"So, what happened afterward when she told you about everything?" Huey asked Ebony.
"Once I found out she had AIDS, I knew that could easily get transmitted to Huelene, so I had a friend of mine give me medication so it wouldn't transmit to Huelene," Ebony explained.
"That explains why she has no sign of the AIDs infection," Huey stated.
"Yes, and there was a possibility that Jazmine could survive AIDS if she kept taking her medication," Ebony said.
"And did she take her medication?" Huey asked.
"Yes, she always made sure she took her medication every day. It got to the point her symptoms barely showed," Ebony answered.
"And with it barely showing, I thought she could possibly give life another shot. Since she was having a hard time getting a job because she was pregnant, a friend of Nicole worked as a principal at an elementary and they had been looking for a nurse. I offered Jazmine as an option so she could do something other than sitting at the house bored all day," Ebony explained.
"She worked as an elementary school nurse?" Huey asked quite amazed.
"Yes, that is exactly what I just said," Ebony answered once again.
"She must have really been good with kids," Huelene spoke.
"She was, they all had loved her! I was just happy to see a smile on her face when she started working again," Ebony smiled.
I had bought a new pair of pants and a shirt for Jazmine's attire as a nurse. Because she had gained weight, she couldn't fit into her other uniform. She tried to force herself into her uniform, but it eventually ripped, and she cried since her natural figure was changing.
She soon felt better when I took her to get some chocolate-covered strawberries and then we went to meet up with the principal.
Her name was Beatrice Johnson, but she was either referred to as Principal Johnson or Ms. Johnson.
She, me, and Jazmine were all walking through the school halls.
"Now, our grade level goes all the way up to sixth grade, and all our children here are very well behaved," Principal Johnson informed us.
I found that to be a lie because not every kid at a school is good. I know for a fact when I was in grade school I wasn't the best well-behaving kid.
"That must be nice," Jazmine said.
"Yes, and they shouldn't give you a problem!" Principal Johnson assured.
"Okay, that's another thing I won't have to worry about," Jazmine said relieved.
"Yes, and if they do give you a problem you can let me or the teachers know so we can set them straight," Principal Johnson exclaimed.
"If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by 'set them straight?" Jazmine asked.
"What I mean is we discipline them," Principal Johnson tried to simplify.
"What do you mean discipline?" Jazmine asked concerned.
"I mean they get popped or a spankin'" Principal Johson answered.
"Wait...you spank the kids?" Jazmine asked looking at Principal Johnson funny.
"Yes, we spank the kids here, do you have a problem with that?" Principal Johnson asked crossing her arms.
I knew Jazmine was about to say something offensive towards Principal Johnson and I had to jump in.
"She's fine with it!" I immediately answered as Principal Johnson directed her attention toward me.
"Really cause it seems as if she has a problem with how we discipline kids here," Principal Johnson said not believing my word.
"Promise me, she doesn't have a problem with how you operate around here, it's just her pregnancy hormones," I said trying to cover it up.
Jazmine looked at me funny and I could already tell she was mad at me.
"If you excuse me I have to go to the restroom," Jazmine told us looking around.
"Which way do I go?" she asked as Principal Johnson pointed: "Down the hall to your left."
Jazmine gave Principal Johnson a fake smile and started toward the restroom.
"Give me a second, I have to go assist her," I said as Principal Johnson gave me a fake smile.
I looked down the hall to see Jazmine was already turning to go into the girls' restroom. I had to jog to the restroom in my expensive heels that were not meant for any type of exercise.
I entered the girls' restroom to see Jazmine was looking at herself in the mirror and gripping the sink.
"Jazmine are you okay?" I asked as she looked back at me a little upset.
"Why won't you let me speak for myself?" she asked turning around.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"What I mean is why won't you let me speak my mind," she said.
"Jazmine, I'm not keeping you from speaking your mind," I said trying to defend myself.
"Oh yeah, then what was that back there?" she asked as I rolled my eyes.
"Jazmine you're already on thin ice with the principal and you just met her," I warned.
"I wasn't trying to be on thin ice with her. I was alright with everything until she said she and the other teachers abuse the kids if they do something wrong," she argued.
Abuse?
Oh right, I keep forgetting she was raised around white people growing up.
"Jazmine, it's not abuse, it's discipline," I corrected.
