I sat up.
“Sure”
He closed the door behind him.
“I came to talk”
He scanned the room, then hew walked to the edge of the bed.
“Is uncle Christian your sugar daddy?”
I blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me”
I shifted so that my back would be resting against the headboard. He smiled softly.
“You don’t have to be closed off about it, you’re an adult, you have your freedom about it, do whatever you wish ”
“Why are you asking this?”
“I need to know. I want to know. I see it, the signs and signals, you know, you’re very obvious, the both of you”
“No, he’s not… He was before, kind of, not really ”
“He was your sugar daddy?”
“Technically, he was..”
“Now what is he to you?” He cut me off sharply.
We haven’t told anybody about our engagement, it was supposed to be a secret, wasn’t it?
“Don’t tell my mum” I found myself blurting out. “I would tell her when it’s time”
“I cross my heart” he said and I swear I could picture him as a real brother in my childhood. We were sharing our first sibling secret.
“We’re engaged” I whispered as if the walls could hear me.
His eyes widened.
“No” he exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes” I said with a small nod.
“I thought he was gay”
“Why?”
“Because he never really wanted to settle for any woman, I thought the multiple women he flaunted were a distraction”
I recalled the many times Christian had pounded into me…
“He’s certainly not gay, at all” I said with a blush.
Jeandre smiled.
“It’s complicated, Jenna… What you two have just done”
The tone, it sounded like a rebuke.
“It is” I mused.
“Are you happy, with him or was there another reason you did it?”
“Another reason, what do you mean?”
“I’m sorry if this comes out stupid and I sound like a jerk, I’m not, I am just concerned ”
“Okay, go on”
“Did you do it for the money ”
“Why does everyone ask that ”
“He’s rich..”
“So he doesn’t have any qualities that I can fall in love with?”
“Love?”
“Why else do people get married, I’d didn’t go down on one knee, he did. He’s in love with me and I’m in love with him, I don’t give two fucks about his money ”
“But, you’re wearing pure diamond jewelries… The earrings and necklace are diamonds, correct?”
“He buys these things for me and I don’t even ask for them. He’s… Generous ”
Jeandre cocked his head to the side.
“Why isn’t he here, with you?”
“He’s busy”
“That’s the man I know, the one that’s always busy, not the one that loves ”
“You don’t know the real him”
“If you claim he loves you, isn’t he supported to make an exception for you. He’s constantly working, how do you even see him, does he fix appointments with you as if you’re his employee, did you have to sign a contract?”
I laughed, I couldn’t help it.
“We uh, we see ourselves everyday. He makes an exception for me Jeandre, twenty four hours a day, seven days. He’s just really busy this time”
“I don’t believe you when you see him everyday. He is not that kind of a man, you can stop covering up for him”
I shook my head, it was hopeless trying to explain to him.
“I met him first, before you” Jeandre said and he stood up.
“Fine Jeandre, I’m not territorial ”
He smiled and murmured a goodnight and with that, he left.
The house was quiet and I couldn’t fall asleep. I heard a clatter of something bad I jerked up.
It was coming from a room across the hall. I stood up and tiptoed in the dark hallway. I could not see a thing, I was only following the voice.
“Let’s hope that you find a way to pay me back the share you sold. Stupid bitch!”
It was unmistakable, what followed next was sharp slap.
My mother started crying and begging.
“Never in your fucking life, do you take my money when___”
Another slap.
I couldn’t stand there, I pushed the door open and I saw my mother on the foot of her bed, laying down on the floor. She had curled herself into a ball. He was hurting her, he had hurt her so bad and I could see that I had intervened when it was too late.
There was a belt laying beside her and her lips was bleeding. How come I didn’t hear them in the begining, I would have stopped him before he laid another finger in her. He had hurt her so bad.
I lunged towards him and I didn’t even know what the hell I was planning to do, but I pushed him and he hardly even moved. He pushed me back and raised his hand in the air..
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you…” Kylee’s voice.
I found my footing and I ran to my mum. I knelt in front of her. Klyee was at my side.
“Is she alright?” Kylee asked me.
“I didn’t mean to push Jenna, she was in my face” Marcellino said.
“I’ll see what Christian has to say about that” Kylee said.
“He doesn’t hear any of this!”
“He certainly would” Kylee said and she stood to her feet. “I would tell him”
Marcellino muttered something intangible and he stormed out of the room. That was when my mother bursted out into tears, she was wailing like a child.
“I want to be alone” she said.
Not acknowledging that we just saved her.
She was ashamed thatyshw was like this. My dad never hit her, never. If she didn’t love him, it was the opposite for him, he loved her more than life itself and he died trying to protect her. Was o like him? Am I putting myself in danger to protect her, she’s careless and__
“Leave!” She yelled.
I stood up, Kylee was already at the door waiting for me, I went to my bedroom and she followed me, I knew o was going to get scolded.
“What were you thinking, if he pushed you harder and you fell___”
“Not now, Kylee” I snapped.
“Now! Because accidents happen, now! Because you’re pregnant! What do you think would happen if he actually applied blunt force to your belly?”
“I was going to save my mother ”
“That Jenna, is your problem. Your mother can save herself ”
“She can’t ”
“Then don’t do it for her. I’m suppose to be taking care of you, I am supposed to be looking after you because it was a direct order from my boss but you make me feel incompetent, has Christian ever told you? You can never follow direct instructions you make him loose his mind and the time. I and and you make me loose mine. Stay in your room and stay out of trouble, at least just for one night”
“I’m not a child, Kylee ”
“Them quit acting like a child… You’re going to be a mother soon, forget about your mother and start taking better care of the baby grow up inside you, if you’re not child anymore, forget your parents exits”