In Love With My Brother-in-law

Jenny's point of view...Day 1

I sat in the big living room with mom helping her with her toes while we watch TV. We just had our lunch not long ago. The time could not be past 2. I know right, we eat lunch early. It's been like that since I was a kid and I kind of like it so much. I can't possibly eat lunch later than 2 pm

After lunch every afternoon, we sit together and relax. We could watch TV or talk about random things, that's if we are all home. It used to be way funnier when my sis was here with us. She has been married for two years and is heavy too, I mean she is pregnant.

Mom adjusted her lenses and wiggled her leg.

Jenny that's enough, if you don't mind darling, get me a glass of water, I am suddenly thirsty.

"Alright momma, be right back."

I stood up and left to get her water. I got to our big kitchen, yeah. We are not so rich and we are not poor either. My dad before he passed out was a military man who served his country to his death and after he died serving his country, the government did compensate us enough by building a nice middle bungalow for us and furnishing it with the best interior and exterior designs. Though it could not bring back the dead, it helped us to forget about the pain of losing a loved one. He died when I was twelve and now I am 19, 5 years.

Dad had a big heart and I am very proud of him. His loving heart was the reason he joined the military even when his family was against it.

Dad might have chosen a path that sent him to death early but I admired his courage. Despite that no one supported him he still went ahead and that's the kind of person I am training myself to be. To be able to do things that make me happy even though it has consequences. Happiness matters much in our life and dad had taught me that.

It's not how long we lived but how well we lived that matters.

I smiled at the big framed picture of him hanging on the wall. He was in his military uniform and smiling like he could conquer the world.

"Dad, I miss you so much. I know how fun it used to be when you were here with us. It's fine that you are gone, it's for the best I know but don't forget that we miss you so much. Stay safe wherever you are right now, mom, sis and I love you so much"

I turned and went to the medium fridge by the left side of the kitchen. It faces the entrance in a way that it will be the first thing you see when you enter the kitchen. I opened it and brought out canned water, opened the cap and emptied it inside a glass cup after I had rinsed the cup, put the canned water back inside the fridge and left the kitchen.

I got to the living room and mom was on call.

"Yeah I know right, I have been through it twice."

She said and adjusted her lenses again, it was a sign of seriousness on her part. When she does that, just know that whatever she is doing or saying is serious and you will not dare argue with her.

She looked at me and smiled then returned her attention to the phone call.

"I know Susan, I will talk to her. You know how your sister is but she will understand"

They were talking about me and I am curious to know what it was all about.

"Alright dear, I will get back to you. Take care of the baby"

Mom said and hung up.

"Mom here!"

I said handing over the glass of water to her. All the while she was on call, I was standing.

"Thanks, dear, I am sorry I kept you hanging. You know your sis how she is when she calls me especially since she got pregnant, she would like to complain the world to me"

She said and took a sip then drank the whole content and set the glass on the side stool. I said nothing, only smiled at her.

"You see, your sis wants you to move in with her especially now that she is due for delivery"

Mom suddenly said and I stared at her dumbfounded. Did I hear her right?

"Don't look at me like that Jennifer. It's not like you are going to stay with her forever. Just for short while"

"Mom, I don't like this. You know that I can't possibly live with Sis. If she wants help, let her hire one, mom. I am not going to be anybody's nanny"

"Jenny, don't be like this. The world is not safe now and you know it. Your sister trusts you, that's why she wants you around for now. You have to go and that's final"

Mom said, adjusted her lenses again and left the living room. I watched her back until I could see her no more.

Mom has this rigid personality that when she says something, it's final. If you are a stranger and you speak to her on the phone for the first time, you will think it's all this boss lady who is up to fifty years but the truth is, mom is just 38.

Yeah, she is 19 years older than I am. She got married to dad when she was 17, had Susan at 18 then I came 3 years later. People mistake us as sisters because I look so much like her, it's hard to believe us when we tell them that we are mother and daughter so we stopped trying to convince people.

I sighed and sank deeper into the couch.

I can't possibly go and live with my sis, it will be the end of me. I know you might see it as nothing is wrong with helping one's sis but I tell you what, in my case, everything is wrong with it.

Trying to convince mom will be a lot of hard work but I had to at least try, to make her understand the reasons why it was not okay for me to go.

I stood and left for her room. When I got to her door, I had to knock and within a second she invited me in.

