Music was blaring in Amari's parents home. It was a two story Victorian style home with a wrap around porch. A tire swing hung on a big oak tree in the front yard. Flowers of pink and white tulips were sectioned on each side of the steps leading to the porch to the front door. The house was painted mint green and white.
Someone opened the door as soon as Amari got to it. " CONGRATULATIONS MARS BAR!" her aunt Georgia yelled. " I'm so proud of you baby! HEY, WE GOT ANOTHER DOCTOR IN THE FAMILY!" She yelled to the other guest after placing a kiss on Amari's right cheek.
" Thanks Auntie Gia! HEY, EVERYBODY, LETS BURN THE HOUSE DOWN! BLAST THAT TUPAC DJ!" Amari shouted as she passed her aunt.
Music was playing, drinks were flowing and everybody was having a good time. Everywhere Amari went, someone was congratulating her. " Hey, Mars bar, come here and check my pulse. It feels funny. Does it feel like my heart is skipping beats?" One of her old uncles asked " I'll check it after I come from the bathroom." She told him as she hurriedly went to the bathroom.
She closed the door and locked it. She sat on the toilet and cried until she heard a knock on the door. " Amari, are you in there?" Her mom asked
" Yes, mom. I'm almost done. Just give me a few minutes and I'll be out." she replied.
" Okay, grandma has to use the bathroom. You know she has a bladder problem. Hurry up before she pee all on m rug."
" Yes ma'am." Amari wiped her face with a wash cloth, washed her hands and walked out of the bathroom. " Here you go Abuela." She said to her father's mother.
" Thank you bebe'." Her grandmother said in spanish.
Amari walked out to the back yard where kids were running around and teenagers were jumping in the pool. Her dad, Uncle Anthony and Mr. Kim were at the grill having a discussion about grilling meat and how to grill this meat.
Her brothers and cousins were trying to teach Dontae how to play spades. She rolled her eyes at the sight of him. He was happy and smiling and joking and laughing like nothing even happened. Like everything was okay. ' FOOL, IDIOT, DUMMY.' She screamed at him in her head.
She came across Mrs. Kim as she was talking to her aunt Brondis, Joyce and other aunts. They were talking about setting up a women's spa day.
" I heard about the place in Miami calkes 'Holiday Cookies'. I hear that they have men in tiny shorts and bow ties to give you massages, give you drinks, do your nails, hand and feet. Also, if you want a little sum-um, sum-um on the side, they have a private room for that. It's an extra few hundreds, but the girl told me it was worth every penny." Her Aunt Joyce said while laughing with her tongue stuck out. Hive fiving Brondis.
" Girl, you nasty and crazy." Brondis said while laughing.
" That does sound good, even tempting, but I know of a better place where they treat you like royalty. First, the assign you a personal assistant. That person make sure you're reserved for your massages. They reserve snacks to be delivered to you and they reserve your dinner. They even handle your business phone calls if you need them to. Second, they give you a room with a personal maid and butler. Third, they assign a personal masseuse. They get all those knots out. And forth, they have a hot springs where you can sit and enjoy the steam and relax naked with food, drinks. Anything you want. Mrs. Kim said.
" I'm in! When are we leaving?" Amari jumped up from behind Mrs. Kim scaring her and her aunts. They all shouted and laughed.
" Girl, you scared me. i thought you were the feds." Her aunt Joyce said.
" You are a fed, what are you talking about Auntie Joyce?" Amari said.
" I know, that's why I'm scared of them." They all broke out into laughter again.
" Mrs. Kim can I talk to you? Amari asked
" Sure honey. Ladies, I'll be back." said Mrs. Kim.
They left the party behind and went to Amari's room.
As they entered Amari's room, her mom saw Honda and upset she looked while she walked down the hallway. So, she entered the room with them.
Keturia knew something was wrong with Amari when they were still at the university taking pictures with her Certificate earlier today. She didnt say anything, cause she wasn't sure if Amari wanted to talk about it.
" Amari, what's wrong? Why are your eyes red? Why are you upset?" Her mom questioned her.
" Yeah, they looked red downstairs too. What's wrong?" Mrs. Kim asked
Upon seeing these two women she loved so dearly, concern for her she broke out in tears. She couldn't continue to be brave and fake a smile anymore. She couldn't control her emotions anymore.
" Before the ceremony began and everyone were going to their seats. Dontae told me that Inu kissed him." She was crying so much, she could barely get the words out and they didn't understand a word she said.
" All I heard was Dontae." Her mom said with a frown.
" What did he do to you?" Mrs. Kim asked
She calmed down a little just to announciate her words.
" SHE DID WHAT? HE DID WHAT? Both mothers yelled.
" I'm sorry Jasmine, but I'm about to heat the living daylight out of your son." Keturia said angrily.
