"No, I didn't, and I warned you about eating all that food on the plane. You didn't even have no business eating no Kosher meal, and you ain't never been no vegetarian."
"I'll hook you up, Meestake," Seven said.
He came back shortly with the pink medicine, and Uncle Meestake smiled as he rubbed his stomach.
I took a long bath then dressed carefully in an ocean blue crepe satin skirt by BeBe that stopped just above my knees, and a stretch tube top of the same color. I tied the straps of the matching sandals around my calves and clipped my hair up and off my shoulders. I closed the clasp on the chain Seven had given me and slipped my wrist into a snake bracelet. The Verragio diamond that I had gotten the previous Valentine's day sparkled in the moonlight shining through the window. My heart seemed to stop beating when Seven stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom wearing an Eggshell white Emporia Armani silk suit. We stared at each other for a long time, then reading each other's thoughts, figured we'd better head down to dinner. I was getting more nervous by the second as we neared the dining room.
"Seven. . . ''
"Don't trip, baby," he tried to reassure me as we entered, right before his grandmother looked up at me, screamed, said something in Jamaican and fainted.
Major picked her up off the floor.
"Oh no, Fatha, don't you move, you just stay right there," he said sarcastically to his father, who made no move to assist him.
The man actually looked no older than Major but had gray streaked dreadlocks pulled back and held in place. He stared at me open mouthed. His eyes wide. Seven and Major helped the lady into a chair. I tried not to look at either Grand. Seven pulled out my chair, and I took a seat next to Gucci. He walked to the other end of the table where his grandmother sat next to his grandfather and squatted down between them. They both looked up at me at the same time. I diverted my eyes and found Shepard staring at me intently.
"You look so pretty, Bari,” Gucci said.
"Thank you, Gucci. I think I'm gonna faint, too."
"You bet' not embarrass me and Seven like that. Put your head between your knees."
"I will not bend down at this table and put my head between my knees," I whispered.
"Why not? You ain't got no panties on, bitch?"
I decided to avoid any further conversation with Gucci. I felt all eyes on me and took a chance at looking up. There was a good fifteen people sitting around the table.
"Bari, com'ere, baby," Seven called. I reluctantly stood and followed him to where his grandparents sat. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen. I was too. "Grands, this is Bari. These are my grandparents."
My eyes widened as his grandmother stood up with tears in her eyes and picked up my face in her hands. She kissed both my cheeks.
"I knew one day you would return to me."
I looked helplessly at Seven. I wasn't about to make this woman think I was her dead daughter. She might try to hold me hostage on this Island.
"Mother Grand," Seven said gently. "This is my girl, Bari. She looks like Aunt Marjory, doesn't she?"
The woman looked at him with eyes full of confusion. She decided she didn't want to hear what Seven was talking about. She turned to her husband.
"Move ova. Make room for Marjory. She wants to sit with her motha."
"Mother Grand ..." Major began.
"Quiet," his father interrupted. "Leave her be."
He stood up and moved his chair over, then pulled out the one next to his wife for me to sit in. Seven looked at his Uncle Simmeon, who in turn, looked at the person next to him. Some people sighed, others rolled their eyes, but they all got up and moved down to the next seat. Seven sat on my other side.
"Ow old are you little one?" Seven's grandfather asked.
"Seventeen," I answered.
"You look very much like our Marjori."
"I saw the painting of her," I said.
I looked at Mother Grand. She was a light brown color with blue green eyes. Her dreadlocks were pulled up and wrapped into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She was beautiful. I realized that she made up the Creole side of Major.
"I'm sorry about what happened to her."
"It doesn't mat'ta," Mother Grand pointed out. "Nothing mat'tas except that you are ere now.
You aven't showed your face in a while."
I looked at Seven.
"Mother Grand ..." Seven began.
"Seven," Major said, and shook his head. Seven ignored him. "That's not Aunt Marjori's spirit."
Major gasped and bent his head in prayer.
"I am just as shocked as you, Motha," he lied. "Seven, you stop with the lies."
