he left the toilet seat up, she would get pissed. But in the end, they completed each other.

“I’ll see you downstairs in a bit
,” his mom said from the other side.

He watched her double D’s as her chest heaved and flicked her nipple. She turned to the side.

“Jazz, wake up.” He moved off of the bed, grabbing his pants and shirt.

“Why?”
She pulled the sheets over her body.

“Because my mom slaved in the kitchen
.” He pulled the sheets off of her, and then threw her shirt on the bed. “Come on, babe, let’s take a shower.”

She sat up
, giving him a dirty stare. “Only for your mom.” She placed her feet on the floor, and stood. Jazmine started digging in her bag and pulled out a new outfit.

They strolled out
of the room and went down the hall, into the bathroom. Jazmine shut the door behind them.

“No, I’m not getting in the shower with you, I’ll wait
.”

He took off his clothes. “Why?”
He turned on the shower.

“We might not make it down until lunch
.” She plugged in her flat iron. “And I’m not getting my hair wet.” She stared into the mirror at her reflection.

“What?”
He stepped into the shower.

“You gave me a hickie
.” She turned, putting her hands on her hips. “I’m meeting your dad and your brother.”

Javier tried not to chuckle. “Sorry, but your so delicious.” He washed himself. “They’ll love you.”

~~~

Jazmine was nervous as they
rounded the corner into the kitchen. She heard laughter and her son giggling. Everyone stopped and stared when they entered the room.

Javier waved his hand in the air
. “Buenos días familia. Bendición a todos.”

Five set
s of eyes stared at her. A tall man with salt and pepper hair was holding Nicky, bouncing him up and down. Nicky’s eyes landed on her, and he started chortling.

“Ma
… mi…” And he stretched his arms out.

Lucy rushed over to hug her. “Jazmine, thank you for the earrings and the dress.” She kissed her cheek.

Jazmine smiled. “You’re welcome. Was that the dress you wanted?”

“Yes…”
She grinned.

“What dress?” Javier arched his brow. “I hope it’s not short.”

“It’s not.” Lucy walked up to him and kissed him, too. “I knew you two would end up together, you look so cute.” She pinched his cheek, and then chuckled.

He jokingly smacked her hand. “Jazmine
, this is,” he moved toward his family, “my abuela, Milagros, my mother’s mom.” His grandmother looked up at her.

“Dile que no sea tan timida, ahora es parte de la familia.” She extended her hand
to Jazmine.

“She said
, stop being so shy, you are now part of the family,” Javier translated.

Jazmine walked over, and she pulled her down into a hug. Milagros rubbed her back. “Tiene carne.” She snorted.

They laughed, making her raise a brow. “Baby, she says you’re thick.”

“What?” Jazmine looked down at
herself.

“She meant that in a good way.” Maria entered the room. “She always told Javy he needed to find a woman with meat on her bones.”

The tall man walked up with Nicky in his arms.

“Babe, this is my dad
, Papo.”

Jazmine stretched her hand to shake his and was surprised when he pulled her into a hug. “So
, you’re Jazmine.” He leaned back, and Nicky leaped into her arms. “You’re more beautiful than I thought. Welcome to my family.”

“Thank you
, Sir.” She watched nervously.

“No Sir
, Papo.” He stared at her. “I heard what you did for Lucy, thank you. After that day, she says those girls didn’t even look her way.”

Lucy smiled at her. “Yep.”

She could see Javier looking at his mother while she smiled. “Te dije.”

“This is my mother
, Elba.” He placed his hand on her back and gently guided her over to a dark woman. Javier’s grandmother looked black with curly brown and white hair.

“Hi Jazmine, I’ve heard so much about you.” Elba took her hand, and
then kissed her cheek. “Welcome to my family.” She didn’t have an ascent like Maria, Javier’s dad didn’t have one either.

Jazmine squeezed her hand. “Thank you for making me feel so welcome
.” She looked around the room.”

“And this is my father
, Papo Sr.” His dad had Javier’s complexion and black wavy hair.

“Nice to meet you
.” He shook her hand.

“I heard my son gave Javy a hard time about you.” His mom rolled her eyes at him. “I’m going
to tell you a little story about your father-in-law; something that even Javy doesn’t know.”

“Mom, please don’t
,” Papo, Javier’s father, pleaded.

She ignored him and continued talking. “My parents were Puerto Ricans
. I was born and raised in New York.” Now she knew why she didn’t have an accent. “So, my son here was raised around African-American and Hispanics, but when he was sixteen, he fell in love with his friend’s sister.” She smirked, “And guess what, she was African-American.”

Javier gave his father a condescending smile
. “Really!”

“Mom!” Papo gave her a dirty look.

“Yes, Javy, your dad’s first love was a black girl, but when his friend found out, he got his buddies together, and they beat your father so badly they sent him to the hospital. But that didn’t stop him from trying to have a relationship with Lilly, until she broke his heart and told him she couldn’t be with a Hispanic man, because they were different and didn’t have nothing in common.”

“And you believed her?” Javier asked his dad. “She was just looking out for you.”

