When You Left Me

Family Dinner Part 2

( Jasmines POV )

As we drove back to Laurent's house, I was a little on edge. Me and Laurent's sister Lianna had been good friends once upon a time. At least back before Laurent left me. I didn't know if Laurent or Larry knew but Lianna had been really pissed at me. She would call me and threaten me without telling me the reason why. She once texted me saying and I quote that if I ever went around Laurent again, that she'd beat my ass. Now Lianna didn't frighten me, I just didn't want to have to deal with her right now. I was already still unstable from previous events and I don't think I could handle the insults and berating. My heart was feeling like it was dropping. What if she knew about me not telling Laurent I had been pregnant? I could just imagine the bullshit I was going to have to endure at dinner. I sighed and stared out the window. Maybe I should just skip dinner.
We got back to the house and I couldn't help myself from just admiring the pool. I loved to swim, swimming was actually how I lost all the weight. I would do 8 laps everyday in the community pool. "Laurent..do you mind if I go swimming?"
"Non petit, as long as I'm around to watch you."
"I'm not a child Laurent!"
"No but regardless that's the condition. If you want to swim, you'd do it when I'm here." I pouted knowing that it was useless to argue with the French bastard. "Well if you're going to be my babysitter when I go swimming, you might as well just join." I said this jokingly, but Laurent's lips curled ever so slightly. "That's fine with me petit, although i can't be held accountable if you faint from seeing me wet." I blushed the brightest red and just stomped away, Laurent's laughter in the background.

A good two hours later, I had my hair straightened and I was dressed. The sundress fit perfectly and the red of it made my eye color pop. I stared at myself in the mirror. It was hard to place this skinny woman with the fat child of the past. A wistful look entered my eyes that was dispelled when Laurent came behind me and ran his fingers through my hair. "You look so different petite, but always beautiful."
"Eh, you can call me beautiful now but back then I was anything but. Makes me wonder where the real me went." Laurent looked irritated and moved his hands. "You are the real you. Losing weight didn't cause you to lose everything you were. You were always beautiful Jasmine, you just couldn't see because you were so wrapped up in society's view of beauty. The girl I met in the chorus room was beauty personified." He walked away from me, completely annoyed with me now. I was shell shocked . I couldn't comprehend how he could prefer the old me. That girl was nothing but a obese loser. I got up before I started crying and just left with Laurent in the car.
He was quiet. Kept his eyes on the road and had the music playing on a low volume. My eyes roamed over him, he was wearing a black tank top that had twins written on the black and black skinny jeans with grey and black Jordan's. His usual rings and bracelets were on him and he had a pair of Gucci sunglasses on. I sighed, it was something to be called beautiful by this gorgeous creature that he was. "Are you mad at me Laurent?"
"Non, why do ask?"
"Because you haven't said a word to me since we left the house."
"You didn't say a word to me for a week so I call it even." I shut my mouth at that and just looked away. That stung but I deserved it.
We got to his mothers house a few moments later, and the driveway was packed with cars. "Geez, is this a family dinner or a neighborhood cookout?"
"Hm." Laurent's answer irked me but I suppressed my annoyance. When we got out, Laurent went straight to the door and opened it. Reggae music was playing and I could see Laurent's brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews everywhere. God, I forgot how big their family was. Larry spotted is and screamed for us to come here. We walked over and I noticed Liloh in Larrys arms. A huge smile lit my face and I immediately took her from Larry and played with her. Larry and Laurent spoke as I playfully spun Liloh around, her giggling egging my inner child on. Mama B came and played with us as well, everyone just enjoying theirselves. A couple of Laurent's brothers and sisters said hello and damn it's been a long time. It was homey. I never knew that feeling. It was fun and happy. It was a family. But for some reason I heard Laurent cursing and I left to see what was going on. When I got to the living room, I saw Lianna with her date, Waydi.

( End Chapter )