Chapter 28

“I don’t know what the fight was about, except what I put together from what they said and other things I know. My guess is, my mother was upset that her sister was coming for Thanksgiving, and maybe she knew something about what happened when we were at Aunt Jane’s house. I’m not sure. I was listening from my room, but they were already going at it when I woke up, so I missed a lot. Jasmine heard more, but she didn’t say if she knew more. They seem happy now, and everyone is coming for Thanksgiving.” Susan didn’t seem to need an answer as I did, but she was relieved and thrilled that her aunt and cousins were coming.

“Jeremy, Jesselyn, and Aunt Jane will be here Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I can’t wait. You’re gonna like them. They’re very nice and so much more than cousins to us. Jeremy’s sixteen, Jesselyn is seventeen. Actually, he turns sixteen the same day as Jasmine, December 12th. You better get Jasmine something for her sweet sixteen.” Susan took an excited gasp of air.

I felt uncomfortable about how excited she was to see her family, really only Jeremy. Am I jealous? Unfortunately, I also thought about what I might give Jasmine for her birthday. I mentally scolded myself and kissed my girlfriend on her belly button as she stood in front of me.

“I better get back, my mother doesn’t know I’m over here, and she knows I don’t need your tutoring anymore. I hope she doesn’t figure out what kind of lessons you were giving me.” Susan giggled.

I took a deep breath as I got up, filling my nose with Susan’s scent. I hugged her and walked her toward the door. I paused before turning the doorknob and looked into Susan’s eyes. “One of these days we’re going to have to tell your mother.”

Susan took my hand. “I don’t think it’s time. She had that whole sex talk with me the other day. She acted like I had never seen a dick before and went on about babies forever. I think being pregnant has gotten to her.” Susan noticed my reaction but didn’t say anything.

“I better go.” Susan finished turning the doorknob for me.

I followed her onto the front porch, not ready to let her go. Our lips and tongues enjoyed a passionate kiss until the flicker of headlights lit us up. “Shit, that’s my parents. I’ll talk to you later,” I said.

In the house, I sat in front of the TV, hoping our arms locked around each other could have been mistaken for something other than us making out.

“Is there anything you want to explain, young man?” My mother didn’t look mad, but “young man” meant she was serious.

“Well, Mom, I guess there is. You see, the doorbell rang, and when I answered it, there was a girl out there. I explained that I wasn’t interested in any Girl Scout cookies, but she kissed me without warning. I promise, I was as shocked as you must be.”

My mother almost smiled, then a lengthy discussion about Susan’s age and the inappropriateness of “making out” on the front porch followed. There were no orders given to not date Susan, but the term “exercise wisdom” was used enough to make it clear they disapproved. Of course, there was never to be anymore kissing out front or elsewhere. If I heard, “she’s too young,” one more time, I was sure I was going to blurt out, “she fucks like she’s twenty.”

All ended well with my parents as far as I was concerned. We’d just keep hiding the kissing, but I wasn’t going to say she wasn’t my girlfriend. Now, I just had to prepare for Thanksgiving. I wondered how I was going to feel seeing Susan and Jeremy together?

The days had clicked off quickly, that is, until the Monday before Thanksgiving. Only two days of school that week, yet they each seemed a week long. But, I knew once Tuesday ended, we would be fast-forwarding into the holiday season. We would have many days off between now and after New Year’s day, plus countless goof off days at school. This year’s holidays had so many different things to look forward to and many unknowns.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis were getting along well, from what Susan told me. There wasn’t anything I wanted more than their unending happiness. Mrs. Davis’s status seemed too obvious now that I knew what was in her oven. Her plumping belly and swollen chest seemed to scream my name every time I caught a glimpse of her. Although, she always seemed friendly and kind in her somewhat inappropriate way.

Susan had mentioned the family get-together a couple of times, and each time I felt a twinge of jealousy. The strange thing was my feelings weren’t limited to Susan. Jasmine was a stowaway on my emotional roller coaster ride. She was making love withdrawals from the supply that should have been reserved for Susan. It seemed unfair that I saw Jasmine more than Susan, but Susan still stayed fresh in my mind. The memory of her last kiss always lingered on my lips until it was wiped away by another.

Susan’s brutal honesty about herself and her family’s incestuous history had left me more connected to her in my heart. However, I was still troubled by how Jasmine complicated our relationship. It also had me challenging my own primate tendencies. I wondered if I had a sister like Jasmine or Susan if I would be different?

I spent most of math class thinking about what I could get Jasmine for her birthday. I hated having my birthday in the summer because it always seemed like a bad time for one. But, I imagined sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas was worse. I found my desire to get her something special frustrating at best and cheating at worst. I guess if that thing didn’t happen before Halloween, she would just be the sister of my girlfriend. But, instead, there was a ton of baggage associated with us. No matter what I got Jasmine, I would be in trouble. If it was too special, Susan would be upset, if not special enough, Jasmine would be.