“I’m so glad.” I study the young woman as she chomps into the rib. There’s a reason she was put into my life, and maybe vice versa, but I’ve so enjoyed getting to know her. She’s added an element of fulfillment I didn’t know I needed.
A wave of fondness hits me extra hard as I remember her stay last Wednesday. While Riggs had told me the barest gist of why she was with him, Janelle told me the rest. Apparently the stepdad who tried to assault her is her mom’s third husband. The first was Riggs’s dad, who lives in Louisiana, the second was her dad, Bruce, who died a few years ago, and now this douche named Shep who assumes by marrying into the family, it means he can have Janelle too.
It haunts me that Janelle’s mom didn’t believe her about what happened. Riggs tried to get her to report it to the police, but Janelle refused, mainly because Shep’s father is a deputy sheriff. She knew it would never go anywhere, and besides, she’d said with a giggle, “He ended up the one physically hurt that night. Not me.”
“I’m glad you could call Riggs,” I had replied. We were cozied in my bed together sharing a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.
“I can always count on him,” she said, and while I know that’s true, I also know their relationship is still a little stilted. I imagine that will get better with time.
I’m hugely curious about Riggs’s background, because while there are eleven years between him and Janelle, there had to have been a time when Riggs was subjected to his mom’s not-so-stellar parenting, as well as from Janelle’s dad, who she said was an alcoholic.
But I didn’t ask Janelle more about it, accepting what she wanted to share. It made me have such empathy for her—as well as Riggs, I suppose—because their family life is so antithetical to mine.
“How’re Chappy’s ribs?” I ask as she chews with a smile. She hums with delight.
I glance around the yard, picking through the hordes of Woodleys, and locate Chappy. I nod his way. “That’s him in the jeans and red-checkered shirt. He went to law school and failed the bar exam four times. While studying to take it for the fifth time, he went in with a buddy and they bought a food truck because he was pretty good at making barbecue. It was an instant success here in Phoenix. The travesty is that he passed the bar on the fifth time but didn’t want to be a lawyer anymore. He’s completely happy running his food truck.”
“That’s a cool story,” she says after taking a sip of lemonade. “Who’s the woman he’s talking to?”
“Another cousin. Elisa.”
“Why is she dressed that way?” Janelle asks.
Elisa is in her typical what I’d call uniform of all black. Lightweight, long-sleeved black turtleneck, black pants that hug her thin body, and black flats. Her hair is in a tight bun.
“She’s a ballerina and always dresses in black. She used to perform for Ballet Arizona and now teaches at one of the largest dance academies here in Phoenix.”
“Man, you have some really interesting people in your family,” Janelle says in awe.
“Just wait until you meet my great-aunt Persephone,” I say with a laugh. Because no one is as interesting as she is.
“Persephone?” Janelle’s eyebrows rise. “That’s a unique name.”
“It’s not really her name.” I lean in conspiratorially. “Her real name is Alice, but she decided to rename herself Persephone about fifteen years ago, so that’s what we call her. Many in the family will say she’s a little crazy, but I like to think of her as eclectic.”
Janelle laughs and her eyes are bright as she says, “Oh wow… I get it now.”
“Get what?” I ask curiously.
“You told me your ex-husband didn’t like your family and visiting here after you got married.”
“That’s right,” I reply, not sure where she’s going.
“You have this huge, wonderfully interesting family—with people who flunk bar exams and dance ballet and change their names—and I bet he couldn’t handle it. I bet he was the type of guy who felt his money was what made him interesting, and I bet your amazing family dented his ego too much for him to handle.”
I stare at her agog, because her ability to understand that is incredible. “You absolutely nailed why Jace didn’t like my family.”
“People are jealous of what they can’t have,” Janelle says with a knowing look. “Hell, I’m jealous of your family, just so you know.”
I nudge her playfully. “Hold that statement until you meet Great-Aunt Persephone.”
“Hey, Janelle.” We both look to the right as a handful of teenagers around Janelle’s age approach. The group is led by Dahlia, a sixteen-year-old second cousin who is a top-notch soccer player. “Want to come play cornhole with us?”
“Sure,” she says brightly, then turns to me as if to ask if it’s okay. I make a shooing motion, and she melts off into the crowd.
I’m wholly satisfied as I knew she’d have fun with the kids here.
Digging back into my chili, I make small talk with people passing by my table. I keep an eye on Janelle in the far corner where they have cornhole boards set up and two rousing speed games going, kids versus adults.
I see Persephone talking to Grandma Katie. Persephone and Katie are sisters-in-law, Persephone being Levon’s younger sister. The two women are incredibly close and have become more like real sisters over the years.
Just as I’m about to return to my food, something else catches my eye, and I jolt as I realize Riggs has stepped out from the kitchen onto the back patio. He asks Aunt Mollie something—I’m assuming where he can find Janelle—but she looks around the yard and points my way.
“Oh, honey… isn’t he a yummy bag of chips?”
I roll my eyes and see my cousins Beth and Carolyn standing a few feet from me, eyeballing Riggs as he walks toward us. I don’t know about comparing him to a bag of chips, but he is yummy.
It’s clear he’s walking to me, and Beth sidles in close, smacking my arm. “Is he your date?”
“What?” I exclaim, then resolutely deny. “No way.”
“You must introduce me,” she says urgently as he gets closer.
“Maybe later,” I whisper out of the side of my mouth. “For now, you and Caro get lost.”
Beth snickers. “Oh, you are so into him. Why not admit it?”
“Go away before I put you in a head lock and make you leave,” I snarl.
Beth and Carolyn laugh rowdily but they slink away just as Riggs approaches. He gives a side glance their way and when his eyes come back to me, I nod toward my cousins. “If you’re looking for a date, they’re single and interested.”
“Not looking,” he says gruffly and moves around the table to take the seat Janelle vacated. “Besides, all I have to do is pick a fight with you, and I’ll get laid. No need to date.”
My mouth hangs open in shock. He stares at me blandly and shrugs. “What? You know it’s true.”
Closing my mouth, I shrug myself. “You have a point. Next time, though, it helps to have a condom on you.”
Riggs leans back in the chair, surveying the people before him as he nonchalantly says, “Got one in my wallet.”