Chapter 22

Rue POV

We were all playing with the kids at my parents' new place when JJ came rushing in. "Hey, everyone! Uncle Samuel just pulled up!" yelled JJ, startling the kids. The women, including me, collected our purses, valuables, and silverware, and locked them in the Mom and Dad's bedroom. Granddad explained everything to a very confused Joshua. Uncle Samuel is Dad's identical twin, but has dark brown eyes. Besides the eyes, you can tell them apart right away. We are not close with him, and he is our least favorite relative. We don't want to move away because this is our home, and we actually like Stormyard. Not only that, but we can't change the locks because Uncle Samuel can pick locks. When you first meet him, you instantly take a disliking to him. He is the type of person who would invite himself to get-togethers, eat most of the food, and never reimburse you.

While Dad is more stoic and reserved, Uncle Samuel is the more of the sleazy, sexist, womanizing relative who would rob those close to him. He only comes with his hand out when he needs something, but is nowhere to be found when you really need him. You can't rely or depend on him for anything. I have a feeling that he has children that we don't know about. Those alleged children are better off not meeting him. That guy has no maternal instinct whatsoever, he gave us gifts we can't use. I am a tomboy, and he gives me a doll. If you are going to buy gifts for people, at least put some thought into it. What the hell am I going to do with a goddamn doll?

Uncle Samuel made me cry when he made nasty comments about me wanting to be a mechanic when I was in high school. Dad had cold cocked him in the nose, and yelled at him for making me cry. Uncle Samuel went crying to Grandma about what Dad did. He was shocked that his mother popped him in the mouth, and kicked him out.

Mom hated Uncle Samuel with a passion, and the feeling is mutual. He thinks Mom is a great girl, but a bitch. He would make snide comments to her, and she would shade the shit out of him. She would call him a worthless, failure who needs to live off of women. Even though what she said was true, Uncle Samuel thinks he is the shit! He likes to go for dumb, and desperate women with a lot of money, and who are also stress-tolerant. Why he thinks that she is a bitch? She ratted him out to his girlfriends and fiancés when he was cheated on them. Mom hates womanizers and cheaters.

Mom feels like a relationship should be based on loved, trust, and respect. If you don't want to be in a relationship, you shouldn't be in a relationship. Don't ever cheat on your partner, just break up with your partner. It would be selfish and cruel to string your partner along. "Boy, I will break my foot up your ass if you ever become like your Uncle Samuel. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" she roared at a frightened eight-year-old JJ after an argument with Uncle Samuel. "Girls, I will slap the wax out of your ears if you ever date a guy like Uncle Samuel. Do I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" she roared at us. Eight-year-old us coward in fear that our usually sweet mother is angry. Dad threw her over his shoulder, and took her to the movies to calm her down while Granddad scolds Uncle Samuel for a whole hour.

JJ hates him because he caught Uncle Samuel had sex with a strange woman in his bed. Mom beat the crap out of the female. Granddad whooped Uncle Samuel with a belt, and had him buy JJ a new mattress, sheets, and a blanket. It was twelve or thirteen years ago, and JJ still hasn't forgiven him. JJ gives him the stink-eye every time he sees our uncle.

Dad thinks he is slime, and that everything he touches turn to shit. JJ and I have never seen or met twins who hated each other. I had hopes that the evil in Uncle Samuel would die, so that he and Dad would have a great and close relationship, like JJ and me. When I was sixteen, I expressed my concerns with JJ and Leslie. However, both of them told me that Uncle Samuel had no redeeming qualities. "Rue, it is sweet that you want them to be in a happy relationship. But not everyone is meant to be family. Your Uncle Samuel is practically your dad's evil twin," Leslie said. Leslie hates Uncle Samuel because he told her that she was pretty for a darker-skinned girl, which is off-putting since he is dark-skinned also. She popped him in the mouth, and we didn't blame her. We should tell all little girls that they are beautiful, even if they are a solid three. No matter what color they are, they still are beautiful.

Granddad is biologically programmed to love Uncle Samuel, but he dislikes his own child. Granddad thinks that Samuel is the child who can't hold a job, and is a leech. When Uncle Samuel got into some legal trouble, Granddad had to help him out. A very pissed off Granddad told him that he was no longer in his will, since helping his troublesome son costs him some money. Granddad usually downs a bottle of beer before talking to his son. He feels like Dad is the one child of his he can be proud of.

Grandma does not like Samuel all that much either. She likes Dad more because he was the more pleasant, and easier child. She and Granddad raised their sons the same way, but have no clue why Uncle Samuel turned out the way he was. They both don't believe in favorites, and hates favoritism.