I have to say that although I loved my dad's mom, she was pretty radical in some things.
Somewhere two hours away from Janine's family home, Ibrahim and Nora had a discussion in the living room while they ignored Rosemarie's cries coming from the baby monitor. They had both woken up about an hour ago, but didn't talk since they were waiting for Rosemarie to wake up.
Nora and Ibrahim looked alike. They both had the same eyes, hair color, and such, except Ibrahim's hair was short and a little spiked while Nora's was long and permed. Ibrahim was about seven inches taller than her as she only came up at about 5'3".
"Ibrahim, you must think about Rosemarie!" Nora shouted with her hands raised, "She needs a mother who isn't abusive."
"But, mom, Janine only did it once. She would only do that if she were really mad—"
"No, she wouldn't." Nora cut him off. "She is abusive and you know it. Remember that poor old couple at the market? Look at what happened then."
Ibrahim remembered that incident very well. He and Janine were walking around the market with her aunt, Phoebe, when an older couple walked pass them and pushed her aunt. Janine had gotten fired up and was very angry. She asked why they did it, calmly, they started yelling and shouting instigating the fight. Janine acted on impulse and slapped the lady. The woman shut her mouth while her eyes watered up. Her husband did nothing except back away. Deidre and Joseph later on saw what was happening and dragged Ibrahim, Janine, and Phoebe away from them. About a week later, the older couple tried to sue Janine for assault and for a "ruined reputation." Janine had won since there were witnesses who saw the whole thing and the court saw how it could have been avoided if the couple didn't do what they did.
Although everyone else saw Janine's innocence in that case, Nora didn't. She never told anyone else, but she really thought her daughter-in-law should have gotten some kind of punishment; even though Janine was pregnant with Rosemarie at the time.
Ibrahim sighed as he mother continued on about how Janine is an unfit mother. True, there were times where she could have resorted to anything but violence, but that wasn't all that made up Janine. She only acts like that out of anger and stress; something she has had a lot of lately. But, unknown to Ibrahim, he really did have the same views as his mother about Janine being an unfit mother; he just wouldn't say it.
"You must take Rosemarie, Ibrahim." Nora said confidently. "I won't allow her to stay with that mother of hers." She said the word with disgust; she didn't see how someone like Janine deserved that title.
Ibrahim's jaw dropped and he sat there speechless for once in his life. Take her away? He thought about it, I can't do that to her. He still loves Janine and wouldn't want to even try to hurt her although he has numerous times. He didn't think it would be right of him either to take away their daughter from her, even though he already did take her away.
It was always unknown to Ibrahim how he had hurt Janine. Before, whenever he came home, if he came home, Janine would be crying her eyes out or would have locked him out of their room for the night. It never had occurred to him that he was causing her any kind of pain. Ibrahim usually spends most of his free time with his friends and always had. They would go to bars, shooting ranges, hang out in the cemetery, and even try to pick up prostitutes. He didn't believe any of that would hurt Janine or their child.
Nora stood up from her place on the couch and patted her son's shoulder then went up the stairs to go back to sleep. She knew her son needed time to think about what he would do and hoped that he would do what she said.
While they had talked and while Nora tried to take a nap as Ibrahim thought about his situation, Rosemarie had cried the whole time loud and clear but no one had bothered to check on her. She was hungry, but neither one of them fed her. She was bored, but they didn't entertain her. And of course, she still wanted her mother with her.
After a couple of hours of crying, Janine finally changed out of her nightgown and in to a pair of jeans and a black tank top. Her stomach was very empty since that last she had eaten was yesterday afternoon, since she was too angry because of Ibrahim to eat. Deirdre had ordered her Chinese food, her favorite food when she's upset. She pigged out on Chow fun and egg rolls as her brother and sister tried to tell her how she can get Rosemarie back.
"You're her mother," Jade pointed out, "Nora doesn't have the power to stop that."
Janine just nodded. She was really worn out from everything that has been happening. She didn't sleep yet and was still worried about her daughter.
"But, Ibrahim is still her father," Marcus countered, "He has just as much a right as Janine."
Jade narrowed her eyes at him, "Dude, he basically kidnapped her. And, he hasn't been acting like a father anyway. He's always hanging out with his friends—"
Marcus covered her mouth as she didn't stop talking. He looked over at Janine whose eyes were wide open and she had her hands on the table. "What has he been doing?" She demanded.
Marcus glared momentarily at Jade as he uncovered her mouth then looked to Janine with a sullen look. "He's been hanging out with his friends a lot. That's why he always comes home late and why he lost his job." He shrugged. "He stopped showing up."
Janine had an incredulous look in her eyes. The anger she had the night before was nothing compared to what she felt now. She only had one thing on her mind that was that she was going to bring Rosemarie home whether or not her mother-in-law or if her husband will try to stop her. There was no way that they can use Rosemarie as leverage as long as she had Rosemarie and she didn't want them to brainwash her. The only thought that Janine had in her mind was that she was going to get her back and she wouldn't leave without her.