Misunderstood (Toussaint Mafia #4)

Chapter 5

“ W ill that be all? And Meilani you look so cute! You have a certain glow to you today,” Connie gushed holding the one menu that had been given to Jazmine.

Meilani gave Connie a strained smile before shaking her head.

“We’re good and thank you, Connie,” Meilani sighed, not in the friendliest mood at the moment.

Connie walked away grinning, and Maia rolled her eyes.

“Told you she wanna eat you up,” Maia teased lowly, and Jazmine sat back quietly watching her girls interact.

Dreaming of being reunited with her kids was nothing compared to the real thing. Even with their constant ridicule of her she wouldn’t have it any other way. Finally, she felt like she could breathe again because she was near them. Now if only she could see Ossa and love on him, but she wasn’t throwing in the towel with her oldest kid either. Ossa would eventually give in, and she prayed that it would be sooner than later.

“Maia shut the hell up and go fix them lopsided ass lashes,” Meilani grunted avoiding eye contact with Jazmine.

Maia quickly checked her long lashes before standing.

“I told Promise he was doing too much this morning, wow,” she huffed and rushed away from the table.

The table fell silent as Masami typed away on her cellphone and Meilani looked at her perfectly done French tip nails. Boston was at home resting, but Jazmine couldn’t cancel. She didn’t wanna miss any more time with her girls. If they agreed to meet her there then she was going to be there no matter what.

“You girls look so beautiful. I can’t believe how thick you and Maia are Meilani. You two have to get that from my maw maw,” Jazmine remarked thinking of how beautifully shaped her grandmother was. “She used to have all of the men vying for her attention.”

Meilani didn’t reply and Masami only offered a half smile. Minutes later they were joined by Maia who was lash less and still beautiful as ever. Soon Connie was coming over with sushi trays and the lemon drops. Jazmine waited until her girls were going in on their rolls for her to speak.

“I’m sorry,” Jazmine apologized already becoming emotional. She placed her shaky hands onto her lap and looked at her daughters. The beautiful faces of her children that was so upset with her that they probably didn’t love her anymore. That sad fact alone was enough to break her heart.

“I love you all so much. So much,” Jazmine’s eyes teared up as her daughters looked her way. “If you all never forgive me I will understand. My actions towards the end can’t go unpunished and I know that. I want you all to know that I fought for you. I birthed you all and I loved each and every one of you. To not have you all in my life was like hell because I never wanted that. In fact, I tried to take you but—” Jazmine knew she couldn’t throw Masami under the bus as she started to explain why she left them as she cleared her throat. “I was shot in the crossfires, and I nearly bled out. I had to get five pints of blood and surgery. Major surgery to repair the damage and I,” Jazmine looked down at the table to gather her thoughts.

She also didn’t wanna reveal she was pregnant and place more guilt onto Masami, so she didn’t. “I was incredibly ill after that. Once I was in better health we came back. Again, and again but each time it was casualties. Each time it got harder to get closer to you all and the police wouldn’t help us. No one would unless we gave up Carlos. After my sister’s husband was killed I knew then that I would have to be patient and wait. I needed for Carlos to get comfortable because he was becoming more dangerous. He’d even done things to you girls to show me how far he could go. I should have made him leave me here with you all,” Jazmine admitted, always regretting how she left her girls that faithful day.

“I’m no saint but how could you even fall in love with your husbands brother? Did uncle Davido come on to you or what?” Maia asked in displeasure at the thought.

Jazmine grabbed her wine as she looked at her daughters. Her eyes zeroed in on Meilani who seemed to be very interested in hearing how that happened as well. Jazmine then looked at her oldest girl, Masami. Masami was like her father, a brick wall. Her emotions weren’t visible, and it pained Jazz to know that Carlos had succeeded in making her kids like him. Something he promised he would do many years ago.

“Davido was there for me from the beginning. Early on after marrying your father I saw that he wasn’t my prince charming. He was more like the villain, and I was more like one of his conquests. Something for him to boast over and show off but never someone for him to love. I don’t have to tell you how your father is. By now you all know. I’m not saying to hate him but know that I suffered a lot at the hands of Carlos. After a while it started to break me down. I kept trying to leave and he wouldn’t let me. He’d have people stop me or even have the cops working for him and they would always catch us before we could make an escape. I was plagued with heartache, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Carlos put me through hell and Davido saw that more than anyone even Reuben. Davido was there for me and within us becoming friends we did fall in love. I know it was wrong to fall in love with someone that wasn’t my husband, but it felt so good to be loved,” Jazmine’s gaze dropped as she reflected on the times when Davido’s love had been her guide back to life.