" Let me get him first since I'm his mother, then you can get him and then we will both beat him together." Jasmine said angrily.
" DONTAE, GET YOUR ASS UP HERE NOW!" Both mothers yelled again. it was like an earthquake. The entire house shook. Their voices were so loud the people down the block were scared.
The music stopped and everyone got quite. They turned and looked at Dontae.
Dontae was embarrassed. He looked as if he got caught stealing and was trying to walk to the door slowly before running into the house. The music started again once he left.
As he approached the room, through the closed door he could hear Amari crying and he could feel the negative energy coming from the room.
As if they could see through wood, both mothers yelled " GET YOUR SKINNY BUTT IN HERE NOW."
He opened the door slowly as he peeped behind it. Scanning the room for weapons or an ambush. He saw Amari on the bed holding a pillow crying, with both mothers angry pacing the room in opposite directions.
Upon seeing Dontaes face Amari tried to dry her eyes, cause she didn't want to give him that glory of breaking her down.
His mom stopped in mid-pace "Don't act like you're scared now, get your high yellow ass in here now." She said through clenched teeth.
" Ummm?" He said.
" Ummm? Is that all you have to say? Amari's mom asked while balling her fist ready to pounce on him like a mother tiger.
" Ummm." He said again as he began to shake.
" Lord, this child you gave me was an "A" student his entire academic life. Why is Ummm, the only sound he's making with his mouth. Lord, please give me the strength to no kill this child you gave me. In your son Jesus name I pray Amen." Mrs. Kim prayed " I failed as a mother." She continued.
" I dont know what's going on? Amari, why are you crying?" He said confused to the what's going on in the room.
" He can form words now." Amari's mother said while still pacing. " Why did you let that how kiss you?" She continued.
" Who? Inu? She caught me off guard. I was shocked too." he replied.
" I- that- all- you- have- to- say- Don- tae?" His mom said while beating him upside his head.
" Oww, mom that hurts." He said while holding the back of his head. " I told you she caught me off guard and I was shocked as you are." He continued.
" What we're y'all talking about that lead up to that?" Asked Keturia.
" We were talking about business and I was complaining." He said.
" About what?" Mrs. Kim asked
" About Amari." He said under his breath
" About what?" Keturia asked
" About amari." He said again under his breath.
" Boy, if you don't stop acting up and speak up you will get married in a body cast." Jasmine threatened him while speaking through clenched teeth on the latter.
" ABOUT AMARI " he yelled.
" BOY, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING TO? I WILL SLAP YOU INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK." His mom yelled. " Why are you talking about your fiance's with another woman who you know don't like her?" She continued.
" As I told Amari, Inu is misunderstood. She's not a bad person." He said.
" Are you defending this b**ch right in front of us?" Asked Keturia.
Amari started to cry again and turned around to lay on the bed and bury her head in the pillows.
" Its something seriously wrong with you for you to not to know that, that woman does not like Amari." His mom said.
" Do she have roots on you? Have she asked to use your personal bathroom before?" Keturia asked
Dontae started to think ' Have she ever asked to use the restroom?'
"Cause I think she stole some hair in your brush and went to a voodoo man. You're just dumb when it comes to her." Amari's mom continued.
" Voodoo? No, she's not into that. She, she, she wouldn't do anything like that." He said.
" I think we should call off the wedding. He's in live with another woman who puts roots on him." Amari's mom said.
" I think so too. He doesn't know her worth and he doesn't deserve her." His mom said.
" Wait a minute. This is between Amari and I. You guys have nothing to do with us." He said angrily.
" We are your mothers. We have a lot to do with you. From birth until this moment, we have every right to say something." Keturia said.
Dontae walked passed the two angry moms and sat next to Amari. While she was lying on the bed sobbing.
" Amari, baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. And since you're hurt, I'm hurt too. I promise that I wont let this situation happen again. As I said earlier, I've been avoiding her. Trying to distance myself from her. I don't want to lose you. You're the best gift that God gave me. You're precious and rare. Please, don't leave me." He said while crying.
Amari uncovered her head, sat up and said "Okay, I'll give you one more chance. If you defend her, accept text, phone calls or anything that has nothing to do with work, you will lose me forever." She said while wiping her tears with a broken voice.
" I promise. I promise." He said and kissed her.
" We will be watching you and her." Mrs. Kim said.
" Okay!" He said while he hugged Amari crying.
The moms left out of the room to give them a moment to gather themselves and return to the party.
" Dontae, if I ever find out or catch you and her in an act of passion or touching each other, you both will die that day." She said coldly with no break in her voice.
He looked deep into her eyes, smiled and kissed her he said " There is no way that I will ever betray your trust in me. I love you so much that I will kill myself if I ever thought of that. Great assure that I'm not dying anytime soon."
He grabbed her hand and they returned to the party.
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