What About Us: A Crazy Love Story (7 page)

He is rolling hard behind that comment and I can’t lie; it cut deep. I open my car door and then I shoot him a look that can kill.

“Naw, she’s fucking my man. I was fucking you first, so don’t forget. And you need not get on my bad side, Jabari. I could end this whole damn wedding, at the drop of a dime!” I warn him, as I pull out of the parking lot.

He don’t really want it with me.

Chapter Seven

Jazzlene

Never disrespect your mother in law by calling her names.

Just call your husband a son of a bitch, while she is in the room. -Cap

I am rushing to get dressed, simply because me and Nelle spent way more time shopping than we had planned. Maybe if she wasn’t late, then we could’ve been finished on time. But of course, Nelle is never on time.

That’s all I need right now; just one more thing for Ms. Chandler to talk about. I really don’t understand what her deal is with me. Me and Jabari have been engaged for over two years now, so she needs to get over it!

Everyone usually loves me, but she has an issue with me. I think it’s because her and Jabari are so close. She probably thinks that I’m trying to take her baby away from her; although that is definitely not the case.

I would never want to break the bond that they have with one another. That is one of the main reasons why I fell in love with Jabari in the first place. His close relationship with his mother is an indicator of how he will treat his future wife.

The crazy thing is that when me and Jabari first got together, me and her got along just fine. It wasn’t until we got engaged that she started tripping. But she will have to get it together, because next month I will be Mrs. Chandler and she will simply be Ms. Chandler.

Miserable old bitch!

“Are you ready to bounce yet, Baby Girl? You know how my Mama hates waiting.” Jabari yells up the stairs.

Well we certainly wouldn’t want to keep the bitch waiting, now would we?

“Coming right down. I’m putting my shoes on now!”

Once I finish putting my shoes on, I look at myself in the mirror and I am impressed with what I see. I’m not wearing anything too revealing, because I don’t want to get the side eye from the old bat.

I chose an off the shoulder multi colored blouse, along with a high-waist white pencil skirt. I’m wearing a pair of Emilio Pucci orange stilettos, with the matching orange Emilio Pucci satchel purse. I pair it perfectly with diamond and platinum jewelry.

I walk downstairs and Jabari is in a heated conversation, which he immediately ends the moment that he notices me coming down the stairs.

“Is everything alright, Bae?” I ask.

“Everything is fine. That was just some business that I had to handle, before going to dinner with my two favorite girls.”

“I wish that we didn’t have to go to dinner tonight. Your mother hates me and all the dinners in the world won’t change that, Jabari.”

He wants for us to get along and I want it as well. At this particular point in time though, I really don’t give a fuck one way or another.

“My mother doesn’t hate you, Baby Girl. She is just used to having me all to herself.”

“Whatever you say. Bae, I’m just glad that Nelle will be meeting us there. I don’t think that I can handle your mother, all by myself tonight. I’m stressed enough with all of the wedding planning.”

“I got you too, Baby Girl. My mother is just gonna have to get used to you being around.”

We walk to Jabari’s new 2015 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class. I hate this truck. It is a family car, if you ask me. Yet, he swears that this truck is the bomb.

His mother will meet us at Soho Bar and Grille. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard great things. We make small talk, the whole way to the restaurant. I notice that Jabari’s phone keeps on ringing back to back. Even though it is on silent, the backlight keeps on going off. 

I can see his frustrated expression every time that the phone rings. I decide to snatch it up and answer it.

“Hello!”

I look over at Jabari, whose demeanor is cool as a fan.

“Um.... hello, is Jabari available,” A female asks, sounding nervous.

“Jabari is driving right now, so he can’t come to the phone. Would you like to leave a message?”

I can hear a baby bawling in the background.

“Can you tell him that Lela called? He will know what I’m calling about.”

“I sure will, Lela. And can you please wait until he calls you back? Don’t keep calling back to fucking back. If he wanted to talk, then he would’ve answered by now. Have a nice day!”

I hang up the phone, while giving him the mean mug.

“Who is Lela, Jabari?”

“That’s Twon’s little sister. After he got knocked last year, I promised that I would look after her. She just wants some money, as usual. I just told her before we left the house that I would hit her with a couple of stacks later on. But you know how that goes.”

I do remember him mentioning Twon, a time or two. So I let the issue slide. Besides, I am more worried about this dinner with Ms. Chandler. I don’t care what Jabari says. I know that she doesn’t like me.

“I believe you, Bae. It’s just my nerves are on edge. I hope that your mother likes the food here. We don’t need to give her another reason not to like me.”

Jabari opens my door and I step out of the car.

“You worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

He grabs my hand, as we make our way into the restaurant.

“Jazzy!” I hear Ja’nelle call out, from behind us. I stop so that she can catch up.

“I’m gonna go inside. Mama is already here.”

He kisses my forehead.

“Girl, I had to practically run out of the door. Hasaan never wants to keep Imanie, whenever I wanna be free. I swear; he likes the idea of me being barefoot and pregnant.”

As usual, Ja’nelle looks good; baby bump and all. She has on a teal baby doll dress with a pair of Mary Jane shoes to match. I can’t wait to be pregnant. Her glow is so bright.

“You know, he has been begging you to have another baby.”

“Let’s get in here with the old bird. You know that I won’t bite my tongue, if she gets outta pocket. I don’t play about my baby sister.”

We walk in, arm in arm. We spot Jabari and his mother.

“How are you doing, Ms. Chandler? This is my older sister, Ja’nelle. Ja’nelle, this is Ms. Chandler,” I introduce them, as we take our seats.

“I’m doing fine, for an old lady. You and your sister are both some beautiful girls. It’s so nice to meet you.”

Who is this lady and what did she do with the bitch whose been riding my back, for the last year and a half?

