Persevere

Chapter 15

"Go meet the family." he smiled.

"Mama, this is Deckard and Hattie Shaw. This is Penelope Toretto-Hobbs, my wife." Luke said.

"Wife? You bring me your wife? Oh, you beautiful woman! You did right boy, come inside, come inside." she said, grabbing my hand and yanking me inside.

I guess today is the day for me to be manhandled. The inside was just as pretty as the outside and even better if you ask me. The clutter and things thrown about speak of a house well lived in. A loved home that's seen decades of one family come in and out. It's what I wish our house to look like at some point.

"Penny, that's Jonah, my brother." Luke said once we were inside.

"Nice to meet you." I said, smiling at the guy who was glaring at Luke.

"Nice to meet you, too." he replied.

Luke's mom sat at the table and all of the men flanked either side. It's a stand of respect and unity, one that I can appreciate but now isn't the time for it. We need to get everyone on the same page if we're gonna get this over with.

"Oka, I miss my baby boy. Well, look at you, all skin and bones. Come over here and eat." his mom said.

"No, no, no, Mama, I just... There's no time. Look, I'm sorry, I didn't wanna bring trouble here." Luke said.

"You shoulda stayed away. What did you bring here? What's going on?" Jonah angrily asked.

"I bought the truth here." Luke argued.

"What truth?"

"The truth is we were set up. We were framed by the people who created the deadly virus."

"Oh, come on."

"It could go global if it's not stopped. We could all die, all of us. Everybody here on this fale, everybody on the island, everybody around the world. Jonah, I need you to help fix this machine. I need you to help my friends and I need us to build defenses around here now." Luke pleaded.

"You think you can just come back in here and we're gonna help you after everything you did?" Jonah demanded.

"Yes!"

"Not gonna happen."

"It's bigger than you and I!" Luke argued.

"I don't care!" his brother replied.

"It's bigger than you and I! We could die!" Luke shouted and I instinctively covered my belly, Deckard rubbed my arm and smiled softly but I could see right through it. I appreciate the effort though.

"Good! Because I would rather die than help you, Buddha head!"

"Listen, I know your brother's hard to be around, believe me, but I trust him. He brought us here because this place has something that nowhere else on the planet does. You." Deckard said.

"You don't know me, I don't know you, okay? Time for you all to go. Take your machine with you. Go! Now!" Jonah said and my heart plummeted.

"Jonah Hobbs! Have some respect for your uso. If he needs anything, we're gonna give it to him. The food off our tables, the clothes off our back. Even the mana of the island and you boys, all of you boys, you show our guests here fa'a aloalo, or so help me God, I'm gonna take this here slipper and I'm gonna sasa your big fat heads. You boys here me?" Momma Hobbs said and they all changed their tune, all of their heads bowed as she shouted.

"I'm sorry to bring this here, mama." Luke said.

"Luke, this is your home. We Samoans, we can handle troubles." she smiled.

She insisted that we all eat and once Luke told her I was eating for two, that insistence turned into 'I don't have a choice'. The way that the men here gravitate around her makes me smile, every move is made to protect her. She runs this house and this family and they all know that.

"Oka, you're gonna give me a grandbaby." she said with tears in her eyes.

"Number three actually." I said.

"Three?"

"Yeah, two girls and we don't know yet." Luke smiled.

"So many." she sadly stated and I could see the sadness on both of their faces.

"I'm gonna be an uncle again." Jonah said, his temper and attitude still there for his brother but his eyes softened just a little when he looked at me.

"Yeah, baby number three." I smiled, lacing my fingers through Lukes. "Alright, that meal was delicious but we've gotta get started." I said.

"Your wife is just like you." another brother said.

"You have no idea, Matteo." Luke sighed.

"Let's get out of here." Jonah said, walking off ahead of us.

We walked out of the house with the promise to come back later. All of Luke's cousins had trucks parked around, and they all got in to head to the garage. Luke helped me hop into one and then turned to help Hattie, Deckard hopped in after his sister, and Luke was last. The ride wasn't long and I couldn't help looking around, it really is quite beautiful.

We got out of the back of the truck and walked up to some doors. Deckard took off somewhere, Luke, Hattie, and I waited to get into the garage. The place looks huge so I'm really excited.

"It's quite the place." I told my husband as we stood in front of the garage doors.

"Quiet." Hattie added.

"Yeah, for a chop shop and it's only quiet until the doors open." Luke replied and it shocked me.