Under the Disguise

chapter five | mama j knows all

Mama J's was homely. It had that timeless feel to it where you knew this place had been and will always be here till the end of time. It was filled with warmth and love and you just knew nobody would be turned away at the door. Mama J herself was the embodiment of those very things. She approached us in hurried steps, the long floral dress she wore swishing behind her as she quickly wrapped Alex up in a hug.

"You stupid boy," she said as soon as she let him go.

"What did I do now," Alex groaned seeming distressed by her reaction but the smirk which he adorned said anything but.

"You come back after god know how many years and even decide to bring a girl with you but you didn't even think to call me." The smile she wore soon turned into a glare and she raised her hand to punch him on the shoulder. I blinked in shock, it was unbelievable how this short woman who seemed to emit love could punch the giant Alex was in comparison to her.

Alex stepped back grinning, clutching his shoulder as if in pain while dramatically giving out pained groans, "don't hit me woman, I haven't done anything."

"I will damn well punch you if you want" she replied but Alex's exaggerated groans didn't stop and Mama J let out a exasperated breath before saying, "Oh stop with the dramatics Lex we're not in Hollywood anymore, you're eighteen look at those muscles of yours, you think this old woman can hurt you."

Alex suddenly stopped groaning and let his hand fall down to his side and gave her a sheepish grin. He gave a small shrug making a brown lock fall onto his forehead while saying, "You never know, you are stronger than you look."

Mama J just shook her head as if Alex was a child up to no good. Her warm brown eyes then shifted towards me and she held out her hands to pull me into a hug.

Her hug reminded me of winter nights, huddled under blankets while sipping hot chocolate and I didn't want to pull back but I forced myself to. I stepped back and let my hands fall from around her, the small smile I always wore around new people growing larger because of her presence.

She rested her hands lightly on my shoulder and asked, "What's your name sweetie?"

"Isabella," the name felt forced on my tongue, I didn't want to lie to the old lady in front of me but the small smirk she sent me as if we were the only two people in the world who knew a secret threw me off-guard as my eyes widened in response. She couldn't possibly know.

"That's a wonderful name sweetheart, now tell me what is such a sweet girl like you doing with this man-child." Her amused smile caused me to relax and prompted Alex to let out a whine.

"Oh shut it, you old hag"

"Now now Alex, is this the way to be talking to the person who makes ice-cream for you. I could always spit in it, you never know."

That shut Alex up very fast as he obediently closed his mouth and Mama J once again looked back at me.

"So much like Amelia," she muttered as she kept staring at me but then shook her head when she saw my confused expression, "oh it's nothing honey, you just remind me of someone I used to know, now come along let me make that ice-cream you came her for."

She turned and scuttled toward the counter she was standing behind of before she saw us and without letting us give her our orders she started making something, I was about to object but the hand Alex placed on my arm stopped me, "this is her thing, just go with it, it happens on the odd occasion. Let's find a place to sit and wait."

He picked a spot right next to the picture covered walls. Smiling, content faces looking down at me from all directions. A clatter of the ice-cream bowl being placed on the small, circular, wood table bringing my attention to it from the pictures.