"Shut up, fool," his mother ordered.
“Seven speaks da truth. Better than you who would ra’tha let your moth’a believe that her dead daugh’ta has come to dinn’a.”
Major stole a look at Simmeon, who looked at Seven and shook his head. I listened intently as Mother Grand told me the story of Marjori's kidnapping and murder. She told me about how she met Major's father and life on the Island. I was laughing at something that Mother Grand had said to me when I glanced at Seven and noticed him staring at the entry to the dining room.
Chapter 50
I followed his eyes and looked up into Darshon's face. I had to make sure I was seeing right. The boy had definitely grown. He was taller, bigger and probably meaner, but he looked good. He looked almost as good as his brother. Working had done him justice. He came in and hugged his mother, his father, then looked shyly at Seven. Seven stood, shook his hand, then pulled him into a hug.
"How you doin', Bro?" Darshon asked. “Hey, Bari."
"Hi, Darshon."
He spoke to everybody at the table, hugged Gucci and Six, then came back down to our end.
"Seven, Bari, can I talk to y’all for a second?" Seven looked at me. I nodded. We followed Darshon into the living room. "I wanna apologize to both of y’all, especially you, Bari. I was way outta line with you. I'm sorry."
"Thank you, Darshon."
"Milkshake, look at my baby brother all grown up and shit. I'm proud of you, my nigga." Seven hugged him tightly. "You flyin' back with us?"
"I don't wanna go back. I wanna stay here."
We both looked at him in surprise.
"Stay here?" Seven asked. "You sure, Darkie?"
He nodded.
"I want you to talk to Mom and Dad for me."
"What did Teodore say?"
"He said I had to ask you."
"Why ask me?" Seven asked.
"I don't know."
"You're eighteen now. You can do what you wanna do. You ain't got to ask nobody, for real. You do what you think is best for you, and if Mom and Dad give you any problems, I’ll talk to them.”
"What about the Grands?" Darshon asked. "You'll talk to them, too?"
"If I need to, baby," he told his little brother and cupped his head in the palm of his hand. Darshon looked at me and smiled shyly. "You ain't gon' miss your big bro?" Seven asked.
"Of course I will, but I know you'll come see me and let me come visit sometimes." Seven's eyes shot in my direction. He looked skeptical. "I know what you're thinking, man, but I ain't no kid no more."
"Of course you can, Darshon," I said.
Seven smiled at him. Darshon was about to tell us about something that happened to him, when Mother Grand came out and stood staring at Seven like he had lost his mind.
"What's wrong with my girl?" Seven asked, putting his arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek.
"May I steal your little one?"
She took my hand and led me back to the dining room. I looked back and smiled at Seven. He winked.
I was listening to Mother and Father Grand argue with Major about how he had waited too long to start Seven's dreadlocks, when I heard a deep, throaty laugh, followed by a few words in Jamaican. I looked at Gucci. She was reading my mind. The voice could only be described as sexy. I watched as Simmeon returned, followed by the ow
ner of the voice I had heard.
"Teodore!" Major roared, and got up from the table to hug the man.
I looked at Gucci.
"Bitch!" She mouthed.
The man was gorgeous. He was a deep brown color with tiny reddish brown dreadlocks that hung to the middle of his back and were cut straight across. He hugged and kissed Birdie, spoke to his brother and sister-in-law, then looked around and greeted everyone he knew.
"Shep, Mandro, you've come back to me."
"Not for long, Brother," Mandro said. "I've missed the Mainland."
"And you Shep?"
"I'm ere on business."
He gave Teodore a conspiring look.
"Six! Who let im in ere? Gucci, Gucci. You still ave not come to your senses."
Everyone laughed.
"I said the same ting!" Simmeon laughed.
"Teodore, I want you to meet da little one," Mother Grand said. I stood up and looked up at the man, who was well over six feet tall and built like my baby. He stared back at me with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. "She is Seven's girlfriend," she explained. "Bari, dis is my usbands baby broth'a. Seven's great Uncle Teodore." He's great alright, I thought to myself. "She looks like Marjori," Mother Grand pointed out.
