The extra time had also given him a chance to concentrate on school. No one in his family knew about the online classes he began taking last spring in an effort to finally earn the bachelor’s degree he’d given up on after his father died and left Alex with two brothers and a mother to watch over. With running his business, taking care of Jasmine, and trying to finish up the paper he had to write for the European history class he’d foolishly chosen as an elective, Alex was on the verge of burnout.
He turned down Amelia Street and spotted Toby’s Acura parked along the curb in front of his mother’s house. His family usually got together for Sunday dinner, but his youngest brother, Toby, was leaving tomorrow to go on tour with the singing sensation he’d discovered, Aria Jordan. Six months ago, Aria had won the title of a reality TV talent show and was now one of the hottest names in music.
Alex pulled up behind Toby’s car and tried to get out of the truck as quickly as his aching shoulder would allow.
Mama was standing just inside the open front door.
Alex swore under his breath. He walked over to the gravel driveway, passing Eli’s SUV and Mama’s car. No one ever used the front door. Maybe he could pretend he didn’t see her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Don’t act as if you don’t see me, Alexander.”
His chin fell to his chest. Alex turned left and walked along the pathway up to the small front porch. “It’s no big deal, Mama,” he said as he approached.
“Then why did you have to sneak out of the house?” his mother asked.
He was about to argue that he didn’t sneak out, but decided it was time he confront Mama about her constant hovering.
“I had to sneak out because someone has been keeping me in here like I’m in prison.”
“I have not—”
“Yes, you have,” he cut her off. “You’ve been smothering me and you know it. The fact that I had to wait until you were out of the house before I could leave says enough.”
“I’m trying to help you follow your doctor’s orders.”
“Dinner is getting cold, Mama. Let’s go inside.”
“Where have you been?”
“Let’s go inside,” Alex insisted.
His mother turned and retreated into the living room. “I’m going to find out,” she said.
“And just what are you going to do if you find out? You do remember I’m a thirty eight year old man, right?” Alex asked.
“Since I’m the one who suffered through forty one hours of labor with you, I guess I would remember,” she answered. She was The Guilt Master. “Now tell me where you ran off to,” she said.
“No.” Alex followed her through the living room and into the dining room where his brothers and future sister in law, Monica, were already seated around the table.
“Oooh, you’re in trouble,” Eli said.
“I wouldn’t want to be you,” Toby followed.
“Shut up,” Alex told the both of them.
“Hey there, Alex.” Monica rose from her seat and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t pay attention to your brothers.”
“I never do,” Alex said.
“Daddy!” Jasmine flew in from the kitchen, her arms opened wide. Her light brown eyes, so much like her mother’s, were bright with excitement.
“Hey there, Jazzy Bean.” Alex smiled, stooping down to give her a one armed hug. One of her two thick braids was missing a barrette on the end and had started to unravel. “How was school?”
“I killed a turtle,” she answered matter of factly.
“On purpose?” Toby asked.
“No, Uncle Toby.” Jasmine gave him an exaggerated eye roll only a six year old girl who watched more television than she should could pull off.
Alex tapped her on the shoulder to draw her attention back to him. “What happened to the turtle, Pumpkin?”
“I don’t know.” Jasmine hunched her shoulders. “Mrs. Overland brought the turtle in for everybody to see, and we all got to hold it. When it was my turn, it just died.”
“Well, did you do anything to it?” Monica asked. Jasmine shook her head, guilt gleaming through her round eyes.
“You sure, Water Lily?” Eli asked, using one of the many nicknames Jasmine pretended she didn’t like, but secretly loved. Eli always called her a different type of flower.
“I didn’t do nothing to that turtle,” Jazzy persisted.
“You didn’t do anything,” Eli corrected.
“I didn’t do anything,” Jasmine reiterated, again with the eye roll. It was time Alex broke her of that habit. “I just tried making the turtle better, that’s all.”
The adults at the table all looked at each other. Alex turned his daughter to face him again and asked, “How?”
“I gave him a cough drop.”
“Why?”
“He looked sick, and when I put him up to my ear, I didn’t hear him breathing. When I couldn’t breathe, Grandma gave me cough drops to help clear up the mussus.”
“Mucus,” Alex corrected.
“Yeah, the mussus. I thought the turtle had mussus, so I gave him one of my cough drops to help him breath better.”
“She murdered the turtle,” Eli deadpanned.
“Stop it,” Monica said under her breath. “It was a mistake.”
“Let’s hope,” Toby added.
Mama came into the dining room carrying a glass dish with baked pork chops covered in gravy.
“Grandma, did you see the towels?” Jasmine asked. “I put them all away.”
“I saw, baby.”
“So, can I go?”
“Your plate is on the kitchen table.”
“Yes!” Jasmine cheered. She disentangled herself from Alex’s hold and ran to the kitchen. In a matter of seconds, she ran back from the kitchen holding a plate of something Alex couldn’t identify, and went straight through the dining room into the living room. The sound of the television firing on soon followed.
“What was that about?” Alex asked his mother as he rounded the table and took the seat at the opposite end.