"If you are here to talk me out about you going to live with your sister then you better turn back and leave my room, Jen"

"Mummy but you know that I can't possibly go to my sister's place. I am an adult for crying out loud, how will you expect me to go and live with her as big as I am? It seems you have forgotten that I am your last daughter who needs to be pampered. You know that if I go to my sister's place, she won't pamper me like I am supposed to be pampered"

I whined, nearly dropping a tear.

Mum shook her head and look at me

"Jenny stops whining and go and pack your bags, you leave tomorrow morning. I was thinking of giving you until the end of the week but by the way, you are going, you are leaving tomorrow morning because if you stay another day, you might convince me for you to stay back."

She paused and stared at me hard in the face.

"Look at it this way, it's your sister we are talking about here. She is heavy with a child and will be due any moment, Jenny. It is the least you can do for her, you are not staying here forever and I am not going to talk about this again. Please leave me alone."

I saw that there was no way I was going to convince her so I gave up and left the room frowning.

"A whole me will go and live with a grown-up who is old enough to look after herself."

I fumed while on my way to my room.

I got to my room to see my phone screen blinking, it was ringing. Had it been I did not come into the room I would not have realized that it is ringing. This bad habit that had refused to leave me, leaving my phone on don't disturb mode.

"Hello Tasha, what's up?"

"Hello, baby girl! what's up with your voice, you sound like you are down?"

The voice of my best friend ran cheerfully at her end.

"It's nothing, Tasha. How are you by the way? Why are you calling?"

"Don't tell me that trash, I know when something is wrong with you"

She said obviously.

"Is that obvious?"

I asked, sitting on the bed.

"Of Course, it is obvious, Jen. So tell me, what is it?"

She insisted I tell her what my problem is.

"Mom insist I go live with Susan for a while"

I told her and she went silent.

"No way baby girl, you know you can't"

She said after a while.

"I know right and I had tried to talk to Mom about it but she would not hear. She wants me to go. Tasha, you know if I go I will be doomed. I don't know what to do"

I said, almost crying.

"I know right? Did you tell her the reason you don't want to go?"

"Tasha, I did not. You know I can't possibly do that."

I said and she sighed. I could imagine how sorry she would be looking on my behalf.

We both were silent for a while.

"I think you should go, you are way too big to continue to live in the past, girl. It's been two years now or thereabout and I believe he has moved on so why don't you move on? I think you going there will make him realize that he missed something great. He is the loser, not you"

Tasha said after some time.

"Tasha, I am not strong enough. I can't do it. I have tried to move on but I can't. Each time I remember that I lost him, I pity myself. Going there will open more wounds that refuse to heal."

"Jenny, listen to me. You are a big girl and big girls don't sulk about things in the past. Zain ditched you for your sister, so what?. Don't be a dummy. You are going and that's final"

She did not listen to me and hung up.

I looked around and felt my blue bedspread, how I nearly spread it without any line showing.

I chuckled and frowned when I remembered that I had not solved my problem. The last person I would want to stay under the same roof is my brother-in-law, Zain.

I had not been able to heal from the pain of the past.

"You are not fleshy like you sis and she has got the curves, you know. I love ladies that are big but you, my darling are not big"

The words hurt like hell, they can't get out of my head. No matter how hard I tried. Each time I remember Zain, those hurtful words he said to me in our last meeting, taunt me. It breaks me more, I had tried everything I could to let go but the past would not leave me.

No one really understands what I am going through except Tasha. She was there for me through it all.

When Zain ditched me for my sister, depression nearly killed me but Tasha made sure I did not give up on myself.

It hurts to see the only man you ever craved, choose someone else over you. He made it clear that I was not his type anymore. This is someone I gave my first time, I know that is not a factor but it was because I loved him that's why I allowed him to sleep with me.

I could die the world for Zain, I went clubbing because of Zain. I turned into a bad girl to please Zain and what did he do? He told me to my face that I was not his type. He was just passing time with me and before my eyes, he wedded my sister.

I know I am an idiot for not forgetting someone who had hurt me but the truth is, I love Zain with my life. I love him even though he is married to my sister.

Please, how do you expect me to go to such a place? To be seeing a man that I can only love but can't have simply because he is married. It's going to be damned hard. This is going to be the hardest thing I will ever do in my life.

