“I’m going to get the questions anyway after they meet you. I haven’t brought a woman home in years. So tonight they will call, one by one.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t know.”
“Good friends and lovers?” Jasmine suggested.
“We’re more than that. You’re special. There’s no one else in my life.”
Jasmine had hoped for more, but it was better than nothing. He turned the radio on and she settled back in her seat.
“Have your parents met Steven?” Jasmine asked.
“Yes. He visited a few times.”
“What did they think of him?”
“That he’s fun loving and it will be a while before he’s ready to settle down. Steven can be a charmer.”
Jasmine was a little apprehensive about meeting Drake’s family. She’d asked her grandfather—he’d asked her if she’d eventually feel comfortable enough with him to call him grandfather and while she couldn’t say the word out loud, it had a nice ring in her mind—if she could pick some flowers to take to Drake’s mother. Their garden was impressive, with roses and God only knew how many other varieties. She wasn’t into flowers so she couldn’t name most of them. Not only had he complied, he’d gone to the garden and picked them for her himself. When she came down that morning, a huge bunch of flowers was on the table, a breathtaking arrangement.
An hour later they drove into a nice development that ended in a cul-de-sac. Drake pointed out a brick colonial with several cars parked out front. They found a parking space two houses down. It seemed the entire family was in attendance.
When Jasmine handed Mrs. Whitcomb the flowers the older woman exclaimed over them. “Welcome to our home, Jasmine. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Ravenous.” Jasmine didn’t bother saying the last thing a mother wanted to hear—that she hated to cook. Mothers wanted to know their sons would be well fed by the women they settled down with. Settled down? Where was she getting these thoughts?
After small talk in the backyard, the family gathered around the dining-room table. Drake’s father said a prayer and everyone dug in. It was quite a feast with a roast, macaroni-and-cheese, kale, fried chicken, sweet-potato pone and much more. Friendly jabs volleyed back and forth around the table. The atmosphere was so different from what she’d experienced in California. After a while she began to relax. This is how a family should be, Jasmine thought.
After dinner, Jasmine helped Drake’s sister with the cleanup over his mother’s objections. When Jasmine pitched in, she came in to help, as well.
“I think you’re a very nice young lady, Jasmine. Do you like it here?”
“It’s a beautiful area,” Jasmine said. “I like it very much.”
“I was so glad to get Drake back home. He was in Vermont, you know, until the summer.”
“Yes.”
“You must miss your family.”
“They’re visiting soon.”
“What a joy that must be for you.”
Throughout the experience, Drake’s sister and brother had teased and joked good-naturedly. This attachment was something she was never a part of at home. But Drake’s family included her. And there were never any vicious attacks.
Maybe the estrangement between her and her stepsiblings was her doing. Maybe if she had reacted differently, they would have reacted differently to her. But she didn’t think so. They didn’t attack each other the way they attacked her. Why did she even have to go there? Because her family would arrive soon.
Drake’s family was warm and lively. It was everything she’d hoped for as a child.
Drake ambled in and his sister nudged him out. But before he left, he glanced at Jasmine. She gave him a reassuring smile before he threw up his hands in playful disgust and left.
“They always want to know our secrets,” his sister said.
“He’s worried about his young lady,” his mother said. “We’ll take good care of you.”
“I can hold my own,” Jasmine said.
“You most certainly can. You’re always welcome back. We’ve really enjoyed having you.”
Jasmine felt warm and happy.
An hour later, Drake and Jasmine were on their way to Middleburg.
“So did I feed you to the vultures?”
“You have a wonderful family. No wonder you wanted to move back.”
He grasped her hand and kissed the back. “Yeah, I’m lucky.”
“Of course, they do want you to settle down and marry.”
Drake kissed her once more before he let her hand go. Had she made a faux pas? She’d promised from the beginning that she wouldn’t put any restraints on him.
“Well, who wants to settle down so young anyway?” she added.
Drake still didn’t respond, so the subject dropped. The silence was as loud as a thunder roll and Jasmine felt a dip of disappointment. Another mile passed by before Drake turned the radio on. Only the strains of music infiltrated the car. Nearly another five miles passed before Jasmine couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
“Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?” she finally asked.
“Nothing.”
“So you’re allowed to delve into my psyche, but not vice versa?”
“It’s not like that. I was just thinking about the meeting.”
“Liar.” Anger overwhelmed Jasmine.
He didn’t respond. He just let the silence hover. But she felt betrayed. He wanted to know everything about her, but he wasn’t willing to share.
“You’re being so unfair, Drake.”
“Jasmine, there’s nothing to tell.”
Jasmine stared out the passenger window, giving him silence. “So much for, ‘You’re special,’” she finally said.
Chapter 9
Later Sunday evening all the vets met at the office for a meeting. Although he wasn’t that large, Dr. Floyd Parker was a barrel-chested man. Which was odd with the amount of physical activity he got.
Ponce leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, glaring at the ceiling.
Jeff, with his funny-looking tie, tried to take over the meeting, but Floyd marched up to the front as if it were his due.