“I told her she could have chicken nuggets and watch TV if she helped me with the laundry. She put the towels away.”
“That’s part of her chores at home, Mama. She shouldn’t get special treats for doing something she already has to do.”
There was a pregnant pause; then Eli said, “We didn’t think Jasmine should be in here for the conversation we’re about to have.”
The hairs on the back of Alex’s neck stood at attention as his eyes roamed over the faces at the table. Faces that were focused on him.
“What’s wrong?” His heartbeat automatically escalated.
“Jasmine’s principal called while you were away,” Mama answered.
Trepidation slithered down his spine. “What did she say?”
“Apparently, Jasmine has been acting out in class,” Monica said.
“Acting out how?”
“The teacher says she’s been bullying some of the other students,” Eli answered. “And any time they try to discipline her, she starts screaming uncontrollably and crying about not having a mother anymore.”
“Pretty smart, if you asked me,” Toby said, stabbing a pork chop with his fork and plopping it on his plate. “I tried milking Pop’s death my entire seventh grade year.”
“Tobias Anthony!” their mother screeched.
“Could you try not being an ass once in a while?” Eli grumbled.
“No language at the dinner table, Elijah,” Mama warned. She turned to Alex. “The principal wants to speak with you tomorrow.”
If he were not so upset, Alex would have laughed at the irony. He’d gone through twelve years of school without ever being called to the principal’s office for discipline problems. Jasmine was only in the first grade and was already making a name for herself as a troublemaker.
“What am I supposed to do?” Alex asked.
“Talk to the principal. Then you’ll ne
ed to talk to that little diva in there,” Mama said. “She has to learn she cannot use Chantal’s death as an excuse to behave however she wants.”
“This from the woman who’s allowing her to eat junk and watch TV during dinner,” he snorted. A flash of hurt stalked across Mama’s face, and Alex immediately felt like a jerk. “Sorry, Mama.”
“We are all guilty of spoiling her,” his mother argued. “I can admit to giving her more than I probably should. She’s my only grandchild, and it is hard to think about her having to grow up without her mother.”
“Yeah, but she’s not the only kid that’s ever had to grow up without a mother,” Eli rationalized.
Mama nodded. “We’ve got to stop making excuses for her.”
“Did the principal suggest a time we should meet?” Alex asked.
“She asked that you call her office tomorrow morning so you two could set up a time that works for the both of you.”
“Well, any time works for me. It’s not like I’m doing anything with my day.”
“Except for sneaking out like a teenager,” Mama said.
Alex swallowed his retort as they settled in to eat. Dishes piled high with succulent sides made their way around the table as everyone took turns filling the rest of the family in on what was happening in their lives.
“Where’s Sienna?” Monica asked Toby.
Sienna Culpepper was Toby’s fiancée. The two had been best friends since childhood. However, Toby had never pursued a real relationship with Sienna until earlier this year when Sienna worked on the promotion for the TV show that also solidified Toby’s career in the music business.
“She’s having dinner with Ivana. She said she would try to stop in tomorrow to see you before we leave,” Toby said between bites.
“Well, Monica and I have some news,” Eli interrupted.
Alex, Toby and Margo looked at them expectantly.
“We’ve set a date for the wedding,” Monica answered, her smile stretching from ear to ear.
“It’s about time,” Toby said.
“Congratulations.” Mama jumped out of her seat and came around to the other side of the table, lavishing both Monica and Eli with kisses. “I can finally start buying all the wedding favors and decorations I’ve found on the Internet.”
“Only if you plan on bringing all that stuff to St. Martin,” Eli said.
“What?” Mama asked.
“We’ve decided to have a small ceremony in the Virgin Islands,” Monica explained. “We’re thinking of St. Martin, since that’s where Eli’s father’s ancestors came from.”
“Oh yeah, baby,” Toby said, rubbing his hands together. “I’m up for a little fun in the sun. When are ya’ll gonna do this thing?”
“We were hoping to get married later this fall. The weather is really mild around that time.”
“But all the ladies from the church can’t go to the Virgin Islands,” Mama argued as she returned to her seat.
“That’s a good thing, since they’re not invited,” Eli said.
“Eli.” Monica slapped his hand. “We just want a small ceremony with family, Margo.”
“But—”
“No buts, Mama.”
“I hope I can get away,” Toby said.
“You’d better,” Monica threatened. “We’d love for Aria to perform at the ceremony.”
“I wonder if Sienna would go for a double wedding on the beach,” Toby mused, reaching for the last dinner roll.
A high pitched sound chimed throughout the kitchen.
“That’s me.” Eli pulled his BlackBerry from its leather sheath and stared at the screen. “I’ve got to get to the hospital.”
“I thought you were off to night,” Mama complained.
“Not for this patient,” Eli said as he rose from the table, taking one last bite from his pork chop. “I promised Amanda Daniels I would deliver her baby boy, no matter what.”
“Wait, I’ve got pecan pie in the kitchen. Let me get you a piece.”
“Send it home with Monica,” Eli said. He kissed his fiancée, then went over to Mama’s side of the table and kissed her.
