Christy put her hand over her face and cocked her head back.
“JASON OMGG!!” She yelled out.
Jason began to laugh. “Sorry bae.” He said as he put his arms back down.
As soon as Mohammed saw Jason and Christy approaching, he immediately got out of his all black Toyota Corolla. Then he lifted his arm up and began to wave. Jason held Christy’s hand and crossed the street to go to his father.
“Oldhead, sup bruh… How you?” Said Jason.
Mohammed began to smile, he reached with his hand and began to rub Jason’s head.
“Jason… how was practice my son?” He asked as he rubbed his head.
“That jawn was chilling.” Said Jason.
Christy came forward. “Hey Mr. Mohammed, how are you?” She asked.
Mohammed extended his hand and wrapped it around Christy’s head and pulled her in and hugged her.
“How are you my child?” He asked.
Christy hugged back and began to smile. Then he turned back around to Jason.
“Bae just lemme go inside and tell my mom right quick that I’m leaving okay.” She said.
“Ard.” Said Jason.
Christy then walked up to her front door, she took out her keys from her blue jeans, then opened the door and went inside the house. Jason looked at her as she went in and began to smile. Mohammed look at his son as he smiled and he too began to smile.
“Lisa and Cecelia cannot wait until you bring her over, they are both very excited.” He said.
Jason turned his head to look at his father. “Yeah?” He said.
“I wanna cook for her some of that African food you be making. Can we stop by a store and pick up some ingredients.” He asked.
“Of course Jason.”
“In fact I can even cook it for you if you want.” He added.
“Naw, it’s cool. Ima just do it.” He said.
Mohammed looked at his son with a straight face and didn’t say anything. Jason then received a text message notification on his phone. He delved his hand in his pocket and pulled his phone out. It was a new message alert from Jerry. He opened it up and read it.
“Keep it a bean you look like Steve Jobs.” The message read.
Jason began to smile. Then he replied to the message.
“Keep it a bean you look like Madea’s family reunion.” Jason said in the text. He began to smile harder and then he sent it.
Jason and Mohammed then began to hear Christy and Crystal Angela yelling in the house. They were both bellowing and screaming out in Spanish, so Jason couldn’t understand what they were saying. Jason thought about maybe going inside and was getting ready to. Then Mohammed placed his hands on his son’s chest and lightly shook his head from side to side.
After about a minute or so Christy finally came out the house, she slammed the door shut and was mumbling something to herself with a mean expression on her face.
“You good?” Jason asked his wife.
“Yeah, come on let’s go.” She said as she began to approach the car.
“Would you like for me to go in and talk to your mother?” Mohammed asked her.
“No, that’s okay Mr. Mohammed. She’s fine.” Said Christy.
Mohammed then walked up to the driver side of the car and opened the door. He then unlocked both the passenger door, the one in the front and the one in the back. Jason was getting ready to go into the passenger seat in the front, he thought about it and changed his mind. It only had one seat, Jason chose to sit in the back with his wife. They both got in, then Mohammed started the car and drove off.
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“Where are we heading to first?” Mohammed asked Jason as he was driving.
“Let’s go to that African store, so we can buy the ingredients and stuff.” Jason replied back.
Christy put his hands on Jason’s shoulder.
“Bae I’m not really hungry. Let’s just go to…”
“NOPE! I’m gonna serve you okay. You’re my guest.” Jason said.
“Jason… my son… there’s no fire extinguisher at the house.” He said.
Christy erupted in laughter. “What are you trying to say?” Jason asked his dad.
“Nothing son. It’s just Cecilia told me the last time that you made sausages for her you almost burnt down the entire house.” He said.
“I was in a rush that’s why!” I said.
“Okay…” Mohammed said as he kept driving.
A few seconds later the car pulled up into a Plaza with various different stores.
“I’m going to go in and buy the stuff okay. You two just stay here, I’ll be right back.” Mohammed said.
