Chapter Five

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. -Albert Pike

chapter five

When we got back to Mama’s house, we all brought out the food that we were going to chow down. I did not tell y'all this, but I love to eat! My mama also knows how to cook, so it is a win-win!

Mama, Aunt Kat, Uncle Morgan, and Uncle Cam helped make all the food. They made macaroni and cheese, baked beans, barbeque chicken, ribs, and hot dogs. Then they made my favorite desserts: peach cobbler and blueberry dumplings’! But, I hate banana pudding. I just hate bananas anyway!

Everyone got a plate and I was making Sage’s, plate. Sage is Barry and Destiny’s daughter, Barry’s ex-girlfriend. Barry is Aunt Mari and Uncle John Tone’s youngest son. Meaning  Sage and I are second cousins.

I asked Barry while I was making Sage’s plate, “How old are you, Barry?”

He responded, “Twenty-nine. Why?”

I responded, “Just asking. So when you two had Sage, you were twenty-five? Wasn’t that a year before Aunt Mari passed?”

“Yeah but Destiny and I are trying to work out our differences though. We were also talking about her upcoming fifth birthday in November,” Barry said.

“You should make it a Mickey Mouse birthday party. She loves Mickey!”

Lastly, he said, “Good to know. Maybe you’re right.”

He walked away with his plate, and I walked towards the dining room with my plate and Sage’s. I sat down and Sage sat beside me. Everyone in the family sat down in the dining room. People started to ask about each other’s lives. I just tuned everyone out, and thought about my good times with Grandma. How I spent the summer with her two years ago, and how she dragged me to church every Sunday! Oh yes, Grandma was a devout Christian!          

I remember how happy Grandma was when I told her Kahlar and I was in a serious relationship, well as serious it can be for seventh-grade. She said it could be like her and Grandpa, and how they shared their love.

It was kind of disgusting with her talking about love and stuff.

She also loved when she would go visit her siblings like Aunt Mari, Aunt Kara, Uncle Vic, Uncle Morgan, Aunt Kat, Aunt Darrie Lee and Uncle Darien. But she hated going to their funerals, especially Uncle Darien’s and Aunt Mari’s. We even had to persuade her to go to Aunt Mari’s funeral in two-thousand ten.

Guys, you should know I just get all emotional and sappy so I am sorry, but let’s continue with the story.

Once I turned my ears back on, I realized somehow that someone turned on Grandma’s favorite song, “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan. She loved that song, but I never knew who she was until I looked her up on Wikipedia and everything else. But, then that phone call passed my mind again. “….would be hard for Ms. Hope Moreland to puncture her aorta from the back…… due to the tragedy already, but Ms. Hope Moreland was murdered…” Talk about Jack having bad timing! I feel like I cannot hold it in anymore.

“Family Meeting!” I screeched at the top of my lungs so immediately that I did not know I said it until everyone stared at me. Why was my mouth working before my brain could catch up? Why was I going to tell that the sweetest person in our family had to endure the most gruesome death? I made my way to the living room to give this heart-wrenching news.

            Everyone gathered into the living room. My heart was about to burst in my throat. I felt like Sidney Prescott from Scream once she found out her boyfriend was Ghostface. Each and every one gathered into the room, and before I personally could stroll in, Carter grabbed me from behind the wall and pulled me close.

“What are you about to say,” Carter questioned me like I was his child.

“Carter, you need to calm down,” I assertively responded back to him.

“Jonah, you do not need to screw anything up right now, or mess with anyone’s emotions. You know you can be very manipulative!” Carter retorted.

“I got this Carter. Dang!” I retorted back to him.

I snatched away from him and we rejoined the family in the living room. I took the stand and stood up in the middle of the room.

“Hey guys. In the wake of this tragedy, this is really, really, really, really HARD to tell you guys. However, remember that phone call I got during Gran’s funeral? It was actually Jack Owens from Providence Memorial Hospital. When they brought Grandma out in the body bag",” I started to tear up, but then again I continued. “When they brought Grandma out in the body bag, they said they would call once they completed her autopsy report.

“They called at the funeral, and it was Jack.”

Here it is. It is going to come out of mouth, and hopefully no one pops off.

“He said the autopsy report stated, ‘her aorta was punctured from the back, and the hospital could not repair it. They believe the death was a homicide. A murder.’ ”

Everyone had a look of disbelief on their face. I recognized because I had the same look on my face when Jack told me. Then, it all turned for the worse.

“Why would you say that?” Cassandra yelled.

“I had to tell everyone Cassie! Who wants to leave their own family in the dark with someone’s death!” I retorted.

“You felt it was the perfect time to tell the whole family when everyone is hurting?” Darrie Jr. interrupted.

“Of course. I did not want to call everyone once y’all got back home. That is just dumb,” I responded.

I looked at Mom. She started to cry, and left the room. I looked towards Aunt Mel. But then she and Uncle Cam were running towards Mama. Everybody started to part ways and leave the living room.

I started to feel like a dummy. Maybe I should have waited until everyone left and called them. The last person that was sitting there was Daddy. Later, the doorbell rang. I already knew it was Kings and Kay, since they said they would be a little late. And I swear they have great timing.

I literally took two steps, and then Dad told me to stop. He got up and went to door, and opened it. Like I said, it was Kingston and Kahlar.

Kingston spoke, “Hey Mr. Carson. Can we come in for the feast?”

Dad replied, “Sorry Kingston, but we’re having a severe family moment and Jonah can’t see any friends right now.”

I was fuming! Why is he saying this in front of my friends? I did not even do anything wrong!

Kahlar concluded, “Oh okay. Well thanks Mr. Carson, and tell Jonah we will see him at school on Monday.”

“Sure will,” Dad rejoined. Then, he closed the door.

He looked back at me and I went off.

“Dad why did you do that?! Ughh, my goodness, you’re always ruining my life!”

After that, I stomped towards my room. Out of my peripheral vision I saw Dad running up the stairs, ready to put me in my place. I didn’t care. He embarrassed me.