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Authors: Kimberla Lawson Roby
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for me to come to the hospital. He wants to make sure Vanessa isn’t there.”
“Well, as much as I know you don’t wanna hear it, this is probably a good thing.”
Charlotte hit the steering wheel with her fist. “A good thing for who?”
“Everyone involved. You know what happened when you went there yesterday, so why even take a chance on running into Vanessa?”
“You know what this is really about, don’t you?” she said.
“What?”
“Vanessa and how she probably told Matt all kinds of lies about what happened when he and Racquel went down to the nursery. She’s trying to turn my own son against me, and if you don’t watch out, she’ll turn him against you, too.”
“Baby, you’re not serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? This woman is evil, Curtis.”
“You know what?” he said. “I’m staying out of this, because I already asked you to take a step back.”
“I’m not about to go four whole days without seeing my grandson. Today is only Wednesday, Matt isn’t leaving until Sunday, and then who knows when I’ll get to see MJ after that?”
“I don’t know what else to tell you.”
“Say you have my back and that you’re gonna demand that I be allowed to see our grandson whenever I want.”
“I’m not doing that, Charlotte. We shouldn’t have to demand anything; we should all be getting along like adults. And I’ll tell you something else: if you don’t stop this, you’re going to push Matt farther and farther away from you, and I know you don’t want that.”
“But what about me, Curtis? What about my rights as a grandmother? And why isn’t Matt standing up for me and setting Vanessa straight?” Tears streamed down Charlotte’s face. She could barely breathe.
“Look, baby. For months now, I haven’t wanted to say anything because I knew you wouldn’t receive it well, but you caused all of this.”
“What do you mean?”
“From the time you found out Racquel was pregnant, you started calling her every day. Making sure she was reading the right books, and asking her for the dates and times of all her doctor appointments. Then, you started going to those appointments uninvited.”
“And what was wrong with that?”
“A lot,” he said. “Baby, Racquel has a mother who loves her, and if Racquel wanted you hanging around all the time or going to all her doctor visits, she would have asked you.”
“But I was only trying to let her know that I’m here for her.”
“Even when you ordered baby furniture and never asked her what kind she wanted? And let’s not forget the way you started driving over to their home unannounced.”
“I only did that when Matt left for school. I wanted to make sure she was okay, and that she didn’t need anything.”
“Why would she? Her father is a neurosurgeon. But you wanna know the worst part of all?”
“I’m sure you can’t wait to tell me,” she said.
“The day you started talking down to Vanessa.”
“When have I ever spoken to that woman like that?”
“You did it all the time. I remember once when they invited all of us over for dinner, and Vanessa was saying how she and Neil were going to start a college fund for the baby. But then you quickly rattled off something like, ‘Actually, Curtis and I will be able to pay for everything. You guys won’t have to worry about a thing. And if you want, the baby can even live with us when Racquel leaves for college because we’re having a huge nursery designed. It’ll be finished in a month or so.’”
Charlotte was flabbergasted. Curtis was officially blaming her for everything, and it would be hard to forgive him for this.
“I’m sorry I had to say these things to you, but it was time.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” she said.
“Baby, I know you’re angry, but I hope you think about what I’ve said. Bragging and boasting can turn people off.”
“I’ll see you later,” she said and hung up.
How dare Curtis make her out to be the villain? He was
“Well, as much as I know you don’t wanna hear it, this is probably a good thing.”
Charlotte hit the steering wheel with her fist. “A good thing for who?”
“Everyone involved. You know what happened when you went there yesterday, so why even take a chance on running into Vanessa?”
“You know what this is really about, don’t you?” she said.
“What?”
“Vanessa and how she probably told Matt all kinds of lies about what happened when he and Racquel went down to the nursery. She’s trying to turn my own son against me, and if you don’t watch out, she’ll turn him against you, too.”
“Baby, you’re not serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? This woman is evil, Curtis.”
“You know what?” he said. “I’m staying out of this, because I already asked you to take a step back.”
“I’m not about to go four whole days without seeing my grandson. Today is only Wednesday, Matt isn’t leaving until Sunday, and then who knows when I’ll get to see MJ after that?”
“I don’t know what else to tell you.”
“Say you have my back and that you’re gonna demand that I be allowed to see our grandson whenever I want.”
“I’m not doing that, Charlotte. We shouldn’t have to demand anything; we should all be getting along like adults. And I’ll tell you something else: if you don’t stop this, you’re going to push Matt farther and farther away from you, and I know you don’t want that.”
“But what about me, Curtis? What about my rights as a grandmother? And why isn’t Matt standing up for me and setting Vanessa straight?” Tears streamed down Charlotte’s face. She could barely breathe.
“Look, baby. For months now, I haven’t wanted to say anything because I knew you wouldn’t receive it well, but you caused all of this.”
“What do you mean?”
“From the time you found out Racquel was pregnant, you started calling her every day. Making sure she was reading the right books, and asking her for the dates and times of all her doctor appointments. Then, you started going to those appointments uninvited.”
“And what was wrong with that?”
“A lot,” he said. “Baby, Racquel has a mother who loves her, and if Racquel wanted you hanging around all the time or going to all her doctor visits, she would have asked you.”
“But I was only trying to let her know that I’m here for her.”
“Even when you ordered baby furniture and never asked her what kind she wanted? And let’s not forget the way you started driving over to their home unannounced.”
“I only did that when Matt left for school. I wanted to make sure she was okay, and that she didn’t need anything.”
“Why would she? Her father is a neurosurgeon. But you wanna know the worst part of all?”
“I’m sure you can’t wait to tell me,” she said.
“The day you started talking down to Vanessa.”
“When have I ever spoken to that woman like that?”
“You did it all the time. I remember once when they invited all of us over for dinner, and Vanessa was saying how she and Neil were going to start a college fund for the baby. But then you quickly rattled off something like, ‘Actually, Curtis and I will be able to pay for everything. You guys won’t have to worry about a thing. And if you want, the baby can even live with us when Racquel leaves for college because we’re having a huge nursery designed. It’ll be finished in a month or so.’”
Charlotte was flabbergasted. Curtis was officially blaming her for everything, and it would be hard to forgive him for this.
“I’m sorry I had to say these things to you, but it was time.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” she said.
“Baby, I know you’re angry, but I hope you think about what I’ve said. Bragging and boasting can turn people off.”
“I’ll see you later,” she said and hung up.
How dare Curtis make her out to be the villain? He was
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