“Ard oldhead.” Jason said.
Mohammed then opened the door and stepped out. Then he closed the door behind him. Jason was left in the back passenger seat with his wife.
“Bae I’m so excited. You think they’re gonna like me?” Christy asked.
“They’re gonna love you boo.” Jason said.
“I already told them so much about you. About how you’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re honest. They can’t wait to meet you.” Jason said.
“Awww… you really told them all that bae?” She asked.
“Naw. But they said they can’t wait to meet you though.” Jason said.
Christy playfully punched Jason’s arm. Jason began to laugh.
“Just kidding bae, I told my mom that you are the most beautiful girl in the world.” Jason said.
“And I told her that you have the prettiest smile.” He added.
“I also told her I’m head over heels for you.” Jason said.
“She was like… ‘who is this girl that got my son all in love like this?’” Jason said while making the best impersonation of his mother’s voice.
Christy began laughing. “And what did you tell her?” She said.
“I told her… ‘Mom, look… her name is Christy, and she’s really special to me ok.’” Jason said.
“Awwww.” Said Christy.
Mohammed then came back in the car, while holding a bag filled with onions, some green peppers, boneless breasts of chicken, and some other African stuff that do not have a proper terminology. Mohammed put the plastic bag to the passenger seat on the side, then he turned around to Jason.
“Okay, all set!” He said.
“That’s awesome.” Jason said.
Mohammed then turned back around and started the car and began to drive home.
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As Mohammed pulled up in the driveway with his black Toyota Corolla. Lisa and Cecelia were already there waiting.
“Omg… is that them?” She asked.
“Uhh… I think…” Jason said, then he squinted his eyes to get a better look.
“Oh yeah, that’s them alright.” He said.
Mohammed parked the car then turned it off. Christy got out first before Mohammed or Jason. As soon as she stepped out Cecilia ran to her and wrapped her arms around her.
“HI CHRISTY!” She said.
Christy hugged her back. “Hiiii… you must be Cecilia.” She said.
Cecilia opened her mouth and gave a huge smile. Then she handed her a small box with a red bow wrapped around it.
“For me?” Christy asked.
Cecilia nodded her head while still smiling. Christy took the box and opened it up. Inside there was a small pink wristband. Written on it were the words “BIG SISTER!”
Christy immediately put it on. “I love it! Thank you so much!” She said.
Then she gave Cecilia a big hug. Lisa then came forward.
“Hello Christy.” She said as she hugged her as well.
Christy hugged back. “Hii how are you? You’re Jason’s mom correct? Ms. Lisa?” She asked.
Lisa laughed lightly. “Yeah, that’s me.” She said as she smiled.
She also had a box in her hand with a blue ribbon on it, she handed it to Christy.
Christy took it and opened it up. Inside of the box were two solid golden earring with two spinning designs on it.
“OMG! Are these real?” She asked.
Lisa smiled lightly and nodded her head.
“Mohammed gave it to me as a wedding present when we got married.” She said.
Christy handed it back to her. “Please Ms. Lisa... I can’t.” She said.
Lisa handed it back to her and opened her hands and then closed it.
“Take it… It’s yours now.” She said.
Christy wrapped her arms around Lisa and gave her a huge hug.
“Thank you so much.” She said while hugging her.
Cecilia then walked up behind Christy and started to rub her hair.
“Your hair is so pretty. Is it naturally curly like this?” She asked.
Christy smiled at her. “Thank you. No, it’s only curly after I take a shower, naturally it’s straight.” She said.
“Your hair is pretty too.” She said while rubbing her head.
“If you want I can braid it up for you.” She said.
Cecilia’s eyes opened wide and she began to smile.
“Wooow! Yes PLEASE! Can you?” She said.
Christy smiled at her. “Of course! Anything for my little sister.” She said.
Mohammed then walked up behind Lisa and held Cecilia’s hand and Christy’s.