“I should probably get going, too,” Toby said. “I left one last batch of clothes in the dryer. I need to get my laundry done so I can finish packing.”
Everyone started rising from the table at the same time. Mama went around and gave Toby a long, hard squeeze. “Love you, baby.”
“Love you, too, Mama,” Toby said, returning her hug.
He said good bye to Monica before making his way to Alex. Alex captured the hand Toby held out and brought his brother in for a hug.
“Take care of yourself,” Alex ordered.
“You, too. Don’t push it too hard. You need to give your self time to heal.”
“You sound like the doctor,” Alex said.
“No, I sound like someone who knows a little about injuries.”
If anyone knew about debilitating injuries, it was Toby. His spine had been crushed in a head on collision just before his rookie season in the NBA began. Toby had endured a long recovery, but he’d gotten through it.
“Good luck with that meeting with Jazzy’s principal tomorrow. Call and let me know what happens,” Toby said. “Let me go in and give her a kiss good bye.”
“Give Sienna my best, just in case she doesn’t make it here tomorrow,” Mama said, giving Toby one last squeeze.
“I will, Mama,” he answered, then went into the living room to say good bye to Jasmine.
“I’ll clear the table,” Monica offered.
“Don’t worry about that,” Mama said, going for the dish with the squash and shrimp casserole.
“I’ve got it, Margo,” Monica insisted. “Go in the living room and give Toby one last kiss good bye. You know you’re dying to.”
“Oh, all right,” Mama said. She headed for the living room without another word.
Alex reached for his empty plate and received a slap on the hand.
“Don’t you dare,” Monica warned.
“I am capable of removing a few dishes from the table.”
“Not when I said I would do it,” Monica replied. “Save your energy for when no one is here to help.”
Alex followed her into the kitchen. He picked up the empty bread basket on the way.
“Your head is as hard as a rock,” Monica chastised, grabbing the basket out of his hand.
Looking back to make sure his mother was still in the living room, Alex sidled up next to Monica, and whispered, “How are the plans coming along for Mama’s party?”
Monica had pretty much taken over the plans they were making for the sixtieth birthday party he, Eli, and Toby had decided to throw for their mother. Ever since she’d put together a charity banquet for the hospital where she and Eli worked, Monica had turned into the ultimate social planner. Alex had been more than happy to hand the preparations over to his future sister in law, since anything without a Dora the Explorer theme was outside his realm of knowledge when it came to parties.
“You should see the cake!” Monica’s eyes lit up. “It’s going to be gorgeous.”
“Just let me know if there’s anything you need.”
Monica waved off his concern. “Let me worry about the party. You’ve got enough on your plate. Speaking of which, what are you going to do about Jasmine?”
Alex’s entire body sagged under the weight of this new problem. He expelled a deep sigh and ran his left hand down his face. “I need to find out exactly what’s going on first. She hasn’t been acting any differently at home. I had no idea what she was up to at school.”
“That’s because she’s the only six year old at home and it’s easy for her to get whatever she wants. At school, she has to compete with twenty classmates for attention.”
“That’s no reason for her to throw tantrums. And using her mother’s death as an excuse? Jasmine knows better than that.”
“Maybe she doesn’t, Alex,” Monica said. She dropped the stopper into the
sink and started running hot water. Mama did not believe in automatic dishwashers. “It’s obvious she’s seeking something, or else she wouldn’t be acting out.”
“You just said it yourself; she gets practically anything she wants. I’m guilty of spoiling her too much as it is, but when you add in her grandmother, uncles, and you, Jasmine wants for nothing.”
“I’m not an expert in child psychology but I have seen enough cases in the ER where kids have acted out against their own bodies as a call for attention. It sounds like Jasmine’s aggression is being projected onto her classmates, instead of herself.”
“So you’re saying I should be happy she’s beating up her classmates as opposed to slicing at her skin with razor blades?”
“I’m not saying you should be happy about any of this, but you need to get a handle on it before things get out of hand. I don’t want to see her in my ER in five years.”
Alex leaned back against the kitchen counter, closed his eyes, and kneaded his temple. “Sometimes I doubt whether I’m cut out for this parenting stuff.”
“Alex, you are one of the best parents I’ve ever met,” Monica said.
He cocked one eye open.
“Seriously,” Monica insisted. “You shouldn’t automatically assume this has anything to do with you as a parent. There’s no telling what goes through the mind of a little girl Jasmine’s age.” She patted him on his good arm. “Wait until you hear what the principal has to say about her behavior before jumping to any conclusions.”
“Wait until the morning before trying to figure out why my daughter has turned into a demon child who kills innocent turtles with over the counter medication, and beats up her classmates? Oh yeah, I can do that,” Alex snorted.
Monica burst out laughing. “The turtle death should be under investigation. I think it was an accident.”
“As far as the turtle’s concerned, that doesn’t really matter, does it?”
Sobering, Monica stared at him with sympathetic eyes. “It’s going to be okay,” she reassured him.
Alex could only hope she was right.
Rescue Me Page 3