Bread: A Hood Love Story

Gabrielle (XVIII)

(A/N: Another one this weekend, because y'all have been so patient. :) )

Gabrielle

July 22nd

7:12pm

     We were all sitting around the table except for Jackie and Tito's sons, who got picked up and went home already. I talked to everyone, and I even warmed up to Randy a little bit after he apologized. I've always liked big families, and the Jacksons feel like the family I never had. It felt... Nice.

     "Hey Michael, thanks for bringing me here. I had a lot of fun."

     He smiles, turning and softly kissses my cheek. "I'm glad you like it here. That means a lot, for real."

     Melanie watches us from my other side. "Awh, look here. Y'all are perfect for each other, you know that? Nel, you could learn a thing or two! Shoot, all the years we been together and I've only met your family twice!"

     "Man, Mike, see what you do?" Nelson kisses his teeth.

      "Aye, don't blame me for your relationship issues!"

     Michael and I laugh when Melanie and Nelson start bickering like always. I know they're not serious, though. They love each other too much.

     The conversations around the table die down into a comfortable silence. I was eating one of my pork chops when I heard a car door slam outside.

     Everyone at the table went silent; even Nelson and Melanie stopped bickering. I looked over and saw Michael hastily cutting his food, holding his knife and fork so hard his knuckles turned white.

     "Michael? You okay?"

     He didn't seem to hear me when the front door opened and shut. The tension in the room grew when a loud voice boomed.

     "Katherine? Is dinner already on?!"

     Just then, a man walked in. He was tall and stocky, with the high cheekbones every Jackson had. He had this air about him that sucked the life out of the room.

     I'm guessing this was Joeseph. I froze when he turned to look at me, staring me down hard.

     "Who the hell is this?!"

     No one moved. Katherine stood and went around the table to him, wringing her hands in her dress. "Joe, this is Gabi, Michael's girlfriend. She and Melanie came to visit today."

     Joeseph's breath hitched when Katherine said I was Michael's girlfriend, and I felt Michael grip my hand under the table.

     "Michael, you bringing hussies in my house now?!"

     "Joeseph, don't --"

     I felt Michael's hand grip mine tighter.

     Joeseph stared at me again, eventually sitting down at the head of the table. Katherine goes back to her seat, and everyone keeps eating in a tense silence.

     I couldn't help but nervously wring my hands in my dress when a cold chill went down my spine. Joeseph made my stomach knot, and not in a good way.

     Scooting closer, I try to whisper as low as I can in Michael's ear. "Michael, can we go --"

     "You got something to say, girl?"

     I whip around and see Joeseph glaring at me again.

     "U-Um, no, i-it's nothing."