“First I’d like to officially welcome Jasmine aboard. Unfortunately we couldn’t do a formal welcome when she arrived because of the tight schedule.”
Ponce made a crude noise with his mouth, but everyone ignored him.
“I was virtually working seven days a week. You’ve done a wonderful job of taking some of the pressure off all of us, Jasmine, and we’re glad to have you.
“I’m sure all of you know I wanted to buy into the practice and I made George an offer,” Floyd said. “I got my answer Friday. He won’t sell. We need to assess where the practice goes from here. If he’s going to maintain ownership, we need to figure out how this place can work for all of us. This is a thriving practice…”
“Whatever plans you make won’t involve me,” Ponce said. “I’ve accepted an offer in Pennsylvania.”
Jeff scooted back his chair. “You promised to give us at least a month.”
“This is my month’s notice.”
“I thought we had this worked out,” Jeff complained. “This puts an enormous strain on Jasmine…”
“I think this meeting can work as an opportunity for us to come up with strategies to make this place work,” Jasmine said. “It’s obvious Ponce isn’t happy here. I wish you good luck in your new assignment.” Jasmine was tired of hearing his bitching. And she wasn’t going to be used as the excuse for him to stay on. “We can hire a temp until we find a replacement and until the practice’s future is decided.”
“I just don’t understand it,” Floyd said. “We’ve built this practice into something grand.”
“I’ll tell you what’s troubling me,” Ponce pounced. “You don’t do your job. You’re so busy bullshitting you leave most of the work to Jasmine and me.”
“That’s not true,” Floyd said,
his face red with outrage. “I do my share of the work.”
Ponce made another rude noise.
“That’s enough,” Drake cut into the bickering. “You’re leaving, Ponce. What happens to this practice is no longer your concern. Floyd makes enormous contributions, not in the same way you, Jasmine, or I do, but a variety of skills are necessary to make this work.”
“You’re all as blind as bats. You’re working in the twentieth century instead of the twenty-first. You deserve each other. Good riddance.” Ponce hopped up, grabbed his jacket and slammed out of the office.
The silence left was ominous. Floyd eased into a seat. Clearly, Ponce’s assessment had hit him hard.
“Don’t take Ponce to heart. He’s one of those dissatisfied people who likes to drag everyone onto his bandwagon. I’d still be struggling trying to get enough clients in the small-animal end to make this profitable had it not been for you, Floyd. Having you here has made my transition smooth and I appreciate your contribution.” He patted Floyd on the shoulder.
Jeff sighed and stood. “This is the last thing we needed.”
“He’s drawing negative energy into the office. We’ll survive without him,” Jasmine said.
“I’m counting on it,” Jeff said. “When I first talked to George, he seemed amenable to working out a deal. There was nothing definite, but he was listening. Now, I don’t know what’s going on in his mind.”
“I think the first item on the agenda is to hire more vets,” Jasmine said. No sense in wasting the entire meeting on an issue they could do nothing about. “We need to approach Mr. Avery with that fact. We have more clients than we can comfortably handle.”
“We can’t choose all of them fresh out of vet school. Many of our animals are expensive thoroughbred horses. We need an experienced vet, even if he or she is only here on a part-time basis.”
“Since Mackenzie died, we haven’t been meeting regularly. I think we should to run ideas by each other,” Floyd said. “I have some friends. I can let it be known we’re looking for someone temporarily.”
“Good. I’ll do the same,” Jasmine said. “I’ll e-mail my friend who is ready to leave Africa.”
They discussed other problems with some of the cases they were working with.
“I think that we’re still severely understaffed,” Drake said. “We could use another small-animal vet, as well as two large-animal vets. Our schedules are still rather hectic. I don’t have a relief. And the large-animal vet practice is increasing.”
“As you know, George Avery owns the practice. This morning after church services he mentioned our long hours and the possibility of hiring on more staff. He also mentioned Jasmine is his granddaughter.” Floyd leveled his gaze on Jasmine. “As he’s the owner, his desires carry weight.”
She’d asked him not to tell anyone. “I want to make one thing clear. His owning the practice is not a consideration with me. I got this job on my own merit and I expect to continue working that way.”
“I wish you had told me in the beginning,” Jeff said.
“My paternity is a long story which I will not get into now. I had never planned to tell Mr. Avery I was his granddaughter, so there was no need to reveal that information to you. If my working here is going to present a problem, there are many opportunities out there.”
“If you don’t make it a problem it won’t be one,” Floyd said.
“The very fact that you mentioned it makes it a problem.”
“Suffice it to say, Mr. Avery will be very upset if you leave the practice,” Jeff said.
“And you?”
He gazed at his hands. “I’ve had no complaints from our clients.”
“I’ve always pulled my own weight. The work is hard enough. I won’t put myself in a position where I’ll have to second-guess every move I make because of an issue that has nothing to do with my work.”
Floyd nodded and went on to other business.
When the meeting ended, Floyd pulled her aside. Jeff and Drake were discussing something as she went outside with Floyd.