“Davido was so good to me,” she acknowledged and watched as her girls all looked at her strangely. “I know you don’t respect it, and I wouldn’t force you all to do that. Just know that like me, he loves you all immensely and when you all was younger he was like your father. Carlos didn’t make time for you all, he didn’t attend things with you or pour into you. He gave out his money, quickly showed his face and he was on his way. The only time that he did get back in your face was when you all would start to talk more about his brother. Carlos is a narcissist. When the attention isn’t on him he goes crazy. For him to hear you all brag about Davido made him angry. It was then that he came home early and played with you all or took you to the mall. However, his intentions were never pure. He used you all like pieces on a chess board to get his way.”

“If he was so bad to you then why didn’t you tell grandpa or work with the cops outside of Marcy Falls to have them help you leave?” Meilani asked with a frown and Maia shook her head.

“Come on now, Mei. Let’s not do that. We couldn’t even get away from him and we’re his kids. I could only imagine how hard he made it for her,” Maia snapped.

Meilani shook her head.

“But she had resources that we didn’t have, Maia! She could have done anything to get away from him with us, instead of leaving and not taking us. What the fuck! I mean I would never leave my kids with a man that supposedly did all of these things to me because surely,” Meilani looked to Jazmine as she talked, anger covering her beautiful face. “Surely I would know that once I was gone, that hell would be passed down to my kids that I claim I love so much. Or maybe just didn’t care because I was out and that was all that mattered,” Meilani stood and snatched her things off the table as Jazmine peered up at her sadly. “Look I understand you want to make things right. I get that but you can’t expect us to forgive you overnight when your death affected us for years. Although I love my husband now, I was forced to marry him when I didn’t want to. I was forced to do so much bullshit behind the demands of dad and you wasn’t there. Call me crazy momma but if you loved us so much why didn’t you ride it out with us? Maybe if you were there he would have changed. Maybe he wouldn’t have gone so hard on us. But now we’ll never know and your sorry does nothing for me. And it damn sure can’t take away the damage that has been done. Yes uncle Davido tried your hand but how much does he really love you for him to put you in a position like that? He was being selfish as fuck and so were you. I gotta go,” Meilani stormed off and Masami looked at Jazmine.

“I’ll go talk to her,” Masami stood and went after Meilani as Jazmine looked to Maia.

Maia offered Jazmine a warm smile before standing. Maia went to Jazmine and leaned down to hug her, making Jazmine’s tears well over and spill out of her eyes.

“Meilani is dealing with a lot and she’s a fireball like dad. She’s also very sensitive and you have to give her space so that she can calm down. When pushed against the wall she reacts off emotions, but I get it everything you said and I’m so sorry for not taking your calls. —Welcome back mommy,” Maia whispered.

Jazmine stood and hugged Maia as hard as she could feeling grateful that Maia was allowing her back into her life.

“I’m so sorry Maia. I promise you I am, and I tried, I tried so hard to make things right,” Jazmine whispered, and Maia rubbed her back.

“I know but unfortunately there are some things that we can’t change. No matter how badly we want to,” Maia said softly.

The mild breeze brushed against Jazmine’s hair as she placed more food onto the table. It was the largest patio table she could find, and she had hopes that one day all of her kids would sit at that same table. For the moment it was she and Davido. Needing to be around her man and give him some love she’d taken a two day trip to LA. It felt good to be home. Los Angeles welcomed Jazz and Davido in creating a safe space for them. Davido started his exporting business and that ended up being one of the largest exporting companies to be owned by a Haitian man. He gave Jazmine everything she wanted but her kids. It seemed as though the more time passed and the wealthier they became he tried to buy her pain away, but nothing worked. The life and family they had was a good one, but nothing could complete Jazmine like her children that she left behind.

“Everything smells so damn good, baby,” Davido smiled rubbing his hand across her round backside.

