A DEAL FOR A LIFETIME

chapter 14

                      BETHEL

We walked into the sitting room, tension heavy in the air. Rico's uncle was standing there, glaring at Jasmine. His aunt was crying, her face pale and drawn. I noticed two boys standing off to the side, probably Jasmine's brothers, both looking equally distressed.

"Uncle James," Rico called out, his voice firm. Uncle James's glare shifted to Rico. I moved to sit beside Jasmine, who was crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face looked like she hadn't stopped crying for hours.

"Bethel," she whispered, hugging me tightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice soft with concern.

"Not really," she replied, her voice trembling.

"You permitted her to date that guy?" Uncle James yelled, his anger boiling over.

"She's 19, Uncle, and I decided to talk to her about dating. Although I didn't discuss sex, I forgot about that, so it's not her fault. It's mine," Rico said, surprising me by taking the blame.

"I can't believe this is coming from you, Rico. I told you to make sure she didn't date or see any guy," Uncle James fumed.

"Katherine already has a boyfriend," Rico pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's child's play. She can't get pregnant like your worthless cousin did," Uncle James shot back.

The room fell into a heavy silence. Rico's aunt sobbed quietly, the sound tearing at my heart. Jasmine clung to me, her body shaking with silent sobs. Rico stood there, tense and defiant, his eyes never leaving his uncle's.

"Uncle James, Jasmine is going to be a mother, whether we like it or not. We need to support her, not tear her down," Rico said, his voice steady but strained.

"You don't understand, Rico. This is not how we planned her future," Uncle James replied, his voice breaking.

"I know, but it's happening, and we have to deal with it," Rico insisted.

I squeezed Jasmine's hand, trying to give her some strength. "We're all here for you, Jasmine," I whispered, hoping she could feel the sincerity in my words.

                         RICO

I knew talking to Uncle James was going to be hard. Among all the Jeffersons, he was the strictest. My father had been strict too, but he softened after marrying my mother. Uncle James is the second son of my grandfather, Mark Jefferson, and my father is the eldest. There were six siblings originally, but two died in an air crash when I was born. My grandfather is very strict and, according to rumors, wicked—rumors say he killed a lot of people. I, on the other hand, can’t even kill a fly, despite appearances. Grandfather is still alive but lives in a distant country. We visit him once every five years. Katherine, my sister, doesn't know him and doesn't like him.

My father has one sister, who is very kind and takes after my grandmother. In our family, each generation has only one girl among the children. My dad had me, my brother, and my sister. Uncle James has Jasmine, Jeff, and Jude. Uncle Luis has Stephanie, Mico, and Finn. Even Bethel and I might have two boys and one girl. Wait, what am I thinking? Planning a future for me and Bethel? Gross.

"She is your daughter, Uncle James. That doesn't mean you should neglect her. Yes, we're all angry because she got pregnant, but you don't have to kill her for it. She is a woman and an adult who can decide for herself," Bethel said, her voice strong and calm.

"You mean she should decide for herself? But you were forced into marriage. You didn't decide for yourself, even though you’re 21 or 22. So you have no right or authority to teach me how to train my daughter," he said angrily.