“Let us go inside.” He said.
Jason got the bags that his dad had just bought from the store. He walked up behind his family as they all walked in the house.
“So tell us about yourself Christy?” Said Lisa as she sat down next to Christy on the couch in the living room. Cecilia also sat by her. Jason and Mohammed both went into the kitchen.
“Well I’m 13 years old, my birthday is in June. I am half black and half Puerto Rican, my mother is originally from Cuba, then she went to Puerto Rico and then came to the States at an early age. My father’s name is Frank, I don’t live with him. He’s in New York. I’m 4’11, 110 pounds.”
“You only live with your mother?” Lisa asked.
“Yes.” She said.
“What’s your mother like?” Cecilia asked.
There were a million things that came to Christy’s mind that she could say describing her mother. She smiled and turned her head towards Cecilia.
“She’s amazing. I love her.” She said.
“Do you have any family living in Cuba… or Puerto Rico?” Lisa asked.
“Most likely I do, but I don’t really know any of them.” She said.
“Oh ok, do you have any siblings?” Lisa asked.
“Yes, I have some sisters. But I don’t really know much about them or…”
“Bae lemme just hop in the shower right quick and then Ima come back down and cook for you okay.” Jason said.
“Jason… You… Cook?” Lisa said.
“But we don’t have a fire extinguisher.” She added.
Christy erupted in laughter again. “Yes, that is what I told him.” Mohammed said.
“Jason, maybe you should just let your father do it honey.” Lisa said.
“Mom no! I wanna serve my guest, I wanna cook for my wife.” He said.
Christy started to rub her forehead. Cecilia looked towards her and began to laugh.
“Okaayy honey… go get in the shower and you can come downstairs and cook for your wife okay.” Lisa said.
“Thank you!” Jason said then he started trudging up the stairs.
“Cecilia do you want me to do your hair now.” Christy turned to Cecilia and asked her.
“YES YES!” Cecilia said.
Then she got up off the couch and took Christy’s hand in hers and went upstairs to her room. She opened her door and went in. She then pulled out a chair for Christy to sit down on while she sat down on the floor between her legs.
Christy started to comb her hair and apply some Vaseline on it.
“Your hair is very soft.” Christy said.
“Thank you.” She said.
Christy began to loosen up her hair with the comb.
“Can I ask you a question?” Cecilia asked Christy.
“Yeah, of course, you can ask me anything.” She said.
“How… did you know?” She began to ask.
“Because you’re still very young, and marriage is a pretty big step.”
“How and why did you agree to go on with it?” Cecilia asked.
Christy gave a long pause as she gathered up her thoughts. She deliberated very carefully. Christy had to make sure that she gives Cecilia the right answer. She didn’t want to say something wrong that would stay with her for the rest of her life.
“You’re right, I am very young.” She said.
“I didn’t want to do it at first. But… it was just a feeling.” She continued to say.
“You know… in life, you have to be willing to try new things.” She said.
“And Jason’s really sweet, and I love him.” She added.
Christy started to part Cecilia’s hair on the and applied Vaseline in the part that she just splitted.
“That’s so sweet.” Cecilia said.
“Can I tell you something? But I don’t want you to tell Jason though.” She said.
“Yeah, tell me.” She said.
“Do you know Jason’s friend… Jerry.” She asked him.
“Hairy Jerry” She thought to herself.
“Yeah, I know him.” She said.
“How… do you see him?” She asked.
“What do you mean?” Christy responded.
“Like how do you see him as a person, is he an okay guy?” She asked.
Christy parted another part of her hair and continued to braid.
“I don’t really know him that much, he goes to my school, some of my friends know him. But I don’t really. Why?” She asked.
Cecilia gave a long pause. “I like him.” She said.
“You… like him?” Christy asked.
“Yeah.” Cecilia said.
“Does he know?” Christy asked.
“Yes, he said that he likes me back.” Cecilia said.
