Iâm not in the mood for all this mess tonight, Mickey. Please take me back to Inglewood,â I say, sending Rah a similar message. I just want to go home, study my lessons and maybe eat some chocolate Nutter Butters, if my mom left me any in the refrigerator. I just want to chill and focus on making Jeremy tell me the whole truth and nothing but the truth tomorrow. Everything else will have to wait.
5
Revelations
âThough my eyes saw the deception/
My heart wouldnât let me learn.â
âFUGEES
I donât like walking home in my momâs neighborhood. I feel more exposed with all the apartments around here. I told Jeremy he could pick me up from here an hour after I got off work, which was thirty minutes ago. I need to change out of my work clothes, and I didnât want him to wait with my mom. Sheâs liable to grill him again, and I donât need him tense, not today. Besides, I donât think heâs all that comfortable over here, unlike Rah. Too bad my mom wasnât home when he and Kamal came by yesterday. Iâm sure they have some catching up to do.
Approaching the long driveway leading toward my momâs apartment, I see her gray Mazda parked in its stall. I wonder if sheâll let me drive it when I get my license. I forgot to tell her about my dad paying for my driving lessons. I know sheâll have something to say about that. Maybe I should save that information for next weekend.
âHey, baby. How was your day?â my mom says, sprawled across the cozy couch. She knows Jeremyâs picking me up today so sheâs decided to lounge until she goes to work tomorrow morning, I guess. Ever since things went sour with Ras Joe, sheâs been chilling at the house more. Yesterday she was out with her homegirl Vivica for a girlâs day. But, unlike my mom, Vivicaâs married and has children at home, leaving her little time to play.
âIt was okay,â I say, closing the door behind me before heading straight for the bathroom. Iâve had to pee since I clocked out, but I didnât want to give Marty the opportunity to say anything else to me. It was hard enough following Summerâs advice of making it easy for myself by being unresponsive to Martyâs stupid comments, but Iâve been at my witâs end all day. It canât be good for me or my bladder to hold my tongue like that. But until I figure out another way to make some cash flow, Iâll have to take all the shit she shovels my way.
âJayd, what time is Jeremy picking you up?â my mom yells from the couch. We can practically hear each other breathe, the walls are so thin in this apartment.
âIn about half an hour,â I say, washing my hands and quickly undressing. As I open the door and head for her room where my weekend bag is, I can hear my mom pouring herself a drink in the kitchen. Iâd bet money itâs Baileyâs Irish Cream. I quickly change into some Old Navy jeans and an orange GAP shirt. Weâre supposed to hang out by the pier and have coffee, so low key is definitely the way to go.
âHow are your studies going?â my mom says, noticing me put my spirit notebook into my backpack beside the couch before finding my sandals and slipping them on. If I could, Iâd wear them every day of the year. âHas Mama given you any new assignments?â she says, reclaiming her position on the couch and forcing me to sit in a chair at the dining table across the room.
âWell, sort of.â I recall the writing exercise she gave me last week. âMama told me to focus on what I want most and write it down in the present tense,â I say, doubtful of the results. Iâm not too good at any assignment that requires me to be still.
âAh, yes. The law of attraction.â My mom sips her brown elixir. âThe shit works, Iâm telling you. Usually we just make it work for the wrong reasons,â she says, getting
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