“I just wanted to tell you that I knew from the very beginning that Noelle was Mackenzie’s daughter. We went to vet school together and he told me he was a donor for her mother. But he never knew if he had other children. In the end, not knowing really bothered him. And the absence of Noelle from his life hurt him, too. Of course, this all took place before he got married.”
Jasmine nodded.
“He told me he left it so that any of his children could contact him if they wanted to when they turned eighteen, and that he hoped they would. I just want you to know he loved you.”
“May I ask you a question?” Jasmine said.
“Sure.”
“I understand why Mackenzie was a donor for Noelle. But I don’t know why he did it for my mother.”
“He hadn’t planned to, but the people at the sperm back told him that they received very few black donors and there was a woman who desperately wanted a child.” He touched Jasmine’s hand. “He really loved you and wanted to meet you.”
Tears sprang to Jasmine’s eyes. “Thanks for telling me, Floyd.”
He touched a hand to hers briefly, leaving Jasmine’s heart splitting in two.
She’d come too late. She should have tried to contact Mackenzie earlier.
“I still can’t believe the news got out,” Jasmine said. “I didn’t want that. I’d specifically asked Mr. Avery not to tell anyone.”
“I told you, secrets have a way of escaping. He’s proud of you. And happy. He just couldn’t contain his joy.”
“I just never expected this to happen,” Jasmine said. “Poor Floyd.”
“He doesn’t deserve the rap Ponce gives him. If it wasn’t for the fact you’d be working for two people, I’m glad to see Ponce go. He puts a pall over the entire practice.”
“Maybe.” But there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. “I’ll e-mail my friend tonight.”
“I have a couple of contacts I can e-mail, too.”
“Noelle’s family is coming to town this week. Her brother and father at least. Mr. Avery invited us over for dinner.”
“Are you sure you want me along?”
“I’m sure. And I have to prepare myself for the arrival of my own family. Every week Mom calls threatening me with their presence. I’d be much happier if it were just going to be her and Norman, as we’d originally planned.”
“It won’t be as bad as you think it will. I’ll be with you.”
“I don’t know. There’s still that connection between you and Steven.”
Drake caressed the side of Jasmine’s face. “I don’t go to bed with Steven. I don’t feel this way about Steven.”
“What way?”
“That I want to hold on to you and never let you go.”
He kissed her. It was sweet and erotic.
“Want to go to my place?” he asked softly against her lips.
“Sure. Just drop me by the Averys’ first so I can get my truck. I’ll follow you.”
“Okay.”
“I’m sure Hugs is waiting for you. You must feel really silly running around calling her Hugs.”
“The name’s growing on me.”
They got into his truck. “I liked your family, by the way. They’re really nice.”
“They’re okay. They like you.”
He said it as if there was a problem with them liking her. As if he regretted taking her to meet them.
“What’s wrong with you tonight?”
“Nothing.”
Yeah, right.
Two days later, Jasmine was contemplating Drake and his obscure behavior when the doorbell rang. She answered to find Noelle, offering a basket of food.
“From Leila.” Noelle flipped her sunglasses on top of her head.
“I’ll have to thank her.” Taking the basket from Noelle, Jasmine carried it to the kitchen. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
“I’ve already eaten. The house
looks nice.”
“You should approve since you decorated.”
“Trust me, I do. Doesn’t it feel more like a home now?”
“Yes, it does. Thank you. My mother will thank you once she gets over the shock.” They made themselves comfortable in the family room where Jasmine had added a couch.
“I know I came unannounced and you don’t have time for visitors on weeknights, but I wanted to talk to you.”
“Noelle, feel free to come anytime.” Sisters didn’t have to issue invitations.
“It’s just there was no one I could talk to who understood what I was going through until now. It’s hard for someone who knows their roots to understand why my biological roots are so important to me.”
“Girl, I went through the same thing,” Jasmine said, nodding.
“I think my mother more than my father felt a sense of betrayal when I said I wanted to meet Mackenzie.”
“My mother laid on the guilt trip,” Jasmine said, relieved that she could finally voice her frustrations. “And is she good at that.”
Noelle chuckled.
“It must be a 101-course they develop at a young age,” Jasmine said.
“Can you imagine yourself doing the things your mother does?”
“Are you kidding? Never.”
“You realize our kids are going to talk about us like this when they’re our age.”
“I know. I can’t imagine myself old. My mother always seemed old.
“Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea?” Jasmine asked.
“Sure, tea would be good. I’ll help.”
Jasmine was still a little nervous as she and Noelle went to the kitchen to make the tea.
“Noelle, I hope you don’t think I tried to deceive you.” Jasmine set the water on the stove to boil.
“It’s difficult getting the courage to tell someone you don’t know, someone you’ve never met, that you’re related. I went through it, too, with Grandpa. So don’t give it a second thought.”
Jasmine nodded. She poured the tea into a china teapot her mother had given her along with a couple of delicate cups and saucers. She put everything on a tray and carried it back to the family room. She took the time to pour tea for both of them.
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