“Does Jason know?” She asked.
“No. I don’t wanna tell him because I’m scared of what he might say or think.” She said.
Christy gave a short pause. “Well he doesn’t really have any right to say anything or feel any type of way about it. If you like him and wanna be with him then that’s your business, not his.” Christy said.
She parted another part in her hair and began to comb the side of her head.
“I wanna tell him…” Cecilia said.
“But I’m scared.” She added.
Christy stopped combing her hair, then she held Cecilia’s shoulders and turned her around. She then knelt down and looked at her in the eyes.
“I’m gonna tell him for you. And he’s not gonna feel any type of way about it okay?” She told her.
Cecilia looked at her in the eyes and began to smile.
“Thank you.” She said.
Christy smiled back and sat in the chair and continued to braid her hair.
A couple minutes later Jason opened the door and stepped in the room. He had a white V-Neck shirt and Nike sweatpants.
“Come on, let’s go downstairs I’m finna cook for you.” He said.
Christy continued to braid Cecilia’s hair and didn’t turn to look at Jason.
“Can’t you see me doing something?” She said.
“You can do that downstairs, come on let’s…”
“JASON NO! I’M BUSY!” She said.
Jason then reached for her arm to grab it. Christy got up off the chair and smacked Jason on the chest multiple times and pushed him, he fell on the bed. Cecilia erupted in laughter. She then sat back down on the chair and continued to comb Cecilia’s hair.
“What’s going on? What’s all the noise about?” Lisa came in the room and said.
“She started it!” Jason said.
“Jason honey… just go downstairs and cook the food for your wife okay. When she’s done she will come down.” She said.
Jason then got up off the bed and started walking out.
“She’s crazy ma!” He said while walking out.
Lisa started rubbing his back while he walked out the door.
Jason then trudge down the steps and went in the kitchen downstairs. His father was already in the kitchen, and there was a boiling pot on the stove-top.
“Jason… are you ready son?” He asked.
Jason ignored his question and looked at the boiling pot on the stove.
“I’m just boiling water Jason.” Mohammed said.
Jason wrapped his arms around his chest and began to crunch up his face.
“Oldhead PLEASE! I want to make everything from scratch. She’s my wife and I have to serve her please!” He said.
“Yes I know son I am just…”
Jason then walked over to where the stove was at. He turned it off and then he picked up the pot and walked over to the sink and poured the water out.
Mohammed extended his hand out to try to stop him. Jason poured all the water down the drain.
“Now please… I don’t have a lot of time. What is the first thing that I have to do?” Jason asked his father.
Mohammed then walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a small black kitchen knife, and then he walked over to the fridge and took out one onion. He walked over to where Jason was standing near the sink.
“Just carefully peel these onions and put them in the pot. But please be very careful, this knife is very sharp okay?” He said.
Jason took the knife and the onions from his father’s hand, and he began to peel.
“Yeah yeah whatever oldhead, I got this!” He said as he began peeling the skin of the onion.
Lisa then came in the kitchen. “Where are all the old blankets at in the room? We used to have them.” She asked Mohammed.
“Yes, they are inside the closet in the hallways, they are not in the room.” Mohammed said.
“Would you like for me to come show you?” Mohammed asked.
“Yeah, cause I wanna wash all of them. You said they’re in the closet?” Lisa asked.
“Yes yes, let me show you.” Mohammed said, then he began to head upstairs with Lisa.
Once they got up the stairs Mohammed opened the door in the closet, and then he reached up and pulled down a large blue basket.
“See they are in here. I do not think…”
Then they heard a loud scream from downstairs. Lisa and Mohammed, along with Christy and Cecilia all ran down the stairs into the kitchen.
Jason was laying down on the white ceramic floor tile, he was holding his hands while blood was coming out of it.
“CALL THE AMBULANCE! I’M DEAD! I’M DYING!” Jason bellowed out as he spun around on the kitchen floor.