Chapter 141 - Poisonous

I woke up stirring bed the next morning confused on where I was until I remembered that I was back in my childhood bedroom and back home.

I yawned as I stretched my hand rubbing my eyes as I walked towards my bathroom to get off these liquor stained clothes.

Even my wig was stained and I didn't feel like washing it right now so I took it off and let it soak in some conditioner water letting my natural hair lose again.

"I've missed you darling." I said as I stared at my cornrows deciding to just learn them and wash them soon.

I quickly got dressed and opened my door hearing noise and chattering coming from the kitchen and I followed the noise seeing my sister and the twins in the living playing on the floor and I greeted them placing kisses on their foreheads, "good morning."

"Morning?" asked my sister raising a brow, "it's afternoon sleeping beauty."

"Oh really?" I asked scratching my head, "well then good afternoon."

"Good afternoon mommy." said Adriel and I smiled as I walked over to where Shiwoo was with my mom and Aunt Kimmy.

"Look who is finally awake." he said as I sat one of the stools watching my mom teach him how to make ackee and saltfish.

"That's how she is. She would sleep her life away if she could. She once slept for two days without eating or anything and no, she wasn't sick. Jus lazy." said my mom shaking her head and I rolled my eyes.

"I was a teenager going through teenager things mother. I was not lazy, but depressed and lonely. You could have at least asked me if I was okay instead of getting mad at me."

"Yup just lazy" she said and I sighed deciding to ignore her as I turned to Shiwoo.

"So mr. full of surprises what are doing?"

"I'm making Ackee and Saltfish with your mom. It's so cool how they come out of their re shells thingy and you just take the black part off and cook it with this fish that is so salty even after you give it a bath and then you mix everything and stir it with vegetable seasonings in a frying pan." he smiled widely as he spoke and I could feel his excitement from all the way over here and I looked at him with stars in my eyes.

"Ha ha. I'm glad you think that it's fun, but did you know that ackee is poisonous?"

His smile fell and I snickered, "really?"

"Yup, but it's fine. We are Jamaicans and it is our national dish. I guess you can say that we are a different breed." 

"Oh" he said as he looked at the ackee and I laughed.

"You won't die babe. I was just joking." 

"Oh so its not poisonous?" he asked as he raised his spoon to take a bite.

"Oh it is" I said and he froze.

"Oh leave the poor boy alone." said my mom butting in as she shive the spoon in his mouth, "there. Delicious right? Not dead right?"

"Mmmm." he nodded as he slowly chew and I could see the fear in his eyes when he asked, "Tally do you want some?"

"Sure, but could you-"

"Pick the saltfish out?" my mom asked sighing and I nodded, "she hates saltfish."

"I don't hate it I just don't like when it over whelms a dish."

He carefully picked out the saltfish from the spoon of ackee that he brought over before placing it into my mouth as he held my jaw and I looked up and him through my lashes and he smirked and then I realized what he was doing and I gently shove him away.

"Mmm" I said as I nodded and my mom.

"Shiwoo the dumplings won't cook itself." said my mom with a hand on her hip and a ladle in the other.

"Oh right! Isn't it amazing Tally? Dumplings, but not like soups dumplings. Dumplings made in boiling water! Ha!" he exclaimed and I chuckled shaking my head at his enthusiasm.

"Yeah. Who would have guess. I mean not me. It's not like I've been eating them my whole life." 

"Oh Tally we made some cornmeal porridge this morning. I saved you a bowl. Its in the oven." said my mom and my eyes lit up.

"Yes! Wait who is we? Shiwoo helped?" 

"When we your mom suggested that we made cornmeal porridge I was like huh? A meal of corn and porridge? That sounds weird doesn't it?" he asked laughing and I chuckled at him as I pulled the bowl of porridge out and I gasped.

"No way. You guys kept my bowl?"

"Of course we did. Your spoon is in the drawer as well. I made sure that nobody used it." said my mom and I felt as I was going too cry, in a good way, " she is very particular and picky you see. How do you cope?" and just like that the feeling was gone.

"Tell me about it. I accidentally used her cup once and she freaked. You would think that I killed somebody she loved." said Shiwoo and he and my mom started laughing.

"Ha ha very funny. Can I leave or do you guys just want to keep making fun of me?"

"Aww come on babe. Don't be mad." he said as he placed a kiss on my forehead as I was about to leave.

"Uh-huh mhmmm. Yup. Whatever.

I excited the kitchen and made my way to the living room with a slice of bread and four Jamaican cream crackers in my hand and I broke them up into my porridge and stirred taking a bite, "mmm. Delicious. I've missed this."

"Hey Tal, wanna do something fun after you've finished eating?" asked my sister and I shrugged.

"Like what?"

"Like go the river maybe? It's been a while for you right?" she asked and suggested.

"Sure. I need to wash my hair anyways."  said as I pointed my head and she bit her lip stopping her laugh, "why are you laughing at my head monkey."

She giggled as she dodged the cushion I threw at her head and it hit something and my mother heard, "I hope that wasn't one of my cushions."

"Nope." I said as grimaced.

"Are you taking the kids?" asked my sister and I shook my head,  "why not? They are your kids?"

"Nah-uh we are at my parents house and until we leave they are my younger siblings as far as I'm concerned. They cant swim and I don't want to go to the part of the river out back for it is like ankle height. I want to either go to the one at the falls, the one around the road or the one at grandma where it is deep."

"No body isn't going to dam." said my mom coming out of the kitchen and eaves dropping, "Tally may I remind you of all the people who dies and how many robberies with guns have happened?"

I sighed as I placed a spoonful of porridge into my mouth, "it was just a suggestion."

"You guys can go anywhere else, but not there."

"Ok" said Abigail and I nodded agreeing.

"We will teach the twins how to swim." said my mom and I looked at Abigail who was already looking at me.

"We? Are you coming?"

"Why not? I was planning on going anyways. I'll call your brothers and tell them." she said and I shrugged.

"Are you going to make more food?"

"Nope. You and Shiwoo will." she said and I scowled as I looked at him as he stuck his tongue out, "well then get to it e don't have all day since you slept out half of it. I'll tell your brothers to get chicken and pizza. You guys can make some juice and sandwiches."

"Aye aye captain." I said as I quickly finished my porridge, rubbing my tummy as I burped, "excuse me."

"Lets go mama." said Shiwoo smacking me on my butt as I passed him on my way to the kitchen.'

"I'm here papa. Get the corn beef, the bread, the mayo and the onions please." 

"Coming right up." he said as he opened the cupboards getting what I asked and we began making the sandwiches.

It was quite fun to be honest and and we were done with them and the juice in no time and soon it was time to leave after I changed the twins into the bathing suits.

We deciding on going to the part of the river at my grandmas since it was basically ours and my cousins from my moms side that were here joined us and we had a good time.

"Umm you gotta watch mom you know. She will throw the twins into the water just like she did us." warned Gail and I gasped remembering that traumatic experience,

"She will?" asked Shiwoo and I nodded as we went and grabbed he kids just in time before she got to them.

We gave them to my dad for their safety before I held Shiwoo by the hand as we walked up the river to someplace quiet for it was getting crowded and I didn't want him to get his bandages wet.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he tripped on a stone.

"Be careful and live till we get there and then you'll see."