What's Meant For You
She loved him when he let her in his home during the chicken epidemic at 10. She loved him at 16, when he swallowed his hatred and took her to homecoming. She loved him on the night of their graduation, when he spent all night worshiping her. She loved him when he left without a trace. She loved him when he didn't call, text, or email for five years.
And, fuck her, she loved him when he turned up out of nowhere, asking for her forgiveness.
Huey P. Freeman x Jazmine DuBois
Romance. Hurt/Comfort. Friendship. Family. Humor.
Rated M
Chapter Seventeen: Bare
SARAH GENTLY PUSHED THE DOOR open and was surprised at what she found. It was a room. A child's room. A room she knew did not belong to Thomas.
"Oh my God," she mumbled.
It was simple, with little touches of personality. She noticed quickly that there was also a walker and a small wheelchair off to the corner.
"Oh my God," she mumbled again, wide eyes taking in the room. She moved to step into it.
"Ma! Jazmine! You gotta come see this!" she heard Cindy call.
Sarah kept the door open but moved to find her daughter. There was a pit in her stomach that seemed to deepen with every step she took. She worked hard not to squeeze down on Alicia's hand.
She made it to Cindy just as Huey and a very ill Jazmine did, followed closely by Robert and Regina. They saw the screen at the same time. The image there was of a smiling face that greatly favored Thomas, but had very clear differences.
"My guess is cerebral palsy," Huey stated.
"I found a room," Sarah said, her voice sounding far away. "A child's room. With a walker and a wheelchair." Huey kept his eyes on Sarah but pulled Jazmine close to his body. "How could...? I mean he... Where...? Oh my God..."
"Jazmine and I found something in the documents," Huey said carefully. "Theo DuBois. Thomas' twin brother."
Sarah released Alicia's hand and went to sit down. Her mind began to swim as she did her best to make sense of it all.
"Where is he?" she asked finally, staring blankly ahead.
"He was pronounced passed on his 14th birthday, to the minute," Huey answered. "I can't say for sure but... I believe it may have happened at the same set of stairs that made you stay in Italy."
Sarah turned several shades of green.
"So are we all sayin' what we think we sayin'?" Riley asked as he looked around.
"I can't be sure of anything until we've done the proper research," he said. "How she managed to keep the loss of a child a secret while still providing another with an incredibly privileged life is beyond me. But we'll find the truth and use it to take care of Thomas."
All eyes moved to Jazmine then, who'd been silent for some time now. Huey felt her quivering. He rubbed a large hand up and down her back.
"I have an uncle," she said. "I had an uncle. And he... Thomas, he..." She took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes as a familiar stinging prickled. She opened her eyes again and looked at Huey. "Tell me what to do. What to look for. I want him gone, Huey. Before he can steal anything else away from me."
He rested his lips against her forehead for a brief moment before standing tall again, authority pouring from his stance. "We need records. Hospital records, news reports, anything we can find that has his name on it. His grave, we need to find that as well. The hospital where he did his check-ups may be helpful. If we can find an obituary, that would likely help as well. Additionally, we need to find everything we can on Thomas. Did he make a statement? Did he live anywhere else for any period of time? Was he encouraged to seek counselling following the event? And finally, we need to talk to Greta and Gino. There's no fucking way they don't know anything at all about Theo. The question for them is why did they choose to keep it a secret."
Jazmine and Huey didn't sleep that night. They sat awake together, going through everything they found. Once they had that to go on, it became easier to know what kind of questions needed to be asked.
They found old bills and records from Theo's hospital stays in a larger city not too far from where they were. They also found that heavy donations were still being made to the hospital, addressed specifically for a wing for those who struggle with cerebral palsy. Huey made arrangements for them to visit tomorrow after they spoke with Greta and Gino.
It wasn't until nearly four in the morning that Jazmine released a tired sigh.
"We should try to get some rest," he said. She made a noise that signified she understood but made no move to lie down.
"Jazmine," he said gently but firmly, making her look at him. "Enough."
"Huey, I-"
"Come here," he said, his voice still low and gentle. She hesitated before getting up and going over to his side of the bed. Once she was close enough, he pulled her to stand between his legs.
"This keeps getting farther and farther out of control, Huey," she said. "He tried to kill me. He tried to hurt my mother. And Cindy. My mother for the second and third time. And now... Theo? And nobody said anything." She was beginning to panic.