"Either way it goes I still think it harms the child," she said shaking her head.
"Okay, but Jazmine, you said you wanted to work again, and Nicole and I were able to try and get you a job here, but you have to cooperate, and sometimes cooperating is doing things you don't want to do," I exclaimed.
"But Ebony, I don't want to put my hands on a kid that's the parent's job," Jazmine said expressing her real reason.
"Jazmine, she implied that you don't have to spank them, they'll do the discipline part while you make sure the kids are healthy," I tried to assure her as she sighed in relief.
"And you have to remember, you're not at a white school where kids can get away with that kind of stuff, you're at a black school where teachers and parents don't play with kids about misbehaving," I reminded her.
She didn't have anything to say.
"So, will you please take this job so I won't have to hear you complain about not working when you're supposed to be resting," I pleaded as she nodded.
She walked past me and exited the girls' restroom while I followed her.
She went up to Principal Johnson who was waiting nearby the nurse's office and was alert when Jazmine stood in front of her.
"Principal Johnson, I will be interested in taking the nurse position here at your elementary school," Jazmine said sucking up her pride.
"I will be glad to have you aboard with us Ms. DuBois or should I say, Nurse DuBois," she said trying to be funny while shaking Jazmine's hand.
Jazmine gave her a fake laugh and shook her hand back.
"You can start working here next Monday and the arrival time is 7:30," she informed.
"Okay!" Jazmine spoke excitedly.
Monday had soon come and then a month flew by. It happened so quickly I didn't even notice. I would get up early in the morning to shower, eat breakfast, and then drive Jazmine to work. She was always there on time and ready to work.
She didn't have a problem diving into things since she was already a natural.
The principal would call me and always give me updates about Jazmine.
She would say she was doing good, the kids loved her, her coworkers loved her, and she was always able to put a smile on everybody's face.
The kids that would get in trouble would always come to her to get comfort and she would tell me that she felt like she was their mother because some of them didn't have mothers to receive comfort from.
Then every day after school I would always pick her up and she would tell me about her day.
But one day when I came to pick her up, all the kids had left, and she was walking outside the school with a grown man who was carrying her bag.
I made sure to take my shades off so I could get a good look at him.
He looked to be at least 6 feet 2 inches, he was African American or brown skin, he had a nice haircut (low fade with 360 waves), he was pretty in the face, and he was in shape.
The only thing that caught me off guard about the guy was his gym shorts which indicated he was the gym teacher. But those shorts were way too short coaches.
The only thing that made it look alright on him was his muscular legs.
And when you look up a little bit more you could see how much the guy was packing. I was gay but it wasn't disappointing.
He and Jazmine made it to the car and he opened the door for her like a gentleman.
"Thank you, Tyrone!" she said getting in the car. He gave her bag back and just smiled at her.
"I'll see you tomorrow Jazmine, think about my invitation," he said.
"Okay, I will, and I will see you tomorrow," she waved before he close the door for her. He made his way back to the school as she watched him.
"Who was that?" I asked smiling at her.
"Oh, that's Tyrone the gym teacher," she said smiling. She leaned back in her seat blushing like a little girl.
"Is he a new friend of yours?" I asked.
"I guess you can say that we've been pretty close," she said still blushing.
"Where was he trying to invite you?" I asked her.
"He was trying to invite me to his Family Reunion that's happening Labor Day weekend," she said as I smiled even more.
I could tell she liked Tyrone!
"Are you going to go?" I asked hoping she would say yes.
"No!" she simply answered.
"What, why not?" I asked confused.
"Because his family is going to be cooking meat and I hate the smell of animals being cooked. I don't even care if it's even being seasoned, I'm not going," she exclaimed.
"Okay, sorry for asking! You know you're not going to actually be able to smell dead animals," I said as she looked at me funny.
"Ebony before I was pregnant I still didn't like the smell of it and now that I am pregnant it has gotten worse. I throw up every time I smell it," she explained.
"Do you not like meat?" I asked to see if she was one of those vegan people.
"Yes, I don't like meat and other foods that come from animals," she answered.
Okay, so she is vegan!
"Okay, so why didn't you say no to Tyrone?" I asked.
"Because I didn't want to be mean, I'm trying to gather up all my confidence so I can reject his invitation," she said.
