Stuck on you

not part of the family

“Slept good?” History must be repeating itself…but this time, she knew better


         “Not really…” she smiled


         “Ah…would that be due to me?”


         “Unfortunately not” she laughed, he touched his chest


         “You break my heart, would it be because of my brother?” he said quietly…she said nothing for a while…then tried to move away


         “You love him, don’t you?” he said, “Why did you sleep with me? You knew he’d find us, what I don’t understand is why”


         “I don’t know what you’re talking about” she said harshly and tried to walk away, he grabbed her hand.


         “You used me, I thought-doesn’t really matter what I thought, but I finally realized you used me!” he smiled looking crazily happy, then he sobered “It wasn’t worth it you know…”


         “I know…” She whispered, he let her go, she hurried away





So, guessing from what she’d heard, Donatella had slept with Jamal which somehow ruined hers and Shane’s friendship.  Why it had ruined hers and Shane’s friendship was what worried her right now. What were Shane and Donatella to each other?  Suze closed her door slightly and sucked on her lower lips, this could not be good…





Dinner





Donatella had always liked the Lawrence’s tradition of eaten together, her and her mom just ate whenever they could, and most likely not together.  She remembered how Mrs. Lawrence would make dinner and require everyone to sit down and eat, she used to help her, just like now.  It felt like old times again, setting the table, talking and laughing together.


         “Oh child I really missed you, you haven’t changed a bit, inside” Mrs. Lawrence touched her hair and Dona laughed.


         “My hair wasn’t that bad” Dona said exclaimed indignantly


         “It was different dear” she patter her back


         “Oh my God!” Dona laughed harder, “Am getting away from you, come on Madda, I thought you liked it”


         “I never said no such thing” Dona rolled her eyes.


         “Just like old times” Mr. Lawrence came in, “My two favorite women shrieking and pretending to know how to cook” He chuckled, Mr. Lawrence didn’t look a day over 40, though he was about to actually turn 50.  His hair was still the thick, jet black she’d left it, he didn’t have many wrinkles on his face except for the laugh lines.  He was fit for his age, his light brown eyes always merry and twinkling.


         “Lots of talking but he will never come near this kitchen” Mrs. Lawrence said to Dona, making sure it was loud enough for her husband to hear.  Dona loved these two as if they were her very own family, she remembered how she used to wish to someday find a love as great as theirs.  They had their ups and down like any family, but they always stuck together.


         “Where those boys of yours at Joseph?” She asked and as if they had been called both showed up with Suze in tow.


         “I wanted to show Suze around town” Shane said and when Mr. Lawrence looked at Jamal he just shrugged looking chagrined.


They sat at the dinner table, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence at the head of the table, Shane and Suze sat together on the left side leaving her and Jamal to seat next to each other, but also leaving her to sit across from Shane.  Shane did not look at her once, seeming to completely ignore her as if she wasn’t even there.  They prayed around the table, Suze looked sort of uncomfortable.


         “Suze, you should try my mom’s curry chicken, she makes the best curry chicken in the world” Shane smiled widely at his mother.


         “That she does” Mr. Lawrence said jovially as he took a bite of his food.


         “Don’t forget her famous Ackee and saltfish” Jamal said in agreement, “Speaking of Ackee can you pass me the stew?” he looked at Suze.  Suze looked around, wondering which one was the stew, Shane saw his fiancée’s indecision and instead took the stew himself and passed it to his brother.  Everything was going fine until Suze started cuffing, really hard.


         “Um sweetie, are you okay?” Shane asked, Dona couldn’t help thinking what a stupid question that was, the girl looked like she was dying.


         “Get the gal some latta” Mrs. Lawrence said calmly


         “Spicy, really spicy” Suze fanned herself, “I think I bit a pepper” her eyes were extremely red, she was tearing up, Dona looked down, then around, then to her side not knowing what to do.


         “It’s okay, first time I tried it, it was the same, tell that funny story about me Madda” Dona said after everything had quieted down and Suze looked embarrassed enough to pass out. 


         “Oh yes…why this gal here ran right out da door, screaming she was on fire” She dramatically reenacted Dona’s plight to her mother…which had everyone laughing…from then on, there was countless stories about childhood this and that, most of them about Dona and Shane.  Whenever Mrs. Lawrence said something about Dona and Shane’s childhood they would both quickly glance at one another then away.


         “So you guys are like best friends?” Suze smiled from one to the other, everyone was quiet.


         “Were, we were like best friend” Shane said looking steely at Dona, she swallowed.  Realizing she had brought up something that everyone was trying not to talk about, Suze tried to change the subject.


         “So uh, Dona! Yea, uh why do you call Mrs. Lawrence Madda, is Madda your name?” she looked at Lawrence.


         “Oh dearie no, my name is Sharise…”


         “Madda means mother” Dona said silently


         “Shane went to Kingston when he was like 3, right?” Jamal looked at his father who nodded, “Yea and his favorite word up there was how they said mother, he started calling mom that, and when Dona heard she’d…”


         “Sing it around the house” Shane finished, they looked at each other, Suze got quiet, somehow every question went back to Shane and Dona, what had happened…