"Jazmine-"
"I can't let him take anyone from me. I have a family I have to protect and I have no idea how or what the fuck I'm doing!"
"Jazmine..."
"He has a history of doing fuck up shit that's older than me. He got me! He attacked my mother with my daughter in the house! And Cindy! He has some crazy, fucked up vendet-!
Huey buried a hand in her hair and brought her lips to his. Hungrily. Her shock gave way to the warmth that moved through her and she moaned against his lips and melted into his pace. She wasn't sure how long he's kissed her but when he pulled away she was dazed.
"First of all; you're right. This is getting more intense. And I'm sorry that this is all just coming to a head But everyone who can answer for it, will. I promise," he began. "Secondly; I know that you don't know what you're doing. You shouldn't be experienced in bullshit like this. But I am. And so is Riley. And so is Granddad. We'll make sure you're safe. You, your mother, your sister," he smirked, "and your daughter."
Confusion flitted across her face before her eyes widened. "Oh my God. Huey I-"
He silenced her with another kiss, much more innocent. "We'll wait to talk to her about it when this is settled. But thank you."
She watched his eyes for a moment more before leaning forward and kissing him. She worked her lips against his slowly, deepening it as she climbed into his lap, straddling him.
His hands roamed over her bare thighs before slipping beneath her - his - shirt and forcing it over her head. He was pleased to find that she wore nothing but a pair of very thin, black lace panties. He groaned in appreciation before trailing his lips down her throat.
She sighed his name before reaching between them and into his shorts, freeing his length. She began to stroke him just as he pulled a nipple into his mouth.
"Huey," she pleaded, pressing him against her slick panties and grinding against him. She moved her panties to the side and lined him up with her, trying to sink down on him. She only took his head in when he gripped her hips.
"Jazmine," he hissed, eyes closed as he focused on not forcing his hips up. "We can't..."
"I want to feel you," she breathed, taking his face between her hands and making him face her. He opened his eyes to see the desire and desperation dancing in her. His grip lessened a bit, as if in a trance. When she slipped a bit farther down, both of their lips parted. "Please don't make me stop Huey."
"Jazmine, I-" She sank all the way down, gasping as the pain and undeniable pleasure overtook her.
Huey's tight grip returned and he looked almost pained. Every inch of him begged him to flip her over and pump into her until she milked him for all he had, directly into her womb. She felt so good. So much better than his imagination could construct. She was hot. Tight. And so wet. All for him.
But his mind knew better. Knew better than to allow her to have this moment when her mind was foggy, everyone is on edge, and darkness is still looming over them with no end in sight.
So he flipped her over and they both groaned at the new angle. He pulled out of her before lining up with her clit and rubbing his length along her slit.
"Huey," she moaned, part in pleasure and part in disappointment.
"Must you test my resolve so often?" he groaned, loving his slickness but missing the feel of being inside her.
"Huey I want to feel it inside," she moaned, tilting her hips and nearly taking him again. He used one hand to balance himself and the other to pin her hips to the bed. He was close, and the erratic tensing in her stomach let him know that she was close too.
"I want to give you something special, pretty girl," he groaned, speeding up his pace. "You don't understand how badly I wanna push into you. Make you cum until you can't breathe."
"Huey please," she whined, though she wasn't sure what she was asking for.
"And gettin' a taste of that pussy... My pussy is makin' it hard to be a gentleman."
"Then don't," she moaned. "I miss it."
He growled before leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Before we leave," he began, "I want you to go shopping. Pick out a dress and something special. Just for me." She nodded along, struggling against his hand. "I want to take you somewhere breathtaking. Give you a peak into the life Imma give you." She was a whimpering mess as her orgasm neared. Still, she clung to his every word.
"And when we get home, and I lay you down on this bed, I want to explore every inch of you until I push inside you and cum."
She screamed his name as he drove her over the edge, just barely registering his groans and the warmth that splashed on her stomach.
It was Huey that cleaned her up as well as cleared the bed. He got them situated beneath the covers and pulled her into his arms. She felt the exhaustion wash over her.
"I want this to be over," she whispered. "I want my mom to be able to live happily. Find someone to love her properly. I want Cindy and Riley to get married and make me an auntie. I want my family. A safe life for Alicia and any other child we have."
"And you'll have that," he replied. "We're already so much closer than we were yesterday. Get some sleep."
She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for the darkness to swallow her whole.
