Read Online Chardonnay: A Novel by Jacquilynn Martine - Free Book Online Page B

told me, even after saying I must let go
because you ultimately came from him,” My mother began to weep harder
after she read those words. I sat in silence as I tried to understand what it
all meant to her and from whom. She continued with, “our love was one of captivation...and in those times I was
told that my love was what was of thirst, not other foreign seas that were swam
in for years. You were never abandoned.” My mother wiped her eyes, placing her hands to her stomach...I was so confused
then about what I had witnessed, just as I am today. She never knew I was in
the room and that was the only time I’d ever seen my mother cry. She was so
beautiful in that vulnerable state to me even as a child.
      The microwave sounded just
as a hand touched my shoulder. I jumped from both disturbances and looked over
to my left to see my little sister Jersey. She was rubbing the sleep out her
eyes, and her sleek black hair was draped over her shoulders. At
sixteen-years-old, she had the absolute effect on boys as I did with her milky
smooth chocolate skin, dimple face, and glowing jet black deep set eyes. We
were totally opposites. She was the kind of girl that knew she had it
going on and no one could faze her in telling her otherwise. I smiled at her as
she threw her hip out and said, “When you get home?”
    I touched her hair and flicked it while removing myself from the
stool.
    “Well, I’ve been in the city for a good minute, chica. You’re
looking grown and cute.” I said, pulling my warm milk out the microwave.
    “Ha! Chica you crazy! I’m grown and sexy!”
    I laughed since I awaited her familiar response. Jersey’s
confidence perhaps had been thanks to many guys in our rich as soy milk
neighborhood, including Mystro. But it was the naturalistic character of her
presence that had many men fooled or in other words schooled before she even
walked through the door of womanhood.   I
wasn’t sure my little sis had ever had sex, but I knew she wasn’t above having
little boyfriends here and there. Once I left the neighborhood Jersey was the
next hot girl on the block to get. And every guy was lined up for a chance
before my parents could assign her a particular guy as they had done to me. But
Jersey never had that put in her psyche. She was dating who ever she wanted to
date and my mother would surely approve as long as they had money.
    I chuckled at her and sipped my milk. She sat on the stool and
opened the box of Danishes.
    “So what’s new?” I asked.
    “Hump! You. I heard on the
block what happened with the Mr. Sexy Myron.”
    I shook my head as she bit down on the Danish; the child had grown
up without my permission.
    “Shut up,” I walked over to the island and sat in the stool next
to her and grabbed Danish myself.
    “It’s grown folks business. And how you know anyway?”
    “Everyone talking about it. You betta be glad momma and
daddy ain’t here.”
    I shook my head and sighed,
    “Where are they?”
    “Went looking for you...what’s going on sis? Myron is a hot topic
and got money out the ass?”
    I looked at Jersey and knew she could never understand where I was
coming from since at sixteen-years-old anything was fair game. She would roll
with the breeze if our parents let her.
    “It’s about more than how fine he is or how fat his pockets are,
and I can tell you now I’ve been digging in his pockets enough to have paid off two mortgages and a car note, along with the little allowance our
parents gives us a week. But...Jersey, when a dude don’t treat you like he’s
supposed to, are you gonna keep letting him buy your love?”
    “Yelp! Right until I find another one!”
    “Yeah, another one just like him, be careful what you wish for.”
    She rolled her eyes and opened the Tupperware lid that held the
delectable scent of our father’s basil chicken. She took a cold leg and gave me
a wing, my favorite part of the chicken.
    “You think Mystro stuck up?” she asked.
    “No, why?”