Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Kimberla Lawson Roby - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kimberla Lawson Roby
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month’s Ebony. ”
“Picking up a pizza? Not the John I know?”
Karen smiled. “I didn’t believe it either at first, but he’s going along with anything I want right now because I got so upset with him for losing his whole paycheck at the track. Didn’t Mom tell you about it?”
“No, but I haven’t talked to her today, either.”
Somehow, that didn’t surprise Karen. Sheila was living right there in the same town with their mother, but she hardly ever bothered to pick up the phone to see howLucinda was doing. Sheila had somehow gotten it in her head that if Lucinda had been a better wife, their father would have never deserted them—something that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“Why haven’t you?” Karen asked.
“You know I get my check on the twenty-fourth, and I’ve been running around here and there all day.”
Karen didn’t say anything, so Sheila continued the conversation. “I’ll bet you went off on him, didn’t you?”
“You know I did. Things like that have to be nipped in the bud right away before they spin too far out of control.”
“You probably told him he was getting out if he lost any more money, didn’t you,” Sheila said, laughing.
Karen laughed with her and changed the phone from her left ear to the right. “I did not.”
“Yes, you did. Girl, I know you better than you know yourself.”
Actually, Sheila did know her pretty well, but Karen had no idea why, because Lord knows their personalities were as different as June and December.
Karen was about to ask Sheila how the kids were doing, but she paused when she thought she heard a deep, heavy voice in the background. She just knew it wasn’t Terrance’s no-good ass. “Who is that talking to the kids?”
“All you’re going to do is get mad, so I’m not even going to tell you.”
Sheila was right, because Karen was already scowling.“Why is it that Terrance always spends the entire day with you when you get your check but only shows up long enough for you to spread your legs during the rest of the month?”
“Look, Karen. I can’t believe you even went there. I love Terrance, and whether you believe it or not, he loves me.”
Love ? Oh, now she understood. It must have been love he was showing her when he’d knocked up Sheila and two other women at the same time. Little William was probably the only kid around who had two half brothers the same age as he was. “Whatever, Sheila. I don’t feel like arguing with you about this tired situation again, so I’ll talk to you later. Okay?”
“See ya.” Click.
Sheila was pissed.
Karen couldn’t believe that girl. Here she was, twenty-eight, on welfare, a resident of one of the Housing Authority’s worst projects, and yes, after eight long years, still screwing the same irresponsible, unemployed asshole that never gave her one dime to support his children. Karen loved her sister, but, damn, how stupid could one woman be? The idea of taking college courses or getting a job never seemed to enter her mind, and whenever Karen suggested it, all she would say was, “Girl, I’ve got to raise my children, and I can’t do that from some penny-ante job or some boring classroom.” As far as she was concerned, she didn’t have to lift a finger until her children were completely grown, which wouldbe a long time from now, since Shaniqua was the oldest and had just turned eight. It was a miracle how that poor little thing was a straight-A student, considering her household environment. Then there was Jason, who was six going on twenty-five. Just last week his first-grade teacher had told him to go sit down at his desk, but instead, he’d grabbed the little thing between his legs and told her to “get up on it.” But had Sheila chewed his little butt out, or put him on punishment? Or better yet, whipped his little behind? Of course not. All she’d said was, “Jason, you know better than that.” The woman obviously needed to be admitted
“Picking up a pizza? Not the John I know?”
Karen smiled. “I didn’t believe it either at first, but he’s going along with anything I want right now because I got so upset with him for losing his whole paycheck at the track. Didn’t Mom tell you about it?”
“No, but I haven’t talked to her today, either.”
Somehow, that didn’t surprise Karen. Sheila was living right there in the same town with their mother, but she hardly ever bothered to pick up the phone to see howLucinda was doing. Sheila had somehow gotten it in her head that if Lucinda had been a better wife, their father would have never deserted them—something that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“Why haven’t you?” Karen asked.
“You know I get my check on the twenty-fourth, and I’ve been running around here and there all day.”
Karen didn’t say anything, so Sheila continued the conversation. “I’ll bet you went off on him, didn’t you?”
“You know I did. Things like that have to be nipped in the bud right away before they spin too far out of control.”
“You probably told him he was getting out if he lost any more money, didn’t you,” Sheila said, laughing.
Karen laughed with her and changed the phone from her left ear to the right. “I did not.”
“Yes, you did. Girl, I know you better than you know yourself.”
Actually, Sheila did know her pretty well, but Karen had no idea why, because Lord knows their personalities were as different as June and December.
Karen was about to ask Sheila how the kids were doing, but she paused when she thought she heard a deep, heavy voice in the background. She just knew it wasn’t Terrance’s no-good ass. “Who is that talking to the kids?”
“All you’re going to do is get mad, so I’m not even going to tell you.”
Sheila was right, because Karen was already scowling.“Why is it that Terrance always spends the entire day with you when you get your check but only shows up long enough for you to spread your legs during the rest of the month?”
“Look, Karen. I can’t believe you even went there. I love Terrance, and whether you believe it or not, he loves me.”
Love ? Oh, now she understood. It must have been love he was showing her when he’d knocked up Sheila and two other women at the same time. Little William was probably the only kid around who had two half brothers the same age as he was. “Whatever, Sheila. I don’t feel like arguing with you about this tired situation again, so I’ll talk to you later. Okay?”
“See ya.” Click.
Sheila was pissed.
Karen couldn’t believe that girl. Here she was, twenty-eight, on welfare, a resident of one of the Housing Authority’s worst projects, and yes, after eight long years, still screwing the same irresponsible, unemployed asshole that never gave her one dime to support his children. Karen loved her sister, but, damn, how stupid could one woman be? The idea of taking college courses or getting a job never seemed to enter her mind, and whenever Karen suggested it, all she would say was, “Girl, I’ve got to raise my children, and I can’t do that from some penny-ante job or some boring classroom.” As far as she was concerned, she didn’t have to lift a finger until her children were completely grown, which wouldbe a long time from now, since Shaniqua was the oldest and had just turned eight. It was a miracle how that poor little thing was a straight-A student, considering her household environment. Then there was Jason, who was six going on twenty-five. Just last week his first-grade teacher had told him to go sit down at his desk, but instead, he’d grabbed the little thing between his legs and told her to “get up on it.” But had Sheila chewed his little butt out, or put him on punishment? Or better yet, whipped his little behind? Of course not. All she’d said was, “Jason, you know better than that.” The woman obviously needed to be admitted
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