“Now Mom,” Rachel began as she checked her make-up while on the phone. She still hadn’t forgiven her mother for how she had treated JC last week, but Rachel no longer had the energy to be mad at her. “I’m warning you that JC is coming today, and if you’re not on your best behavior then we’re leaving.”
“But this is your cousin’s bar mitzvah!” Evelyn protested. Who did her daughter think she was, giving her ultimatums?
“Yes, and JC is my boyfriend. I’m not going to make both of us miserable because you can’t get over yourself.”
“Fine.” Evelyn said. If Rachel wanted to play this game, she could too. “I’ll see you at the Temple.”
“Bye Mom.”
“Are you sure it’s ok that I’m coming?” JC asked nervously.
“Of course silly! You’re my date,” Rachel took his hand, “and my boyfriend. I warned my mother; there will be no funny business today.”
“Ok, good.”
They had reached the Sanctuary and Rachel placed a kepah on JC’s head. She cocked her head to the side and said, “You know, you could pass for Jewish.”
“What?” JC chuckled.
Rachel blushed and looked for Mike in the pews. “Well, typically Jewish people have dark, curly hair, big noses, and dark eyes. Two for three is pretty good.”
“I know you didn’t just say I have a big nose.”
Rachel sat down next to Mike. “I believe I just did.”
“Rachel…” JC growled and sat, crossing his arms.
“But I love your big nose, ok?”
JC smiled. “I love your big nose too.”
“Now that you two are done your love fest…” Mike mumbled.
“Aw, is Mikey jealous that I have a date that can walk, talk, breath, and think all at the same time?”
JC leaned over and whispered in Rachel’s ear. “It’s nice to know you think so highly of me.”
Rachel giggled while Mike directed their attention to the woman sitting next to him. “I actually do have a date that does all of that, and she’s pretty hot too.”
“You don’t think I’m hot?” JC asked Mike, pretending to be offended.
Mike laughed. “I think that’s a Rachel question. But this is my date, Ashley. Ashley, this is my sister Rachel and her boyfriend JC.”
“It’s nice to meet you both.” Ashley shook their hands.
“You too. So how did you meet my crazy brother?”
“Blame Michelle…” Ashley rolled her eyes. “I work with her, and she kept going on and on about what a lost cause Mike was, but that I should give him a chance.”
“I can’t believe you were able to resist that ad!”
Ashley laughed. “I know. But I’d heard a lot about you, so I figured he couldn’t be that bad if you were his sister.”
“Here that Mike?” Rachel elbowed him. “Even though I’ve stopped getting you dates officially, I’m still the reason you have girls talking to you!”
“Haha, very funny Rach. I’m not that bad. Back me up here Jayce, will you?” Mike appealed to the other man sitting with them.
“Nope, not working, sorry man.”
“What happened to guys sticking together?”
JC wrapped his arm around Rachel’s shoulders and mumbled, “Women” loud enough for everyone to hear. Their laughter died down as the Rabbi approached the bimah.
JC sat down in his seat gratefully and leaned over to kiss Rachel’s cheek. They were at the same table as Mike and Ashley and George and Evelyn. George had really grown to like JC whereas Evelyn basically ignored him. That was fine by JC, but he knew it bothered Rachel, and that it could be a point of contention in their relationship. There was nothing he could do to change Evelyn’s mind about him, other than prove he was good for her daughter.
“Tired honey?” Rachel asked, covering his hand with hers on the table.
“Yeah, your aunt Rosemary likes to dance a lot.”
Mike laughed. “She likes the young ones.”
JC smiled. “It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m drop-dead handsome?”
“What happened to drop-dead-gorgeous?” Mike asked.
“That’s Rachel.” JC responded.
Evelyn stood up and left the table. George smiled apologetically at his kids and their dates before following his wife.
Rachel could read JC’s mind. “Jayce, don’t worry about her. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She smiled.
Ashley’s mouth still hadn’t closed. “I didn’t believe you Mike. She’s completely awful to JC.”
Mike shook his head. “She’s just being the old, batty, Jewish mother she is.”
“Are you ok?” Rachel asked JC.
“I’m fine. At least she didn’t say anything.” JC’s cell phone rang. After glancing at it, he said, “It’s Johnny, I should take this. I’m just going to step outside.”
Mike waited until JC had left the ballroom where the party was being held. “He can handle so much. I give him major props.”
“Evelyn, I thought you said you were going to try.” George approached his wife from behind and rested his hand on her shoulder.
Evelyn took a deep breath. “I can’t approve of this. I just can’t. And besides, did you see how he was looking at Rachel? It was like he…”
“He loves her?”
“Exactly! That boy is one good actor.”
“He’s not acting. He loves our daughter, very much.”
Evelyn shook her head. “I can’t let this happen.” She turned to face her husband. “If this continues, he’s going to take Rachel! She’ll quite her job to be with him! She’ll change her whole life just to please him! And I don’t think that he’ll think twice about dumping her when something better comes along.”
“You don’t give JC enough credit. He dropped everything to go to Syracuse with her!”
“Where he slept with her!”
George smiled. “I love Rachel, and I trust her, but she hasn’t been a virgin for a while. JC did not take her ‘virtue’, as you like to call it.”
Evelyn wouldn’t give up. “He’s changed her. I don’t like it.”
“You don’t like that our daughter is happy?”
A tear slid down Evelyn’s cheek. “We’re loosing her. I can’t do that, I can’t loose her.”
George’s smile fell from his face. “If you don’t accept him, you are going to loose her, whether you like it or not. And, if you loose her, you risk loosing Mike, and me.”
George let his words settle in and went back to the party. Evelyn stood frozen still; was George serious? How could he threaten that? They had taken vows!
“Hey Johnny, what’s up?”
“Is this a bad time JC? I hear lots of noise in the background.” A child shrieked at that exact moment.
“No, I’m just at Rachel’s cousin’s bar mitzvah party.”
“That’s a mouthful. I’ll make this quick…we won.”
JC couldn’t believe his ears. “We…we won?”
“Yep. You guys are free to release whatever you want under your name. The guys are getting together later, around 8 to choose a release date then celebrate.”
“Oh wow…I’m so there.” JC ran a hand through his hair, his smile was contagious.
“Have fun, and tell Rachel I say hi.”
JC ran back into the room and headed straight for Rachel. He stopped and pulled her into his arms. “Hi. What did Johnny say?”
“We won.”
Rachel’s smile grew. “Really?”
JC spun her in a circle. “Yeah. The guys and I are getting together tonight to set a release date, and then we’re going to celebrate. You in?”
“Of course!” Rachel kissed JC. “I’m so excited for you!”
JC grabbed Rachel’s hand. “Let’s dance!”
Number of reviews: 2
Print:
Chapter or Story