"Okay, you don't have to go if animal product foods are going to make you uncomfortable," I assured her as I started up the car.
"Thank you!" she said as I drove from the school.
I guess I can tell Nicole to not put the chicken in the alfredo we were going to eat tonight.
"Who is Tyrone?" Huey asked.
"Tyrone was one of Jazmine's close friends at work," Ebony answered as Huey looked at her funny.
He didn't believe her.
"Are you sure because from the way you were telling it, it didn't seem like he was a close friend," Huey pointed out?
"I think he was a close friend," Ebony tried to assure him.
"No, I think he was soon her boyfriend," Huey said as Ebony looked at him funny.
"What makes you think that?" Huelene asked.
"Maybe because she was smiling and blushing," Huey emphasized.
Ebony rolled her eyes and knew she wasn't going to be able to keep this from Huey.
"Okay, fine, he was somewhat of her boyfriend, I don't fully know what type of relationship they were having," Ebony admitted.
"I hope it was sexual," Huey mumbled as Huelene covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
Her dad was jealous!
"Excuse me, but don't be rude, Jazmine knew not to have sex with him," Ebony sternly spoke.
"And she had a right to move on from you, you're not the only one who can go around town swinging yo' dick around for every skank out there in the streets to suck," Ebony scolded putting Huey in his place.
Jazmine was getting dressed to go on her date with Tyrone. After she had told him she didn't want to come to his Family Reunion because she was vegan he decided to take her out on a date.
She was in the bathroom with a long sleeve green dress on and she was looking at herself in the mirror. She didn't put any makeup on and debated if she should let her hair roam free or to tie it up.
She decided to let it roam free and just push it back a little.
Jazmine looked at me smiling and asked: "How do I look?"
"You look beautiful," I answered.
I heard the doorbell ring letting me know Tyrone had arrived.
"Come, come, let Nicole and I take your picture," I said leaving toward the living room.
She followed me and I had seen Nicole answer the door to reveal Tyrone who was dressed in some nice casual clothes. This was a huge upgrade from his coach uniform.
"Hi Tyrone, come in, come in," Nicole said excitedly welcoming Tyrone into the house.
"Thank you, Mrs. Brown," he said smiling.
"Jazmine should be out in a minute," she said as he looked to see Jazmine enter the living room.
That boy looked as if he had seen an angel!
"I'm here!" she said.
"Oh, good, let me get pictures of you and Tyrone," she said as Jazmine walked up to Tyrone.
Nicole had got the camera ready and she said: "Say cheese!"
"Cheese!" they both said smiling for the camera. There was a flash indicating she took the picture.
"Okay, now let me get another photo," she said backing up. Tyrone and Jazmine did another pose with his hand around her waist while Jazmine hugged him.
The flash went off again indicating Nicole had taken another picture.
"Okay, one more picture," she said as I had to interfere.
"Nicole I think that's enough pictures for tonight," I said as she looked back at me.
"Fine!" she said putting the camera away.
"You two have fun and make sure you have her home by 8:30, not 8:40, not 8:31, 8:30 on the dot," I said.
"Don't worry Mrs. Brown I'll have her back on time," he said before opening the door for her.
"Thank you!" she said exiting the house.
"Bye Ebony and Nicole I'll see you tonight," she waved as we waved back. Tyrone close the door behind him and he did the same thing when they both got to his car.
As they drove off I couldn't help but shed a tear.
"Are you crying Ebony?" Nicole asked giving me a mischievous smirk.
"No!" I said wiping off the tear.
"It's just allergies," I lied.
"Mmm allergies," she said not believing me.
"Just admit you like Jazmine," she smiled.
"I find her to be a good friend," I simply spoke.
"Right...or you probably see her as your daughter," Nicole said smiling.
"Shut up Nicole, let's just go watch tv," I said waving her off as she giggled.
"So, before me there was Jazmine?" Huelene asked.
"Yes, I had seen Jazmine as one of my own and that was hard to give up when she died," Ebony said picking up her coffee and tapping on the cup.
Huey realized that it was hard for Ebony to talk about Jazmine. He picked up from working as a lawyer is when a client taps on their cup or grasps it, it means they're nervous.
Huey was scared to hear from Ebony's side of the story because he knew how it would end.
Thank you for reading!