“Mira!” His mom put her hands on her hips. “You wouldn’t be here if he would’ve begged her.” She glared at Elba.

Elba laughed. “Calm down
, Mija. God works in mysterious ways, you were meant to be his wife, not Lilly. I’m only explaining to Jazmine why he was an ass when he found out Jazmine was black.”

Now Jazmine understood why he was so hard on Javier about raising her son.

“I knew he had feelings for you when I looked him in his eyes, it was right there. Javier never stood up to me until I insulted you.” His dad sat down and kissing Nicky.  “Maria made me see I was using what happened in my past against you.”

“So
, you see, my son isn’t racist; his heart was broken.” Elba patted his shoulder, and then took Nicky from his arms. “Look around—four generations. Well, actually five, my mother couldn’t make it, she’s sick.”

“Sorry to hear,” Jazmine softly
replied.

“Where’s Carlitos?” Javier
walked over to the stove.

“H
e’s with his dad and mother.” His mom passed him two plates.

“The
y’re back together again?” Javier was a little surprised, those two were toxic for each other. “When is Jose coming over?”  He served himself. “Babe, you want rice and milk?”

Jazmine scrunched her face and nodded.

“Girl, try it; you never know you might like it.” Elba said, putting Nicky on the floor.

Nicky slowly walked toward Jazmine and pulled on her jeans. “Ma
… mi … yummy.”

“Yummy?” Javier’s mom asked.

Javier chuckled. “That means he wants food.”

“We just fed him,” Lucy said
, bending down and picking him up. “Can I take him in the backyard?”

“Yes,” Jazmine said
, sitting down. Javier brought her a plate and put it in front of her. It was eggs, bacon, toast, and a bowl of rice and milk. He placed sugar in front of her.

Javier sat next to her, and
he started eating his rice and milk like it was his last meal. “Hmm, abuela Milagros, muy bueno.”

“How do you know I didn’t make it?”
his mom asked, drinking coffee.

He swallowed his food. “Because she adds raisins and cinnamon
, the way I like it.”

Jazmine took a small spoonful,
and she tried not to show them she didn’t like it. Javier told her it’s a sign of disrespect when you refuse a Puerto Rican’s food.

“What
do you think?” his dad asked.

Javier
smirked; he knew she didn’t like it.

“It’s okay.” She played with it, and
then took another bite.

They finished eating. She got to know his grandparents better. His dad was a big teddy bear
, reminding her of her own dad. She looked around the room, and everyone was laughing and having a good time.

Three hours later
, and they were still sitting around the kitchen table laughing and sharing stories.

“He was so cute.” Elba touched Javier. “We are so proud of you.”

Javier hugged and kissed his grandmother.

Family and friends started arriving for the Fourth of July celebration. Jazmine met
his cousins, uncles, aunt, spouses, and family friends as the moved through the room into the back yard.

“Hola familia,” Monica said
, entering the kitchen, waving her hand. An older woman and man stood next to her.

Pregnancy agreed with her, she looked flawless. Monica gazed at Javier, rubbing her stomach.

“Hi Javy,” Monica strolled closer to him, and then circled her arms around him. Javier stepped back, watching Jazmine.

“Hi Monica,” he said
, observing her belly.

“Where is she?” Monica looked over to his mom. “You said he was bringing his wife, so where is she?” She moved forward, and
then finally saw Jazmine. “What is she doing here?” She placed her hand on her hip.

“This is our cue to leave and mingle.” Javier’s grandfather
, Papo, got up and took his wife’s hand, and then turned to Maria’s mom. “Vamos Milagros.” Javier’s grandparents left the kitchen and went to the backyard with the guests.

Monica’s dad glared at Javier. “When are you going to step up and take care of my daughter and your baby?”

“Sir, all due respect, but you need to ask Monica to find the real father.” He moved away from her, and then strolled over to Jazmine and stood behind her.

“Monica wouldn’t lie about her child. Maria
, you better get this straight. I wouldn’t want our friendship to be affected,” Monica’s mother said in a stern voice.

“Carmen do not threaten me
,” Maria said, cutting plantains. “This all will be solved when the baby’s born with a paternity test.”

“It shouldn’t even come to that. Monica has only been with Javier
,” Monica’s father insisted.

Javier laughed. “Okay, we will see.”

Monica looked at her parents with her arms crossed over her protruding belly. “I’m a grown woman, and I don’t need you to fight my battles, bye.” She stared at them as they moved.

Monica’s parents went out to the backyard.

“Where’s your wife?” she asked Javier, glaring at him and Jazmine.

“Right here,” Jazmine finally spoke
, and Javier put his arms around her shoulders, kissing her temple.

“No, you’re lying
, it can’t be.” Monica’s eyes widened. “Maria, is that true?”

“Yes, Jazmine’s my daughter-in-law
,” Maria answered while Javier’s dad sighed.

“You married
that
.” Monica pointed at Jazmine

Jazmine smirked, trying to disguise her true feelings
; she wanted to strangle that bitch, but she was pregnant. “Yes, he married me, not you. I wonder why?”