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Story Title: Rhythmic
Chapter Number: Two
Chapter Title: Mi Loves
Author Name: Dev-Ra Alyn
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Dee Jay looked up at his grandaddy with his big brown eyes. Watching as he ate like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He shook his head a bit and chuckled at the sight. It was somewhat silly. He was really enjoying his dinner.
"Mmm mmm. This sure is some mighty fine chicken." His grandaddy said as an elderly lady walked up behind him.
"I'm glad you enjoying that." She said with a smile.
"Dana, you added an extra spice?" He asked looking up at her.
"No, no. Original ingrediants. Still the same."
"Somethin' be different." He looked over at Dee Jay and his friend, Mackenzie staring with grins and a full plate. "Boys, don't you be laughing at me. You betta be eatin the food on your plate. Be happy you get as much as you get. When I be your age, I didn't get this much food. We was lucky to even get a piece a chicken. Eat up."
Dee Jay and Mackenzie exchanged glances and giggles before eating their dinner. Then Dee Jays mother came out of the kitchen in a hurry holding a pen and papers in her hands.
"Momma, mi want to thank you for letting us stay here for a while." She said giving her a hug and small kiss on the cheek. She leaned over and hugged her father still enjoying his chicken. "You too, dad."
"Not a problem. But mi grandchild better start eatin' his food. Just look at Dee Jay. Skinnier than a flag pole. You need muscle on them bones, boy." He said reaching across the table for the pepper.
"Than a flag pole." Dee Jays little brother teasingly repeated with a grin plastered on his face.
"Shut up, man." Dee Jay hollared.
"Boy, what did I tell you about yellin' in the house?" His mother asked sternly. He looked up at his mom with sad puppy eyes. "Don't 'chu be lookin' at me like that. Thinkin' you gon' get away with somethin'. I don't wanna hear no more hollarin... or pickin' or fightin'." She added as she started walking up the stairs.
"See, if you had some muscle you wouldn't be havin' Carl pickin' at you." Obeah spoke up with a full mouth.
"I got muscle, grandaddy. Mi strong." Dee Jay said flexing his tiny arm.
"Yea, boy. Mi take you to Jims. He teach you to kickbox. Then you'll come home and eat everything on your plate. You'll learn to appreciate things more." He said pointing a chicken leg at Dee Jay.
"Obeah, don't make him learn kickboxing." Dana said.
"No, Dana. Might do the boy good. Learn a little decipline. Put a little meat on them bones."
"What about me, grandaddy. Don't I get to kickbox too." Carl spoke up.
"When you get older, boy." Obeah said with a smile. "Eat'chu food."
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"Hello? Dee Jay, you there?" A soft feminine voice said. She snapped a finger.
"Yea, yeah." He said coming out of thought. He looked over at her. "Oh, Trisha. Man, you missed a mean performance last night."
"You mean this morning. I could hear the steels from King Street, he was playing so loud." Trisha said sitting on the stool next to him. "Mi startin to think you live here at the bar now."
"Say what, man?" Dee Jay said with a stupid confused smiled on his face.
"Ever since you got back, I see you sitting here everyday. You and your Appleton Estate V/X Rum. You never get up."
"No, no. See, there you be wrong. When the music plays I can't help but dance."
"So what? You wiggle around in your chair, man?" She teased.
"Nah, nah." Dee Jay laughed. "Why you got to do me like that?"
"Like what?" She asked already knowing what he was going to say.
Dee Jay tilted his head towards her and gave her a smile. "You know I want a date. One date. S'all mi askin for. You like me, promise."
"No, Dee Jay. I know how you be."
"No you don't. You don't know."
"Oh, yes I do. You have two loves in your life, kickboxing and music. Mi just be wasting my time with trynna win your heart."
"Now how can you judge me like that? You ain't never been out with me. How you know? You could be me first love out of three." Dee Jay said trying to sound convincing with a large smile planted on his face.
"Oh, I can tell. It be all over your personality. You ain't got time for me." She sighed.
"You ain't been around me enough to know my personality or know if I have time for you." Dee Jay paused then added. "I would make time."
"Oh yeah?" Trisha said getting up from the stool. "I see you around, Dee Jay."
"Yeah. See you around." Dee Jay repeated.
Dee Jay honostly didn't understand Trisha sometimes. He can be as nice as they come and yet she still didn't want one date. But he wasn't going to give up. He knew his feelings for her was more than just friends. Her angelic face was what he saw everytime he closed his eyes. Her dyed blonde cornrowed hair, the big hazel eyes that you can loose yourself in, her dark skin tone that complimented her eyes and hair, and then there was her smile. 'A smile like a bottle nose dolphin' as Dee Jay always described it. Yes, her smile was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. And then... then there's her attitude. One which Dee Jay loved. He loved her independent ways and how she put on such a strong front. A strong woman mentally and physically always won Dee Jay's heart. So what's her flaw? Everybody has a flaw. Even Dee Jay admits, that even though she seems to be the essence of perfection, she does have one flaw in his eyes. She wasn't a born and raised Jamaican. Originally from a bad neighboorhood in Brooklyn, New York which is probably a good reason for her strength. She had just picked up the Jamaican accent a few months ago. But this flaw was minor. In fact, it really didn't mean anything. He didn't mind a little Biggie Smalls here and there.
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Dee Jay sat up in his room. He could hear the sounds of Bob Marley being played loud from outside. Mackenzie bursted through the door and before he could say anything, he already knew what was going on.
"A block party Dee Jay! C'mon, lets go!" Mac bursted with excitement as he ran back down stairs and outside on the streets. Dee Jay followed close behind.
"Oh, mi goodness. Is that Dee Jay? Scrawney little Dee Jay?" A large lady said walking over to him.
"Yes ma'am." Dee Jay answered coming to a hault in front of them.
"He ain't scrawney no mo'. Look at that boy. Growin' up so fast." Another lady said.
"Yea, and look... I can do a backflip!" Dee Jay said with excitement as he demostrated it to the two ladies.
Standing from a far, Obeah watched Dee Jay show off his kickboxing skills to neighbors and friends. An elderly man approached Obeah and they began to converse.
"Your grandchild sure be takin' that kickboxing well." He shouted over the loud music.
"Yeah, man. He's learning quicker than what I thought he would have." Obeah shouted back.
"Ohh. To be that young again." He said as Obeah nodded in agreement.
"But with age comes knoweledge. Mi gon' teach my grandchildren right, to appreciate the things that most people take for granted."
"Ah. So you gave them the ol' Obeah Legend story, eh?"
"Mm hm." He answered.
There was a long pause between the two men.
"Be ashame Dee Jay and Carl got to go through this awful divorce, man. Must be hell." The man said looking away from Obeah to Dee Jay's brother standing by his mother. "Let Jah be their guide though."
Dee Jay looked over at the two men talking. He knew what they were talking about. His momma
and dad's divorce was the topic out of everyones mouth. The first couple to be divorced on their block.
Dee Jay shook off the feeling of anger of the divorce and ran out closer to the speakers. Letting the
music take him away. Taking his mind off of all of his worries and stress.