With Love: The Motherland

/Chapter 9/

Jackson still can't get the image of Hadessa at the carnival out of his head. With that tight v neck top and those snug jean shorts, he knows every guy had turned around to watch her walk away. He can't lie, she looked breathtakingly beautiful with her hair blown out and some lip gloss on. He has never seen african hair in such a state and he guessed that if he touched it it would feel as soft and fluffy as it looked. Hadessa looked beautiful, It was an effortless type of beauty that he rarely every saw.

Seeing the guy next to her angered in him to a level he wasn't even able to understand. Jackson thought the guy looked like a creep. It wasn't just about his eyes, the guy's whole vibe was off. And knowing he was alone with Hadessa only made him the more worried. He first convinced himself that they were friends but after Hadessa took the creeps hand, it was obvious it was serious.

Jackson highly thinks that the guy didn't deserve to stand next to her. They didn't even look good, that hideous creep was messing up Hadessa's image. Hadessa deserves someone that was at her level to stand next to her.

"If you ever want to talk about something, I'm right here".

Jackson can only sigh as he watches his aunt sit next to him. She thinks he was thinking about Taylor considering today was her birthday but he was actually thinking about his son's doctor. And a black woman at that, Jackson was seriously losing his mind. He knows he has to attend the next Klan meeting on Saturday night. His brothers have been pushing him to come since he hasn't been to one since last month but he couldn't go because of Caspian.

Speaking of Caspian, Jackson wasn't happy about his sons new fondness for his black doctor. He overheard the boy telling his cousins that his new doctor has skin the color of chocolate ice cream. It was a good thing the little boys weren't listening to their younger cousin because if Jackson's father, Uncle's or brothers caught wind of that...hell would break loose.

Jackson's Uncle Freddie walks over with a glass of wine for his wine. The two got married before Jackson was even born and although Jackson's father told them they wouldn't last, they are 61 years together and still going.

"Aunt Jill, How long did take before you fell in love again?"

His aunt smiles deepening the wrinkles on her face, "one year! I never thought I would be able to love someone the way I loved Phillip but Freddie proved me wrong. Why? Are you in love son?"

Jackson shrugs his broad shoulders, "no, I was just asking".

"Don't fight it when it comes child. The more you fight it the harder it fights you back. Let love come when it does and Jackson...treat her like a queen and she'll love you forever".

Jackson can only nod because he was unable to form the right words. He grew up watching his father treat his mother like crap. She was a stay at home mother, the wife of a man who got a lot of money and decided he can treat everyone like crap. There wasn't a memory of her where she wasn't crying or screaming at his father for cheating.

When she committed suicide his father pulled him and his three brothers aside and told them exactly what she did. He told his young son's that suicide was for the weak and to stay away from crazy woman like their mother.

Jackson had only been eight when his mother died and he had been a mama's boy so he greatly missed the sound of her voice, the feeling of her kisses and hugs. For a long time he thought his father had only been joking, that his mother would surely come back. But after his father beat the living crap out of him, Jackson knew his mother wasn't coming back because his mom always came to save him from a whooping.

His father is a bitter man. He believes that a woman's job is to be submissive and a man's job is to be the one with all the authority.

Unbeknownst to him, Jackson was also trained to think in such a way and he now realizes the reason why Taylor had been unhappy most days. She had to do all the house chores everyday, cook and take care of the baby. And when her husband came home, instead of him helping her-even by just watching the baby, he would demand she serve him food and then he would watch tv for hours. He feels bile rise up when he remembers the way he would lash out at her when the baby would cry too loud. Jackson knows he had been a horrible husband, and it kills him inside that that's what Taylor died knowing him as. He promised himself after her death that if he ever gets married again, he'll be the best husband.

Now as Jackson watches Caspian throw a tantrum because he doesn't want to go home, he knows this is his karma.

"I keep telling you to beat the boy's ass Jackson".

The young father clenches his jaw, "no, he's sick".

Hunter laughs at his little brother, "naw you don't want to cause you ain't man enough to discipline your kid".

Jackson ignores his brother and pulls Caspian up, "get off the floor Caspian, your ruining your new clothes. Listen bud, we'll come back tomorrow, I promise".

Caspian refuses to buy Jackson's lie. He continues to Jump up and down as he screams. Feeling overwhelmed and like a failure of a father, Jackson walks back inside the house to get his Aunt. Caspian always listens to her and if he doesn't, Jackson was going to forcefully get Caspian in the car.

"Aunt Jill, I need some help".

His Aunt puts down her spatula and shakes her head, "I can hear that poor baby from here. Why don't you let him sleepover son?"

To this, Jill doesn't get a reply so she decides not to push her nephew anymore. He was probably still stressed about Caspian's Leukemia so he didn't want the child far from him. Right before they reached the front door, they hear Caspian release a loud scream. The two take off running until they reach where Caspian is laying on the ground holding his arm.

Jackson picks up his son who clings to him and looks at River who has a stick in his hand and Hunter who stands with his arms crossed and with a glare on his face.

"River you striked my f*cking son?"

River shakes his head, "I didn't touch your kid Jackson".

Aunt Jill shakes her head, "Hunter I know you hit the baby-"

Hunter shrugs, "I did and so what?"

Jackson pushes Caspian into his Aunts arms, "you touched my f*cking kid! Why the f*ck would you touch my child b*tch?"

Hunter throws the stick down and steps forward to his little brother, "who the f*ck are you calling a b*tch? Your the one that can't discipline your kid!"

"Knock it off boys!" Aunt Jill shouts, "River get Hunter out of here and Jackson go for a walk to calm down. I'll take Caspian inside to check his arm".

But Jackson doesn't want to hear any of that. He doesn't want to spend another minute here.

Yanking Caspian away from his Aunt, Jackson pulls the car keys out of his pocket and heads to the car. Dallas comes out right when he was pulling out of the driveway but Jackson doesn't even spare his oldest brother a glance.

Caspian sobs the whole way home and the first thing Jackson does when they get inside is check his son's temperature. The boy is hot to the touch and his face and neck are bright red, so it isn't a surprise that his temperature was at 100.4. What does surprise Jackson is when Caspian begins to throw up. He is already coughing up a storm so when he starts to choke on his vomit, Jackson loses it.

"Caspian, stop! You need to stop buddy, your working yourself up".

Caspian continues to cough until he vomits again. At this point Jackson knows that Caspian can kill himself if he continues.

"Hello, this is Dr. Mahiri speaking. How may I help you?"

If you've read my other books, you would know that I usually kill off loved characters. So let me ask you guys this, Is Caspian going to die?

I dont have an updating schedule and I'm starting another book but I'll try to update soon. Comments and votes are encouraging<3