“Nice to finally meet you too, Ms. Chandler. Jazzlene has told me so much about you,” Ja’nelle smirks and I just smack my lips.

“How is the wedding planning coming along? The big day is approaching fast,” She asks me, while taking a sip of her water.

“Everything is pretty much all set. I have a final fitting for my dress in two weeks and everyone has already been paid. I’m just ready to walk down the aisle to be Mrs. Chandler.”

I lean over to give Jabari a kiss on the lips.

“Take it easy on the food, Honey. We wouldn’t want those hips to spread much more before the wedding.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying; you are hippy. We wouldn’t want the dressmaker to have to make some big alterations at the last minute.”

“My hips are just fine and that is the purpose of a seamstress; to make alterations. But you would know that, if you ever had the opportunity to get married.”

This bitch has one more time to get flip at the mouth, before she has to spit some teeth out.

Ja’nelle damn near chokes on her water, when I put the old bitch in her place.

“Ma, that was uncalled for. I will not have you disrespecting my wife like this, any longer.

“Did you not hear what she just said to me, Jabari?”

“I don’t want to get in your business, but Ms. Chandler I think that you owe my sister an apology. Jazzy ain’t even the type to get out of her element, without being taken there in the first place.”

“Well, I suggest that you stay out of this business, Missy.  Jabari is my son and I don’t agree with this marriage, at all. It is all happening too fast!”

“Will you listen to yourself, Mother? We have been in a relationship for damn near three years. What do you mean, it is too soon?”

“I just don’t want you to make a mistake. What about getting to know someone? She has been in DC the majority of your relationship. How do you know that she hasn’t been fucking everything that moves?” She asks him, with a raised brow.

“You’ve got one more time to disrespect my wife!”

“She isn’t your wife yet, Jabari. But I will always be your mother!”

I’ve had enough of this bullshit. I get up from the table, with Ja’nelle following closely behind me. I am trying to be the bigger person and respect the old bitch. If I was to stay a moment longer, then I would surely beat her ass!

“You’re a better woman than me, Jazzy. I would’ve beat her fucking ass, talking about me like that in my fucking face!”

“Just get me outta here, before Jabari comes out.”

Nelle hits the locks, and then we haul ass outta the parking lot. Although I wanted to bounce before Jabari came out, I am disappointed. He still hasn’t even made it outside, when we ride past the entrance of the restaurant.

“You okay, over there?”

“Not really, how can our relationship have a chance, when his mother hates me so much?”

“Did you not see how he stood up for you, Jazzy? That man loves you. And he showed it by standing up to his mother. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It’s not like you have to see the bitch every day.”

“I know you’re right, but Jabari and his mother are extremely close. I can’t see us walking down the aisle, without her blessing.”

“I can’t agree with you, Jazzy. That man loves you. And whatever issues his mother has doesn’t seem to matter to him.”

I let the conversation go. I just want to go home and relax. Seeing Ja’nelle pull into my mother’s driveway, I know that isn’t going to happen.

“What are y’all doing here? I thought y’all were going to dinner with Jabari and his mother.”

“That bitch showed her ass, Ma! She basically told Jabari that Jazzy has been giving up the goods to niggas down in DC. I wanted to beat her ass myself, but you know I’m pregnant.”

“What is up with that bitch, Jazzlene?”

“I don’t know, Ma. We got along fine, the summer that me and Jabari met. It all changed though, once we got engaged.”

“Sounds to me like his mother looks to Jabari for everything, so that’s probably why she is threatened by you. Once y’all walk down that aisle, things will change.”

“But I am not trying to take her son away from her. I would never want to interfere with the bond that they have as mother and son. However, I will not be disrespected either.”

“What exactly happened that has you all upset, Baby?”

After I go on to tell my mother everything that the bitch said, she was heated.

“Where does that bitch live? She has a lot of nerve talking about my Baby; especially when everybody knows how Jabari was slanging his thang all over Cleveland, before ya’ll got together!”

“Don’t worry about it, Ma. I don’t even wanna waste any more energy on that woman. Let’s just chill and relax together.”

“Alright, but you already know that I will kill for my two. So if that bitch gets outta line again, let me know and I’ll nip that shit in the butt!”

“And you know she will! Remember when we were kids, she would wanna fight the kids that we got into it with. Everybody was scared to start shit with us, because they knew our mother was crazy!”

“They would say, don’t mess with them, that’s crazy Julie’s girls. She don’t play!”

We talk for hours about the past; some good memories and some bad memories, but it feels good to reminisce.

Just as we are about to leave, Jabari pulls up behind Nelle’s car. I am pissed that it took him so long to come over here. I guess that he was talking things out with his mother.

When he exits the car, he walks to the passenger side to let his mother out as well. I am so over this bitch and her attitude.

“Mmm, so that’s the bitch who wanna talk about my Baby.”

My mama gets up from her seat.

“Calm down, Ma.”

They walk onto the porch and Jabari introduces his mom to my mother.

“Ms. Sims, this is my mom, Pam. Ma, this is Jazzy and Nelle’s mother, Ms. Sims.”

“It is good to finally meet you. I can see where your daughters get their good looks from.”

She reaches out to shake my mother’s hand, but my mother quickly side steps her.

“I would say that the pleasure is all mines, but I don’t take kindly to people disrespecting my children. Especially when I know that my daughter has never disrespected you. So excuse me for not being hospitable.”

“Well, ugh, that is why we came over. I really want to apologize to Jazzlene for my despicable behavior. Jazzlene, can you please accept my apology? I guess that I felt threatened by you.

My son has never shown interest in any woman, like he has shown you. I was afraid that once he married you that our relationship would change. It has been just me and Jabari for years.”