Chapter IV

   Later that night as we were all sitting down to dinner I noticed that Isaiah was really scrutinizing me, and then finally he said the funniest thing...
   "You look really different Jazzy..." I held back giggles and tried not to spit my bite of chicken out on the rest of the food.
   "It's been almost two years Zaia, and you changed a lot more than I did if you ask me. I already hit adulthood, my body isn't going to really change anymore, besides my hair, unless I have kids or something which I don't plan on it anytime soon considering I don't have anyone I'm interested in." I ruffled his brown hair and he rolled his eyes.
   Yup, definitely a teenage boy... I miss it when he was a little boy, he was cuter then and less sassy.
   "So, how has college been going for you two?" Dad suddenly started talking.
   Abby shrugged. "Good, I really want to graduate because I want to start planning my wedding already, but both Tyler and I know it'll definitely be better if we wait until we get out of college." Dad smiled.
   "How long have you two been together exactly?" Dad asked.
   "A year or so..." Abby blushed. Her and Tyler's relationship was kind of a touchy and embarrassing subject for her when people asked questions.
   "I really hope whoever your going to marry Jazmine is going to ask us before they make any move, I don't want to see you go off and get married in Vegas." Dad told me in a firm "dadlike" voice.
   "Ha-ha, your funny daddy. I don't have a love interest anymore, the last two boys I had any sort of relationship with were casual dinner dates with each of them for 3 weeks, they both decided I wasn't their "type" is how they both put it and they said it wasn't working out... and being the girl I am I didn't really care. I wasn't enjoying being with them, Daryl was to cocky, and Kenny was to terse and seemed to hate any kind of fun..." I took another bite of fried chicken as dad took that in.
   "Well now you know why we always said no dating for you, there are a lot of jerks out there who think that women are just toys to them." Mom looked at me sympathetically, and I believed her... from experience and from her telling me.
   When she was a teenager it was really complicated for her, she dated like any teenager usually does, it was rough and finally she met my dad and of course they're married and strong in the Lord like I am. I was raised with Jesus in my home fortunately.
   "Well, I honestly don't think I'll 'date' again... I just didn't enjoy it. I want it to be a relationship where we can have fun and be as goofy as we want and not have all that pressure to have sex that's in the society... I want a guy friend like I was with Paul when we were kids." I frowned.
   I felt Abby put her arm around me. "Don't worry Jazz, he'll come along before you know it." I smirked and brushed my bangs out of my face.
   "Don't rush and try to find someone to marry Jazmine, trust me you'll regret it..." Mom glared at dad and slapped his arm, he laughed. "And then before you know it you'll end up loving your husband anyway and having three rough, loud, and destructive boys and one quiet little girl... and all through the hell of raising children you're relationship with your spouce will get stronger and you'll love each other even more." Dad put his arm around mom and kissed her head. Mom turned her head and they kissed on the lips for half a second and of course Dylon had to butt in.
   "Ugh, please I'm eating..." Dylon gagged, making a disgusted face.
   "You know your next, right?" I asked him, snorting with amusement at how he still openly denied that he doesn't like girls when he clearly does, I saw him staring at girls in our neighborhood when they walked by with a lot of interest.
   "No I'm not! I'm never getting married or even getting into a serious relationship with someone, I'm not going to be some tied down husband that'll be a slave to his wife." He snapped, I saw dad roll his eyes.
   "You're scaring me Ansel..." Abby laughed.
   Dad chuckled. "Don't worry Abby, marriage isn't that bad. Just make sure you wait to have kids for a couple years, and also enjoy being not married while you still can. Your going to miss it at least a little when you are married... but all in all, speaking from experience I can't imagine living with out Kathy." He kissed mom on the head again, Dylon made a gagging sound and thankfully dad ignored him.
   There was a loud knock on the door and then it opened and the man I didn't expect too see came through the door; Arty.
   "Haaappy early Thanksgiving!" And in came Arty with his wife Val, I jumped out of my chair running to Arty and practically jumping onto him smothering him in a hug.
   "Hey what do you know, my big college little sis!" He laughed and hugged me back.
   "Arty I missed you so much!" I looked up at him and I started to tear up.
   "Same here Jazz," He hugged me tight. "Ohh... it feels good to hug you again..." He sighed.
   "Well that's something you don't see everyday," Dad laughed. "You two fought almost all the time when you were little."
   Arty rolled his eyes and hugged dad. "Good to see you to dad." Arty chuckled.
   "Hey Val," I hugged my sister-in-law and she smiled warmly. "How have you been?"
   Her eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. "I've actually been pretty good..."
   "Yes we have been," Arty picked gave me a squeeze hug from behind and I laughed. When I turned around I saw the same excitement as Val had in her eyes in his.
   "What are you two hiding?" I asked.
   Arty grinned, and then dad and mom and my brothers noticed how bubbly they were; like they were keeping something really exciting from us. 
   "Well, since we're all in the same room..." Arty gave a quick glance at his wife Val. 
   "Just tell them Arty! Your poor mom is bubbling over with excitement." Val laughed, a grin that seemed to spread across her face made her look absolutely happy.
   I glanced at mom, her expression was comical to say the least, her lips were pressed into a tight line but her eyes said that she was longing to know what Arty and Val were keeping from everybody.
   Arty grinned, and grabbed his wife's hand holding it gingerly, and gazed into her eyes for a moment. I couldn't believe how much stronger their relationship seems to have progressed, I felt like I was in the presence of a great leader with a leading lady by his side.
   He looked over all of us, and all the time smiling joyfully.
   "Well, I have some pretty big news... and we've kept it a secret until now so we could tell you all in person."  Arty explained, his cheeks looked as though they got a bit pinker as he spoke, he reached his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it briefly.
   He took a deep breath and smiled. "We're pregnant," 
   Those two words sent of an eruption of happy squeals from both me and my mom. My mom started crying even, her face looked absolutely happy but tears were running out of her eyes like a waterfall. She got up off of the table and came over to Val and gave her a huge hug, and then gave her tall son a hug too.
   "Congratulations you guys! Its about time!" I jumped up and down with pure joy, this was totally turning out to be one of the greatest holidays EVER!
   "I will be the most awesome auntie ever! Your kid is going to love me and I will spoil him or her rotten," I teased both of them, grinning widly.
   "As long as you don't feed him lots of sugar and leave him for us to take care of, I think he'll be fine." Arty laughed, putting his arm around my shoulders.
   "Why, how did you know?" I punched his ribs playfully.
   "Your such a feisty one, aren't you?" He chuckled, roughing my hair up a bit.
   "How far along are you Val?" I asked, trying to fix my hair.
   "About two, almost three months. My doctor back home says I'm due sometime in July next year, we'll know once I get closer." Val put her hand on her stomach and smiled, and now that we knew she did have somewhat of a baby stomach on her. It was beginning to form that big round belly that pregnant women have.
   "Well congratulations, and I want to be there for the birth... so let me know when your due date is so I can plan and hopefully be there for when that little baby comes." I smiled at Val, she smiled back and I gave her a hug.
   "Well come on you guys, lets finish up dinner!" Mom gestured everybody to the table and took two more plates from the cupboard and started filling them with chicken and noodles.
   I smiled as I sat down at the table my heart fluttered with excitement, this holiday seriously can't get any better than this. I might have to consider moving back here to be with my family for a while...