Dear Jolene

Chapter 8

The entire ceremony happened successfully, and after witnessing their first dance, Jo rushed to the restroom to touch up her make-up and tame her hair a little.

Jo's hair had this ability to curve outwards and Emily was dead against her using heat so early in life, even though 80% of the girls Jo's age used dryers, straighteners and curlers.

As Jo was fixing her hair, the restroom door burst open and an old lady walked in with a middle-aged woman assisting her. Even though the old lady was supported by a walking stick, the way she held herself gave away her strong character. Jo eyed the wine-red velvety dress the woman had worn through the mirror.

The dress had no other accessory and yet it looked extravagant. The pearls on her neck and ears glistened in the restroom lights. Jo had no doubts in guessing that she was one of the rich quacks Andrew had invited.

The woman looked at Jo and said, "The last time I saw someone rocking that hairstyle was my Mother ", pointing at Jo's hair with her walking stick. 

Jo applied one coat of gloss and replied, "Your Mother must have had excellent taste", Jo closed her lip gloss and put it inside her little purse. 

"Oh yes, even the whores with whom my father cheated on her had this hairstyle", the old woman said nearing Jo slowly.

Jo awkwardly paused fixing her dress and slowly turned towards the woman. She smiled softly and said, "Then your father must have had an excellent taste".

"Excuse me, do you whom you're talking to", the woman who was assisting the old lady called out, raising her voice at Jo.

Jo frowned and said, "I know I'm talking to a gorgeous Lady".

"She is Emma Kingston", the woman said expecting some kind of reaction from Jo. The old lady gave a warning look to the meddlesome woman and spoke up, "Forgive my nurse, you're the bride's daughter, right?"

Jo nodded her head and smiled sweetly. She had a soft spot for old women; ever since she had met the grandmother of a classmate in kindergarten, Jo wanted one herself.

Emma leaned in and placed her free hand on Jo's shoulder, "You can call me Granny", she said softly.

Jo made a thinking face and then said, "Only if I get to taste your famous Blueberry muffins".

Emma let out a laugh at the request. Emma's face was something people might have forgotten but her name stills rang a bell in the heads of people with good taste. She was a world-renowned pastry chef in her time and still made it into magazines. She had to stop working professionally due to personal reasons.

Emma shooed her nurse away and held out her arm to Jo, "Walk me to the dining area, would you Dear".

Jo grinned and took her arm, she was trying to contain her happiness on getting to call someone 'Granny'. 

"You can call me Jo, Granny", Jo beamed at Emma, who nodded in reply.

As they walked towards the dining area, Emma explained how that nurse was just a temporary attachment because she had recently fainted due to low blood pressure. Jo then reasoned how she should have the nurse around to which Emma replied, "Goodness, I hated that woman from the moment she opened her mouth, she knows I love gossip but all she does is tell me rumours and stories she thinks are cool, I have five kids myself and yet she forces me to listen to her stories of diaper changing", making Jo burst in a fit of giggles.

Her cute giggles caught many people's attention, and they gawked at the scene in front of them. The ex-Donna of the American mafia giggling along with a teenage girl. She was known to be the most powerful person in the entire mafia, everyone respected and loved her. Many feared her, some admired her, but only a few loved the soft woman who took care of every family member.