Jazmine smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Anything for you king,” she leaned down and kissed his lips before going to her seat. Jazmine looked at the empty seats at the table before looking at her husband. She didn’t give a damn about paperwork. Davido was hers and that would never change. He breathed love and life into her. His love matured her into the woman she was, and she would forever be grateful to him for that. Jazmine learned through life that a real man brought out the best woman that was residing inside of you. A real man made you wanna show up as your best self. Davido had done all of that for her and that was why she loved him so much.

“Jazz it won’t be easy. We knew that when we decided to go back. Way before they kidnapped her, right?” Davido said sitting back.

He wore linen shorts with no shirt and his handsomeness was on full display. He looked light years better than Carlos old, tired ass. It was never a competition because Carlos simply couldn’t compare to the man.

“I know,” Jazmine admitted softly, her light eyes traveling around the back yard of their home that overlooked the ocean. She looked back to her husband and cleared her throat. “They think I chose you over them, Davido. Ossa won’t even talk to me and your father refuses to give me his location. Masami acts like I’m not there. Meilani probably wants to fight me. Boston and Maia are at least receptive to my apology, but I need all of my kids love. I need for all of them to see how sorry I am.”

Davido started to place the creole dishes onto his glass plate while nodding.

“I know baby and they will. A lot has happened, and you can’t force them to forgive you. I’ve been reaching out to Ossa too and he hasn’t responded. When their emotions calm down they will remember. They know the love was and is there, but you have to give them time.”

Jazmine sat back in her seat not sure if she could. She missed her kids so much that time was the last thing she wanted to give them.

“I’m scared,” she admitted.

“You shouldn’t be. I told you nothing would ever happen to you again and I mean that shit. I have people looking for Carlos and I know he will pop up soon. He has to be in the mountains somewhere hiding like the little bitch that he is. I can’t believe his hoe ass killed Reuben,” Davido frowned.

Jazmine thought of Reuben and shook her head.

“Yeah I didn’t have the heart to tell Rebecca the truth, but it’s obvious Carlos took Reuben and that boy Beanz out. He was probably scared they would tell on him or who knows but can I ask you something?”

Davido finished his plantain before nodding.

“Anything love,” he replied sincerely in his deep tone.

“Why did you come over there that day? Why did you do that without speaking to me first?” she had to know. For so long that was one question that she couldn’t stop asking herself. The one thing to make her angry with Davido. The only thing that made her sometimes question his motives.

Davido placed his elbows onto the glass table while peering across at her.

“Because I loved you and I was scared. I was scared that he was gonna play his head games shit on you and reel you back in. Already you was talking like he was changed when I knew he wasn’t. I’d just seen him fucking a dancer at the Office a few days before I came through there. I knew he would never change but he was good as fuck at pretending to. He was also good at tricking you into thinking he was, so I took what I wanted. It was selfish because you paid for it, and you still is. For that I’m sorry and I swear on my life I never saw that as the outcome. You have to believe me Jazz.”

Jazmine nodded believing Davido but still conflicted on his actions. However, the past was done, and she was with him which wasn’t changing.

“And here we are,” Jazmine spoke up, her eyes traveling to the back of her home. “In the present where my past and my new life have to collide. She watched the beauty exit the house, frowning per usual and Jazmine exhaled. “They will never forgive me once everything comes out, Davido.”

Davido peered back at the beauty before looking at Jazz.

“I get why you did what you did at the meeting. The girls were hurt, and they wouldn’t have understood. So, you came up with the story about a sister you didn’t know you had. Honestly, Brooklyn wasn’t in the right place to meet them either, so I was relieved when the girls decided to leave the house—things could’ve gone left real quick. But now things are different. The longer we wait, the worse it’s gonna be. We have to tell them. I already told my pops,” Davido announced just as the beauty walked up to the table.

The young woman approached Jazmine and kissed her forehead before taking a seat. Her resemblance to Maia and Boston was striking, down to the same freckles and similar body shape as Maia, while her eyes and skin tone were like Boston’s. She brushed her ash-blonde hair away from her face and looked at Jazmine.

“Hey, ma. Welcome back,” she said softly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Since she’d been back home the bubbly, carefree aura she had wasn’t present. Jazmine often wondered if more happened while she was kidnapped but was afraid to press her fearing it would make her shut down. “It’s good to see your face.”

Jazmine looked at her baby—the child she had with Davido. This was her love child, the one Carlos had kidnapped and kept hidden away. It pained Jazmine to think of Brooklyn being hidden from the world because she was too beautiful, too precious to be kept out of sight.

