GAMES BY DIM LIGHT || Mature ||

CHAPTER 68

"Awwn, come on, mum." Jamal said.

Maya smirked. "All I'm saying is that I'm happy with what I'm seeing. My sons are growing up into men. Responsible men who want to start living right. And I'm sure you all will. Else I'll spank you. Forget where I'll be coming from, you never know.".

I had to laugh at that. She was making up jokes even in her condition. And I admired that. I always admired her strength.

" Derrick, never forget what we talked about. It will come to you." Derrick nodded.
"May no longer sleeps with strippers."
She said, while we were all laughing at Mayor who was obviously blushing, Maya gasped and held a hand to her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry. Your crush is in the room." She said. More laughter.

Danielle couldn't stop laughing. She shook her head at Mayor.
"It's okay. I still love him though."

Maya smiled. "Good. But don't hesitate to spank him sometimes, of you know what I mean."

"Oh. So you even have to ask? He knows that alright."
Danielle said, smiling to Mayor.

"Mum, this is very misleading." Mayor said.

Maya chuckled. She looked at Kendrick. "I don't even want to butt into your affair, but I can't help it. You know how I love to butt into everything." She glanced from Kendrick to Lala. "Stop all that pride and do what you have to do. Like I said earlier, we all live only once. One day we will look back at how we have lived and either wish we did the right thing or be thankful we did the right thing."

She sighed when her eyes fell on Jamal. "J.J, well you will be fine."
Even Jamal laughed at that.

"You have always been the last to do everything. Because you love to watch and because you want to make sure everyone is comfortable before taking the step. You were the last to walk and for a while , I thought something was wrong with you. But you did it and it was a shock to everyone when it happened. I'm not talking about hooking up because your brothers are doing it. I'm talking about finding happiness.

" Annie Jane. I love you. Even when you have always made rash decisions. All with good intentions. But the approach is always rusty. I want you to look deep within yourself and think of all the things you have done and what you want to do after all that thinking, to make it right. Do it. You are a strong woman, Annie. Your bravado is unsinkable. And I admire you for who you are. But don't let that pride of always being afraid to be let down; don't let it stop you from finding peace. I know what you did. And you did it with the best intentions but you pulled everyone with you. I'm sure you're a smart woman, I trust your decisions because I believe that this time, you will make it right."

AJ nodded. And I swear I saw her blink back tears.

"I'm talking to you too, Barry."
Maya said to Barry, who nodded.

"Now. I will sit here and I will watch my children do what they have to do. And when you do, don't try to impress anyone. Do it because you want to and because you want peace. Not just my children, everyone of you in this room."

The room became so quiet. Anything could be heard, even the passing of the wind. Everyone was still like someone pressed pause to a movie just to step out and get ice cream for a bit. Maya sat still and watched.

I stood up. I had to do it first. I walked up to AJ.
"I've never said sorry to anyone before." I began. I saw Maya smile. AJ looked shocked and I saw a tear at the corner of her eyes. "But someone told me that saying you didn't mean it also means that you're sorry. I don't even know how that's possible. But, you hurt me, AJ. You have always been like a sister I never had. And I have chosen to look away from that because holding unto the past will only make me hate myself. Not you, but myself. And certain companies I spent time with has made me see that."
I stopped and waited for her to talk.

AJ stared at me for a while. She looked around the room and I could tell that she was embarrassed.
Then, she looked up and for the first time in a long time, I saw tears roll down her cheeks.
"I'm a bitch, Jenna. Like you said, there's a difference. I'm sorry for sleeping with your man. I'm sorry for making you feel worthless when all you did was love me like a sister you never had. I'll sorry for using you to my own benefit. Friends don't do that. And I'm a bad excuse of any definition anyone would have for a friend. I know it's an unfinished list, what I did. But, I am sorry."

This is the part where I dreaded. The part where everything she did has to come back to me. But I pulled her in a hug. Behind her, I saw Tammy nod at me with a smile while tears rolled down her cheeks. I smiled back at her.

When I walked back to sit beside Melanie, AJ stood at the middle of the room.

"I didn't do it to break all of you, I swear. I didn't bring Melanie to break all of you. And I must confess that I was selfish at that time. I. . . I didn't think of the aftermath. I just did it. Everything we have been through has thought me a lot. Even before mum told me to look deep within myself, I already did. I'm sorry for this."
She turned to Melanie.

"I didn't invite Henry to cause any problem. But because the issue between you and Derrick was my fault, I wanted to make things right. I though you still had feelings for him. I just. . . thought that if I made him come, then something would happen and he would back off. I never meant to hurt you again, Mel. I'm sorry."

Melanie, who couldn't hold her tear glands, was dabbing at her cheeks the whole time, she nodded at AJ, stood up to hug her and said, "I don't hate you, AJ."

"So?" Maya said, when the whole scene between Melanie and AJ was over. She looked around the room. "Are you trying to tell me that the men don't have grudges?"

Everyone hesitated for a bit. Them, Kendrick stepped forward to Lala. He went down on his knees which earned him a gasp from others and a smile from Maya.

"Lala, I'm sorry. I keep saying it over and over again, but this time, I am. And I love you like my life depends on it. I was stupid and scared of being tied to a woman. But I forgot what I'm missing if I don't have you alone with me."

Lala, unlike everyone else, folded her arms and looked down at him. "I would have turned away from you oo. But let me just pity your ass."
Everyone laughed and clapped when she leant down to capture his lips with hers.

We all watched the whole scene from Lucas to Derrick and Derrick to Melanie and then it was a wrap. But I still felt that there was something missing. Everyone was smiling when Mayor made a joke out of Derrick's apology to Melanie and everyone laughed.

Melanie soon stepped up to the middle of the room and turned to all of us.

"I know everyone is saying sorry and apologizing. I just wanted to make something clear to everyone. I have never said it out loud but I have forgiven all of you. A long time ago. No one needs to feel obligated to me for anything. You all did what you did and it was wrong and selfish, but still it could have been anyone else. And still wrong. But I'm over it."

I felt happy but I still felt that something was missing.

We all made jokes and talked amongst is like nothing emotional had just happened. It was suddenly like old times. But this time, there wasn't any hate or jealousy. There were no grudges. It was all a new family.

I went home smiling and wondering what I was that could have happened tonight. Maybe someone didn't own up to his/her mistakes or apologize. Maybe there was still something that should he done, that wasn't some yet.

But, I pushed the thought aside and took care of my hygiene.

At 2am, my cellphone rang. I sleepily pick up the receiver as I was too tired from the late night return from the Jacobs. We were all so happy that we enjoyed each other's company too much to realise that it was past midnight.

"Yeah? What?"
I replied to the receiver and yawned.

"Jenna. Are you asleep?"
Came AJ's voice.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Maya is dead. Mum is dead, Jenna."

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Love,
Mireya💕