He didn't respond, just continued to stare at me.
"Where is my nephew?" He asked, looking at Major.
"With Darshon."
Teodore shook his head, then looked at me.
"I thought Seven was smart'a dan dat. Neva should such a beautiful lay-dee be wit' out er man for even a min' it."
"What's up Teodore?" Seven said, coming in with his arm around his little brother's neck.
I looked from Teodore to Seven to Shep, unable to believe that three men that damn fine weren't brothers but looked so much alike.
"Seven! My favorite nephew!" Teodore said, looking pointedly at Shep. He embraced Seven. "You, my nephew, are slip'pin. Leave'an dis an-gel ere all alone."
Seven looked at me and winked.
"I ain't ever too far away."
Gucci caught my eye. We exchanged a quick glance.
"Bari, I ope you are ungry," Mother Grand said. “I ave prepared a feast fit for a king."
She looked at Seven and smiled. Major rolled his eyes.
"Seven," I whispered. "Why do they all look so young?"
"They are young, baby."
"But..."
"Mother Grand is only thirteen years older than Major. Father Grand is fifteen years older than Major."
"How old is Shep?" I asked.
"Twenty-four." I gasped. He told me the ages of all the people around me. "Father Grand has eighteen brothers and sisters."
"Wow, and Teodore sure looks good for an old man."
"Why do you think he's an old man?"
"I don't know. I just got that impression from what you and Major and Birdie were saying."
"Teodore ain't no old man, baby," he laughed. "He's twenty-five."
Chapter 51
I stared down at the clear blue water that was moving quickly underneath the long yacht that belonged to Teodore. There were people sitting, laying, talking and drinking. I was sipping Cristal and orange juice, gasping at fish with their bright colors. I looked up to find Seven watching me. He came over and stood next to me at the rail.
"You've never been on the water before, Milkshake?" I shook my head. I was in awe. "Baby come sit down, you're making me nervous," he laughed.
"Thank you!" Gucci piped up. "I was waiting for her ass to tumble over that rail, and I bet she still wouldn't have let that glass go."
Seven laughed. I sat down in a lounge chair upholstered in Gucci print and looked at Gucci, who wasn’t wearing a sarong. Seven had threatened to make me into fish food if I took mine off. I wondered if he noticed that every time he looked at me, the sarong was lower and lower.
"You push it down any more it's gon' be around your knees," he said, catching me off guard.
"Are you enjoy'an yourself, lit'tle an-gel?" Teodore asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Sis! Look!" Six said, excitedly.
He was standing at the rail, looking into the water.
"Whatever it is, bring it here," Seven said sarcastically. "Go on, Bari, you 'bout to roll out your chair tryin' to see what he's talkin' about." I walked to the rail and peered over the side. I had to get a closer look. I leaned over as far as I could without losing my balance. "Bari, back up some, baby," Seven advised.
I felt hands around my waist pull me back against a muscular chest. The arms remained around me, holding me close. I smiled.
"Look, baby!" I said excitedly.
"Dat is an octo-puss. And a big one," Teodore breathed in my ear.
I almost jumped over the side of the boat.
"Bari! Be careful," Gucci yelled like it was my fault.
"Milkshake, com'ere baby."
I sat in the chair between Seven's legs. My heart was pounding. I was about to go the hell off, and Seven knew it.
"You mad, baby?"
"Hell yes, I'm mad."
"Don't be. I told you how he is. He thinks everything on this Island is open and available to him."
"I don't give a damn what he thinks. That was messed up, Seven."
"You're right, baby," he agreed, holding me tightly against his body.
I looked back to make sure the eyes were brown and not blue. Seven started laughing.
"I am at a safe dis'taunce, an-gel," Teodore assured me with a laugh.
"You got to back up off my baby, Teo," Seven said. "She'll fuck you up if I let her."
