Remembrance

Chapter Ten

A week before my due date we had our monthly dinner at our house. Generally, just my parents came but because of my condition, both sets of parental units decided to come together. I wish I could have been happy about that. The thing is my parents were so different from James' aunt and uncle who were his adopted parents. His aunt was extravagant and boisterous; his uncle is a miser ruled by his wife. Now they were good people and seemed to like me just fine despite my heritage, according to his aunt, Betty, who was James' mother's sister.

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Well I thank God for my mother who can get along with anyone, she grinned and nodded for most of the meal while Betty went on and on about her recent spa weekend. I guess that James' uncle being a cheap sort had played in my favor because even though his uncle owns several hotels they chose to live in our modest neighborhood, though the reason most people lived in our area was the closeness to the smaller towns. We were situated on the edge of town and had to drive to do most things for at least five minutes when we were growing up.

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I could tell Dad was bored when he began to tell stories about me when I was a baby. I really would have gone under the table except that well I was very pregnant.

I rolled my eyes in mom's direction but I think she thought even a tale about me in diapers was preferable to listening to Betty babbling. I tried to drown the sound of his voice out but it just did not happen.

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Dad recalled how I used to sit in one spot and rock for what seemed like hours on my knees when I was trying to figure out how to crawl. James found that amusing though when he looked my way; I raised my eyebrow at him and indicated we needed to talk in the kitchen. I really must have frightened him with my look because he didn't move he just looked in the direction of Aunt Betty who was enjoying the story. I rolled my eyes as I got up with a bit of difficulty to go to the kitchen on my own only to find James at my side a second later.

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"Are you okay?"

"Well if being bored to death isn't an illness, I'm fine," I said irritated.

"They will be gone soon," he said as he smiled at me as he rubbed my stomach, the kind of smile that is nicer when the house it empty.

"Thanks Sweetie, lets take in the cake maybe they will get the hint," I said after he kissed me.

A half hour later they were all gone and I was a bit sad that I didn't get to chat with my Mom but we could talk on the phone it was just a tradition with us to chit chat when they came for dinner, the next time they came the baby would be here needing my attention. A baby changes everything.

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My senior year in high school I began to have doubts about marrying at such a young age. When I mentioned it to James, he seemed upset with me, saying that we had known one another most of our lives and that we couldn't get any closer.

"Is it that you don't love me?" he asked looking so sad it broke my heart.

I went into his arms hoping to assure him.

"I do love you; very much. But, maybe we should see other people for a while to see if what we are doing isn't because we have grown so comfortable with one another."

He hated the idea but agreed that for two months, we had the option to see other people but of course, nothing physical could happen, plus we would still see each other.

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My Dad liked the idea but Mom hated it.

"Jessica why are sabotaging your relationship?' she asked as I sat at the table peeling potatoes while she worked on the rest of our meal.

"I thought you would be the one to agree with the idea; not Dad."

"Well, your Dad is hoping you will change your mind because he doesn't want you to leave home yet."

I hadn't thought about that.

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After dinner that night I spoke with Dad, before he went down to uncle Sam's to watch the ball game. We set on the front steps.

"So Mom says…."

"She told you didn't she?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Sometimes that woman has a big mouth," he teased with a smile.

"Dad you are never going to be ready for me to leave home or grow up, right?"

He looked in my eyes, "No, Sweet Cakes, you can stay here forever and I would be fine with it."

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I hugged him.

"But I do love James and I want to marry him because he is like you," I said with my head down.

In my head, it sounded dirty. I couldn't look at him.

He raised my chin, " You mean he is handsome and adventurous?"

I laughed as he smiled at me, "Yes, he wants to go to Greece and maybe Italy sometime to see where his ancestors came from. I think it is cool that he has that desire."

Dad nodded.

"You know the way you feel about that young man seems to be pretty set in stone. Seeing other people won't change that; I say go ahead and try it."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," I grinned.

Dad smiled before he headed to Uncle Sam's.

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I refused to date anyone who played sports so the first person I went out with other than James, who seemed determined to keep me dating only him, was Van the editor of the school paper. He was smart, brunette, and tall with nice green eyes similar to mine and he seemed to be infatuated with me. Somewhat creeped me out at first because at the pizza place he kept staring at me. Unfortunately, I found out after the movie that he had always wanted to date a black girl. I was the closest he had come to that goal. I was hurt by the incident because I had never been treated as a color before.

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"Mom, I thought he was a nice guy."

Mom was sitting on my bed and I had my head in her lap as she played with my hair.

"Jessica him being curious doesn't make him bad but some people don't know how to respond to those that look different than them. I don't think he meant to hurt you."

"No?"

"No, he probably hasn't been taught about treating everyone the same. We are the minority here you know."

"Mom, I love you but sometimes I ….wish I looked like Mags, she looks almost white."

"She may look white but she is just like you, a beautiful multicultural young woman. Genetics is a funny thing; all three of you look different. I personally find it amazing. I'm sorry if you don't see that diversity is a good thing."

She started to move off the bed but I stopped her after I realized I had hurt her the way I had been hurt.

"Mom, you know I love you I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I have never felt comfortable in my skin its not just the color but just being tall and having wavy hair," I tried to laugh it off.

I raised up so she could hold me just as Dad came to the open door followed by Mags who's eyes matched Dad's exactly. I felt a bit jealous of her again.

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"Is everything all right?" he asked as he walked in to sit on the end of the bed.

"Jessica had a bad date; we are just discussing the color issue," Mom said as she smiled at Dad.

"Really? What about it have we covered?"

"I think I hurt Mom's feelings," I said.

Mom explained that she thought all her kids were beautiful and that was why they had modeled for catalogs as children. I had no idea so she left the room to go get the copies she had saved. Dad hugged me while she was gone telling me that I should never feel anything but proud of my heritage but most the important thing about a person would always be their character.

Mags rolled her eyes behind Dad's back.

"James loves you as you are right? Then why make that young man suffer," Dad teased as Mom brought in the pictures.

There were several different catalogs for children; each one of us was in quite a few and they spanned several years. Dad smiled as he left the room while Mags sat down with us to look at the pictures.

What I learned: Beauty may be skin deep but love should go all the way through.

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Mom told me that the midwife had let her know that Dad and I had some sort of connection. I didn't understand it but it was a positive energy that flowed between us. I asked Dad about it just before I turned eighteen because James still didn't get our closeness anymore than I did; but I enjoyed it.

"Sweet Cakes, I wish I could explain it but I am in your position because I have no idea what allows us to communicate so well most of the time."

I looked up at him as he stood by my chair as I sat on the patio.

"Do you think it is part of my gift?"

"That's what I always thought but this goes beyond that realm; I think I have just gotten used to you almost like you are another adult around here."

I giggled and he smiled at me.

"But no drinking and such, you hear," he teased then tickled me.

What I learned: My mysterious connection with my Dad is a blessing for us both.

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TBC

The Wedding is coming Soon.