Despite their late night, Huey and Jazmine were up early. When they went down into the kitchen they could only bring themselves to want water. There wasn't much in the house anyway, but hunger still seemed to escape them.
"Do we have a plan of attack for today?" Jazmine asked.
"I think we should collect as much information as possible first. Anywhere we can gain access to public records, we should go. I had some of my men looking already so we shouldn't be too long," he began. "Once we've gathered all that we can, we should present it to Greta and Gino. As much as I'd like for this to be more intimate for you and Sarah, having multiple minds there is the best idea. Once we leave there, we'll head to the city and get to that hospital - get everything we can from there."
She nodded, worry evident in her features. Huey pulled her close.
"We'll get to the bottom of this by tomorrow. And then we'll make a new memory here," he promised. She kissed him just as the rest of their family walked down the stairs.
Once everyone was in attendance, they wasted no time. With an idea of what all they were looking for, they set out just now. They collected old newspapers, police records, and audio for any news castings. It appeared that other than his birth, his death, and his medical history, there wasn't much about Theo.
"I guess that's not surprising," Sarah said as they made their way to Greta's. "It's not like he had much time to make news."
"Still, the gap we have is a minimum of 14 years long," Huey said. "After we talk to Greta and Gino, we should have a better idea. The hospital will hopefully give us some more insight on Theo."
They stopped before the restaurant much too soon for Jazmine's liking. Still, she set her shoulders back and marched forward, knowing that the only way out of this nightmare was through.
Greta's normal smile was replaced with sadness and even fear. Gino emerged from the back, giving them a nod before locking the doors and signifying that the restaurant was closed.
No one said anything at first, most having no idea where to start and Huey wanted to tread lightly. Everyone was surprised when it was Cindy who spoke up first.
"I know you love Jazmine," she said quietly. "So everything in me needs to believe that you had a reason. Please don't let me be wrong."
Greta looked from Cindy to Jazmine to Sarah before tears began falling from her eyes.
"I was sworn to secrecy. Never to tell unless you needed to know," she admitted.
"Why?" Jazmine asked. "Why would you have to hide that?"
"Your father may have murdered your uncle years before you were even a thought - what good would that have done you to know?"
Jazmine flinched at the thought but understood her point. "We came to you yesterday and told you what was going on. Why didn't you tell me then?"
"You had to find this out on your own," Gino said sadly. "Even coming from people who love you, news like that isn't easy to comprehend or even believe. We couldn't be the ones to solidify what it is you already knew."
"That he was a monster," she said quietly. Jazmine seemed to get lightheaded.
"Sit," Greta instructed before moving to get everyone some tea and something to eat. It wasn't until everyone had something before them that joined them.
"As I'm sure you know, Theo struggled with cerebral palsy. Because of this, he wasn't out too often in the open. Your grandmother was afraid of the evils the lurked beyond her walls." Her pause was palpable. "We didn't even see him often. Usually for special occasions or if we caught them while he was available. Most of his time was spent with his family or at the hospital."
"Memoriale di Saint Grace Ospedale," Huey offered. She nodded.
"He went for therapy and regular checkups. She doted on him. Did her best to make sure that he was surrounded with love and support. The hospital played an incredible part in this."
"Thus the handsome donation," Cindy stated.
"She asked that I make sure some of the earnings from the vineyard go to the hospital."
"Indefinitely?" Jazmine asked.
"For at least fourteen years."
"Where does Thomas fit into this story?" Huey asked.
"Nowhere, it sounds like," Jazmine noted.
Greta's face was overcome with sadness. "Your grandmother was an incredible woman; loving, loyal, and giving. If I ever believe she made a mistake, it would be overcompensating love for Theo. Because it pulled too much attention from Thomas."
"How do you mean?" Sarah asked.
"They went to all of his after school events. Made sure he had everything he needed and everything he wanted. He had presents under the tree for Christmas and piles of gifts on his birthday. But it was usually Theo who told stories of being tucked in at night. Theo received hugs at almost every turn. It was Theo that received the most of what money couldn't buy."
"They neglected him," Huey stated.
"In a way," Gino replied. "I'm sure they hadn't meant to. But loving a child with special needs was a difficult task. They dedicated so much time to keeping Theo safe, healthy, and away from the world that they missed what was building up in Thomas."
"You said Thomas may have murdered Theo," Jazmine mentioned. "Do you not know for sure?"