Teodore laughed. I looked at Teodore to let him know that what Seven said was confirmed. The blue eyes blazed into mine. I forgot how mad I was and blushed profusely.
One of Teodore's friends, who he had introduced to me as Niko, was watching Gucci switch across the deck.
"Hi. How are you? Do you speak English? Can you understand me? What the hell are you looking at?" I snapped, all in one breath.
Ever since we had gotten on the damn boat, I noticed her watching my baby, sometimes on the sly, sometimes openly.
"Baby, who ..."
"What are you looking at?" I demanded.
I got up from the lounge chair and walked towards the bitch that was leaning up against the rail of the boat, watching Seven. Gucci was at my side, and we were almost to her when Seven passed me up and swept the bitch up in his arms. He hugged her tightly.
"I knew you looked familiar. It's the hair that threw me off," Seven said.
Gucci’s smiled at her as we got closer.
"Bitch, you coming to make friends with the ho?" I asked.
"Bari, this is..." Seven began, but never got the chance to finish.
"Shut the fuck up, Seven," I snapped.
His mouth fell open.
"Majesti! I know that ain't my girl!" Six laughed.
I waited for Gucci to go off. She stood her dumb ass there smiling, then hugged the woman. Seven was still looking at me with a smile on his face.
"Speak, bitch! You stuck or what?" I was furious. He laughed and tried to hug me. "Back up! Who is this? Some bitch you had an Island fling with back in the days?" I asked, glaring at the woman who exchanged a look with my baby.
They both started laughing. Really? I was about to flip.
"Bari, this is Majesti," Six said, as if that explained and eased my every concern.
"Tell er oo I am before she puts me in da wa 'ta," she said.
They all laughed.
"Milkshake, this is my Aunt Majesti, Teodore's baby sister."
I wanted to dive into the water myself. Instead, I glared at Seven, then Six, then Gucci.
"I'm sorry," I said to her skeptically. "My name is Bari. It's nice to meet you."
I reached out my hand. I wouldn't have blamed her if she wouldn't have taken it. She did. I sighed with relief.
"Eet's nice to meet you, Bari."
"Sorry about that," I apologized. "You can never be too sure though.
"
"Oh, I ear you. Mine is right der, and I don't let im out'a my sight."
I followed her finger to where a brown skinned dude with short dreadlocks sat. Niko. I looked from her to Seven, to Teodore and Shep, then back to her.
"Nineteen," Seven said.
"What, baby?"
"She's nineteen."
"How did you know I was thinking about that?" I laughed. “Sorry about that, baby. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your family."
"You did what you was supposed to do."
He kissed the side of my face.
"Seven, where are the Grand's parents?"
He started laughing, "You want to see what they look like, baby?" I nodded. "You'll see 'em tonight."
“I thought only Major called them the Grands, everyone does though."
"I started calling them that when I turned old enough to think I was too cool to be saying grandmother and grandfather. I was probably about eight. By the time I got old enough to realize I wasn't too cool after all, Major was calling them that, and the name stuck.”
When we got back to the dock later that evening, Seven informed me that I would be going back to the house with Majesti and Gucci, and that he, Shep, Teodore, Six and Niko had business to handle.
"Don't look like that, baby, I won't be gone long."
"Okay."
"I love you, Bari."
There was something in his eyes, and in his voice, that told me something wasn't right.
"Seven, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Bari," he lied, his eyes avoiding mine.
He then hugged me tightly, kissed me and left with the four men that were waiting for him.
"Come, Bari. We'll wait at the ouse," Majesti said.
Gucci was being quiet. That was something to worry about in itself. I waited until I thought the time was right, when Majesti was doing something, and asked her what was wrong.
"Why do you think something is wrong, Bari?"
"I feel it. I felt it when Seven left."
She didn't respond. I could tell that we were feeling the same, unsure of what was to come.
It was dark outside, and close to midnight. Gucci, Majesti and I sat in the big living room, all of us waiting for the other to speak. Everybody else was at some party at the hotel.
"Bari," Gucci began.
Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven Page 25