Life Chronicles Of J.W.

6 years ago...

  6 years ago…
We were all sitting around the table eating dinner.  Mommy, daddy, the twins Julissa and Julonda and I (Justice).  Daddy stated “I have announcement to make” The twins and I quieted down and gave him our full attention to hear what daddy had to say.  “We are moving down to Virginia to be closer to grandma, pawpaw and yall aunt Pumpkin.” Our jaws hit the floor; tears welled up in the twins’ eyes while mommy was trying to give us a reassuring look. The questions started spilling out.
Julonda (the more sensitive one): “But what about our friends?”
Julissa (the more out spoken one): “Well I am not going! I am BK all day son and I refuse to move to old country VA.  I do not understand why we need to be closer to them anyway.  We haven’t   been all this time. And we are just going to leave Poppa to finish his bid by his self?” Poppa is our 21 year old brother who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 5 years.  Poppa have 2 ½ years left on his bid.
Daddy jump up out of his seat and slapped the shit out of Jullissa and yelled in her face “You will go where the fuck I tell u to. You are only 15 years old you don’t have no right to question what the fuck I say.  Who the fuck do u think you are?”
We all looked at daddy stunned he never raised his voice at us let alone hit any of us girls.  I remember he would give Poppa a punch or two when he got out of line but that was it.
“I understand that you might be upset, but you have lost your mind.  Now before any other bull shit come out of your mouth make sure you think about it first.” Said mommy.
Later that night daddy and I were sitting on the stoop of our brownstone.
I looked up at my dad and said “Daddy I am going to miss this.”
“I know baby girl, but we will still visit here.  This will forever be our home.  We have a pretty big house down in Virginia also.  Trust me you will love it.”
I laid my head on daddy lap while I was looking up at the stars.
Meanwhile in the house the twins were crying and being dramatic.
Julonda “Mommy why is daddy trying to ruin our lives.  We have friends here.  We love our school. Why mommy? Why?”
“You girls are 15 years old.  You will make new friends.  We are keeping this house.  I love this house so we will never give it up.     We are going to visit here often. The world is not ending girls get it together.”
“Ok mommy” the twins said in unison
“So when will we be moving mommy?” Julissa asked
“The big move will be in 2 weeks” mommy replied.
“2 weeks!” the twins yelled
“Daddy found us a big house close to where grandma and pawpaw lives”.
The twins were furious.  They stayed up all night complaining and packing their clothes. 
I was in my room packing my clothes also.  I wasn’t mad at all about the move.  In fact I didn’t know how I should feel.  I wanted to know more about why we had to move.  Not like I would understand I am only 10. I think I would miss it here.  I am going to miss going to Brownsville projects playing with my cousins and running to the corner store with my friends.  I don’t remember Virginia having corner stores.  I don’t know, maybe I am not going to miss it here.  I am so confused.

4 day later…
Mommy the twins and I was packing up items in the house that we were taking with us to Virginia.  Soca music was blaring through the speakers in the house and we were having a good time.  Daddy was out working as usual.  Mommy did not work.  Daddy would say “ya mom job is to take care of you kids, keep the house in order and keep food in our bellies” I would always bend over in laughter when he would say that.     Mommy did just that and kept a smile on our faces.
Mommy and daddy met when mommy was 14 and daddy was 18.  At the time mommy was living in Flatbush.  Mommy was born in panama and she only spoke broken English when they met.  They met on E 91st street at a backyard party. “Hey whats her name over there Levy” Daddy asked his friend.  “I don’t know, but honey and her friends are bad!” Levy replied.   “Fuck it I am bout to go find out” daddy stated while walking towards the group of girls.  Once he reached the group of females he went straight to her and asked ”hey miss, what is your name?”
“Who me?” she pointed to herself blushing.
“Yes, you, miss lady”
“Mi name is Jamellia y tu?”
“Oh you are Spanish, ain’t nothing wrong with that. My name is James I go by Poppa.  Where you from sweet heart?”
“ Mi from Panama… Mi get here… how you say...uh…6 months ago? Sorry Poppi… Mi English not so good.” Jamellia laugh embarrassingly
“Oh no, it’s no problem sweetheart. I like your accent.  But check it you have man?”
“No poppi mi just get to America” Jamellia stated in her heavy accent.
“Just thought I would make sure sweetheart.  Can I take  you out sometime?”
“I guess… Mi have to check with mi auntie Jasleen…Is that ok wit you?”
“Oh, yes, just let me know when you can… Here is my pager number.” Poppa wrote his pager number on a piece of napkin and handed it over to her.
The following week Jamellia gave him a page.  Poppa did not think he would ever see that beauty again. He was so ecstatic to be finally going out with her.  Poppa took Jamellia to a movie and dinner.  The conversation flowed nonstop.  Poppa invited Jamelia back to his place.
“Oh no Poppi… Mi have to get home.”
Poppa drove Jamellia home and made sure she made it in okay.
Once Jamellia settled in for the night she called Poppa and they spoke all night long.  On their second date Jamellia took Poppa up on his offer and went to his place.
Jamellia was surprised to see that he had pretty nice apartment of his own.  She expected to meet his parents or even a parent.  However, it was no one there but her and Poppa.  She was not uncomfortable at all. Poppa ensured Jamellia was comfortable. 
Poppa told Jamellia “I never want you to leave.  I can take care of you.  I make enough money for us to live comfortable please do not leave me.”
Jamellia was shocked.  She did not know how to respond a million things ran through her head.  She thought she was too young to move so fast.  However, she did not want to leave him. She wanted to stay in his presence for ever.               
Jamellia slept in poppa arms all night.  The next morning she went inside the bathroom to call her aunt Jasleen.
“Que paso?” Jasleen answered
“Good morning auntie, how are you?”
“But wait who dis…Jamellia?”
“Si auntie… Dis mi” Jamellia replied nervously
“But where you? You not grown… How could you stay out all night wit out mi knowing? You pay bills here?”
“Uh no auntie… I was cause.” Jamellia made a long pause trying to gather her thoughts
“Cause wat? Eeh? You know what? You are really something… U wak round ere like u some big ooman… You no ooman… Don’t you come round ere pregnant eeh… Ya ere mi?” Jasleen yelled into the phone in broken English.
” But auntie ya not ereing mi.  Mi not coming back…”
“Cha shit….” Jasleen hung the phone up
Jamellia stood there with the phone in her hand looking down at it.  Confused as to what just happen.  She washed her face in an attempt to better gather her thoughts.  Poppa knocked at the door.
“Sweet heart… Are you ok in there?” while thinking to his self {damn I am going to have to the get a new place with 2 bathrooms ASAP}
“Yes poppi…. Mi coming right now.” Jamellia washed her face again and dried it before opening up the door.