"Hey pretty, can I have a word with you?"

"Sure"

My fourteen-year-old self replied. I was fifteen when I met Zain. I had gone out with Tasha for sightseeing. Like we always do every Saturday. I was in second to my final year in high school and I would be graduating the next year.

My mom mentioned several times to me, no boys until you are done with high school. I had no problem with that because I was not attracted to any boy and I did not think I would until I am done with high school.

But meeting that handsome hot dude, asking for directions that hot afternoon changed my plans of no boys till I am done with high school.

He was too hot to be ignored. If Tasha was with me, she would not have allowed me to talk to Zain. She has gone to get ice cream for both of us.

I was standing by the roadside dressed in one of my baggy tops and a pair of black rugged jeans and white sneakers. I was quite looking boyish in those attires but I did not fucking care because I had never dressed like a girl. My sense of dressing had tagged me the nickname "Sassy Jenny" both in school and in my neighbourhood.

Zain had stopped his black Toyota Camry and whined down. At first, I was pissed but when I saw his angelic face, I mellowed down and wished I had dressed up like a lady.

"Hey pretty, can I have a word with you?"

"Sure, go ahead"

I happily said,

He chuckled and cleared his throat.

"I am looking for Third Crescent Avenue, where is it please?"

"That's where I live, next to it, I live by the fourth"

"That's great if you don't mind, you can show me"

He had said and my smile dropped.

I was waiting for Tasha and there was no way I was going to leave her but the thought that I would be riding with the hot dude for five minutes gave me tingles.

I threw caution to the wind and entered the car without thinking if he was a kidnapper. I was just gushing over him and smiling silly at his jokes.

We bonded well while on the way to the avenue and after I had shown him the building he was looking for, he thanked me and collected my contact information.

"Nice dress"

He muttered and drove into the building.

For over five minutes, I was rooted in one stop, smiling, if not for my phone that brought me back to reality, I am sure I would have got rooted at a spot for an hour.

Tasha was angry I left her but I pleaded with her and promised to make it up to her and she forgave me.

One thing led to another and Zain and I started dating.

Until that fateful day, he invited me to his house and broke the news to me and afterwards wedded my sister.

How connected with my sister, story for another day.

If I tell you that I know what to do, then I am a liar. I don't want to rebel against my mom's wish and yet I don't want to put my feelings in line. Zain does not deserve to see Me.

I had tried to hate him but my heart would not listen to my head. It's like it has its own mind.

I wish I am strong like Tasha, I would handle this whole thing.

"Dad, at a time like this I want you to talk to me. What do I do, dad?"

My afternoon was ruined all because of a man who doesn't care if he had hurt me or not.

"Jenny you can do this, you can take the world, remember what you have passed through because of him. You have got to do this. Show Zain that you are over him. Let him see what he missed by rejecting you. You have got nothing to lose, rather he is the one who is a loser"

My mind screamed at me. It was easier said than done. If I think I can handle it, my Heart will tell me otherwise.

"See what you have done to me, Zain. You are a ba****t. I will never forgive you for the emotional trauma she made me go through"

I muttered and stood up to get my brush and painting equipment. It helps me deal with stress and I have been drawing a lot lately.

I was home, waiting to gain admission and it will take me two to three months so what I could do to take my mind off unnecessary thoughts is to draw and paint anything, It's what I know how to do best.

I went to my painting room and sat down and stared at the unfinished painting of mom. I started three days ago and soon I will be through with it. I wanted to surprise her and I don't know if I will be able to finish it before leaving tomorrow. Mom had made it a priority that I leave by tomorrow.

I heard a crack and I jumped,

I turned around to see who had scared me and it was no other than Moris, I don't know what he is in my life, whether a best friend, boyfriend or a friend with benefits.

Mom allowing us to see each other shows you that my mom can never be predicted. The first time she met him, she did not like him and I fought over heels with her but later on, she allowed him to start visiting me only if he would keep his hands off me.

And I tell you, we have been doing the opposite of that since.

"What the heck, you scared me?"

I glared at him and he chuckled naughtily,

"I missed you and you know, I just want to hold you until you can't feel your legs"

"Moris, that's not sexual terms, boy. Are you trying to confuse me or what? You did not miss me, you missed my body. Leave, I am busy"

I said and turned my back on him

"Pervert!"

I murmured.