They both shook their heads. "While it was heavily implied there was no solid evidence. With that wealth, it wasn't difficult to have everything handled privately. They had a small funeral to themselves and had us over for a memorial. It was there that she spoke with us about her plans to donate to the hospital. Had it not been for her frequent trips to the hospital, you'd never know that she once had two sons."
This made Jazmine wince.
"When you saw Thomas, how was he behaving?"
"Remorseful," Gino answered. "But, of course, I didn't know how true that was. Not long after that, they maintained dual citizenship in the states. After Thomas had settled into college, they both came back to Italy for good."
"They talk about Thomas after they came back?" Riley asked, speaking for the first time.
"No," Greta said. "It was like he never existed to them. They continued to donate to the hospital and visited frequently to keep themselves from losing their mind. But then Thomas started bringing Sarah around. After the incident with the stairs and the passing of your grandfather, the trips there slowed so that she could dedicate her attention to Sarah. After she returned to America, we caught rare moments with her. She'd come for lunch and have us for dinner but we knew there was something missing from her. The life returned to her during the summers Jazmine came and she was delighted when Sarah and Alicia were here. She passed on happily, I hope. But with many, many ghosts."
There was a long moment of silence before Jazmine spoke.
"Is there anything you can tell us at all that may offer some insight? Anything?"
They didn't respond immediately.
"There's a head nurse at the hospital. Nurse Gianna Valentino. The mailing address for the checks were always written to her attention. She should still be there. I'm sorry that we don't have more to tell you, sweetheart."
Jazmine got up and enveloped them both in a hug. They held her close, relief flooding through them.
"We'll find the truth," Jazmine promised. And then we'll give you a proper visit."
The ride to the hospital was completely silent as everyone did all they could to process what Gino and Greta told them.
Huey ran his fingers comfortingly along Jazmine's arm as silent tears fell from her eyes. He didn't need her to speak to know that she was running her memories of her father alongside the information she had now, trying to connect the pieces of him she didn't know existed.
Sarah was no better. She looked so much like Jazmine then; beautiful, heartbroken, and determined. Cindy held her hand tightly, giving whatever strength she had to give.
Their devastation was clear, but their understanding that they were closer to the end rang even truer. Huey offered to take Jazmine home and let her think on what she was told. She refused immediately, ready to take on the next piece of the puzzle. And he didn't try to stop her. But he did allow himself to slow down and step back to be there when it truly mattered.
They arrived at the hospital well before anyone was truly ready, save for Huey, Riley, and Granddad.
It was beautiful. Large and compiled of dark brown brick. It was easy to see that there were only about two floors. The grounds were beautifully taken care of with flowers, a large fountain, stone walkways, and even statues of old saints. In the distance there seemed to be a few more small buildings - housing and recreational.
"It's incredible," Jazmine muttered, her wide eyes trying to take in as much as she possibly could.
Once parked, they all quickly made there way in. The inside was quite drastically different from the inside. Though it harbored quaint and personal touches, it was incredibly modern and booming with technology; from the security measures to the few pieces of medical equipment they could see.
The woman at the front desk advised that the wing they were searching for took up most of the top floor. In the back of the building were homes dedicated to those without family living with cerebral palsy, having a higher population in the city than was truly known. With a smile, Jazmine thanked her and led the charge to the top floor.
The first woman she saw was an older woman who's presence reminded her of her grandmother. She fixed her dark eyes on Jazmine, recognition flashing briefly in her eyes. She recovered quickly and offered the group a large smile.
"You must be the Freeman group," she greeted kindly. "My name is Gianna Valentino. I'm the -"
"Head nurse," Jazmine finished softly. When Gianna looked at Jazmine this time she allowed her curiosity to show.
"Have we met before?"
"No," she answered. "But my name is Jazmine DuBois. I'm Theodore DuBois' niece."
Thank you guys so much for your support.
Bulmas Ego you have been such a positive light and with me trying to find my balance again I can't wait to go on this journey with you and also dive into all of the incredible things you'll continue to create.
ThickBlackGirl thank you for your kind comments always and just being engaged with me. It's always such a nice feeling to see that this is something that actually interests you.
RabbitMelody I hope that they were chills of the interested kind! Thank you so much for writing a review. I really appreciate it.
I can't say thank you enough. I hope you all have an incredible new year and new decade. 2020 is the year of dreams.
Q. I.