Time Waits for No One

Chapter 11, Part 1 - A Cause for Celebration

September 26th, 1977

"Jacqueline, would you please sit still?"

"She can't fight the boogie, Margie, let her be."

"I'll let her be when I finish this brow," Margaret said to her boyfriend as she craned over Jacqueline, who had her eyes shut as she tried to subtly move to the music. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Damn, I'm getting kicked out of my own home?" Jimmy mumbled, focused on keeping his time on the turntables in front of him as he played music for his sister on her special day, doubling as practice for the party that night. "What I gotta do to get some respect around here?"

"Maybe start with staying out of women's business," Margaret replied quickly, forcing Jacqueline to sputter out a laugh. Baby sister was finally legal, and everyone had been pulling out the stops to make her day special; Jimmy and Margaret popped up at her place first thing with balloons, flowers, and a bagel sandwich from her favorite spot and had whisked her Uptown to pick up some last minute things and set their busy evening of her birthday dinner and party into motion. A celebratory splash of champagne or two later, they found themselves in the elder Carter's living room, Jacqueline getting her face painted and Jimmy providing the vibes, mixing their favorite funk and disco songs and making new sounds with them, like DJs had been doing around the city all summer.

"You excited for dinner, baby girl? I'm sure James is pulling out all the stops for you since it's a big one." Margaret asked, comparing how even the brows were.

"He always pulling out the stops," Jacqueline replied, trying to keep her eyes shut and still as she talked with her hands, waving them to brush off the idea. "I'm excited to see my cousins and stuff, but dinner is dinner. Really, I'm tryna to see all the secrets y'all have up your sleeves for this party."

"Girl, you got that nosy gene just like your brother,"

"Hey!"

"She does, Jim! Don't you worry, Jackie, just know it's going to be a night to remember. Take whatever ideas you have in your head and toss them out, it's better."

"Well gee, that definitely helps narrow it down, Margaret. Thanks a lot, sis." Jacqueline droned sarcastically, sticking out her lip.

"All that pouting don't mean nothing, Juju. You been in the dark all this time, a few more hours won't kill you. Just sit back and enjoy the day."

"Yeah, sis, just roll with the punches. The day will skate by and you'll have a blast." Jimmy said, keeping a straight face at the turntables. Margaret rolled her eyes.

"No seriously, don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked, pausing on the make-up and redirecting her attention to her sweetheart. "We gon need a little privacy when it's time to get dressed and you said you had some things to handle for the party, I don't want you to be late."

"Aww, babe, I was having fun."

"We know. Too much." Margaret said. "Seriously, though, baby, it's past 3, if you wanna make it to the Bronx and back, you should go now."

"What's in The Bronx again?" Jacqueline asked, popping one eye open.

"Mind your business!" the couple said in unison, looking at her with matching screw faces. Jacqueline couldn't help but laugh as she threw up her hands.

"I know, I know, surprise, surprise. I won't ask again."

"Good," Margaret said before turning back to Jimmy. "Now you get on, boy. You got things to do."

"Alright, then. If you must throw me out." Jimmy said, removing his big headphone set, packing up his equipment, and going to turn on the radio to replace the quiet. "I'll be back shortly to escort you ladies to dinner. Y'all need anything while I'm out?"