“Hi, baby. I’m back, but I’ll need to leave again in a few days until my family is better. Are you still having nightmares? Dr. Richardson said you missed two sessions with him. It’s important to keep up with the sessions, Brooklyn.”

Brooklyn frowned as she picked up her plate.

“If I’m tired or in the city, I might miss a session. The nightmares are fading, and I’m done being cooped up in this house with Dad all damn day.”

“Mouth, B. You know not to talk like that,” Davido reprimanded her gently.

Brooklyn sighed, her shoulders relaxing. “I’ll make sure I go to the sessions,” she mumbled, her signature pout on display.

“You better, because skipping isn’t an option, sweetie. We don’t want those nightmares haunting you forever,” Jazmine said softly.

Brooklyn took her seat, picking at her food. “And who was this guy again, the one who took me? I mean, I get that we have money, but for him to kidnap me is crazy. Nobody believes me, especially K-Dash. He’s super worried about me now.”

At the mention of Brooklyn’s rapper boyfriend, both Jazmine and Davido paused. K-Dash had once been a promising athlete in Cali until a shooting incident changed his path. Now he was a rapper with a dangerous gang reputation that worried Jazmine and Davido. However, Jazmine knew pushing Brooklyn away from him would only draw her closer, so she was trying to gently steer her daughter away from the man.

“Is he now? Wasn’t he just in the news for a shooting at his concert last week?” Jazmine frowned.

Brooklyn shrugged, pushing her food around her plate with her fork. “It had nothing to do with him,” she insisted, causing Davido to shake his head.

She was different from her sisters—a spoiled valley girl who attended a fashion college, smoked hookah regularly, and did yoga on the weekends. She had the life Jazmine knew her other daughters would have envied, and it made her feel a pang of guilt. How could she introduce the child who got her full-time attention without risking her other kids turning their backs on her?

“That lil’ nigga needs to be worried about his own safety. He’s always caught up in some shit, and I told you before that I don’t like him. If I get the chance to run into him on the streets I’ma put him on his ass,” Davido said, his tone firm.

“Davido,” Jazmine interjected, shaking her head as she watched Brooklyn’s face turn red. Jazmine offered her daughter a loving smile. “Your dad loves you, and he knows a good man when he sees one, baby. That boy—K-Dash, Kameron, whatever his name is—isn’t a good man. He’s a wanna be thug and the things he’s doing can get both of you harmed if you run into the wrong people.”

Brooklyn dropped her fork, rolling her eyes.

“Like how would you and Dad know anything about thugs? You both grew up with money and run million-dollar companies. Acting like you know anything about the hood is just weird. Kameron is a good man, and I love him. He loves me, too. I’m all over his social media, and he treats me well, just like Dad treats you. I’m not leaving him. He’s been there for me through all of this, and if it weren’t for him and Soul, I might have lost my mind.” Brooklyn’s hand rubbed at her arm, where a faint bruise from the IV still lingered.

“We know a lot has happened, and we’re sorry he took you. I told you before, he wanted money from us, and we did everything we could to find you. We’ll always protect you, baby girl, but you gotta leave that lil' nigga alone. He ain’t shit, and you deserve better than that,” Davido told Brooklyn firmly.

Brooklyn tossed her fork to the ground dramatically, as her leg started to shake.

“I’m not leaving him alone! I’m not a kid, and you all can’t tell me what to do! I was kidnapped and taken by some crazy man, and now, when I’m finally free, you all wanna control my life? This is insane—it feels like a prison, not a home. I freaking hate being here!”

Brooklyn stood up and stormed off toward the house.

Jazmine looked at Davido, her eyes watering, and Davido sighed.

“She’s upset, but she’ll be alright, Jazz. You know that and everything with the kids will work out too. We’ve been through harder things than this. We’re almost out of the valley, love. We can’t give up now. We have to get your kids back, and we have to help Brooklyn through what she’s dealing with. You still with me?” Davido asked, and Jazmine nodded, though she wasn’t so sure.

In fact, things felt bleaker than ever for her. She worried that revealing Brooklyn as her child would mean the end of her relationship with her other children. It was a lot on her plate because while she was pursuing the forgiveness of the kids she left behind the child she had with Davido was suffering as well. Jazmine just knew that in some way she would fall short.

“I’ll be right back,” Jazmine said, standing and hurrying off to her war room to pray.