you talking about …” I can’t stand saying her name right now. In spite of me and him having a much-needed talk, I still don’t know why she’s doing this to me. How far is this going to go? And even though I initiated the breakup, this severely hurts me.
It feels like two people have swung their heads back and butted me right on my forehead, punching me so hard that I see a bright array of stars and it feels like something is squeezing my head. People you love the most can inflict the most damage. They hurt you so bad you wonder what the true definition of love is. Does true love hurt? Because in some ways, I still love Jeff, and all I feel sometimes is hurt.
Just then Marlene dashes back into the kitchen.
“Sorry, being in the bathroom took longer than I expected. What’s going on here? What ya’ll doing?”
Lie first and tell the truth later.
“For your information, I was talking to Alita,” I say, nodding at my friend who quietly stood by all that time. “I don’t care to talk to him. I will leave you and your new boyfriend alone.” I say that so she won’t know that what she’s doing truly bothers me. But I doubt she believes me.
I start to say something else to her, but my Aunt Perry staggers in from the backyard through the sliding glass door and peers curiously at me.
“It takes that damn long to get my cup?”
“Oops, sorry Auntie. I forgot.”
“‘Oops, I forgot,’” she mocks. “Naw, girl, how can you forgetabout me? You know how I am.” She lets out a loud and drawn-out belch that sounds disgusting.
“Yuck,” I say. “That stinks. You’ve been out there drinking bottles of beer, haven’t you?”
“Yep, I sure was,” she says and belches again while she’s talking. Then her face turns green, and she dashes to the sink and pukes. I hear her throat contracting. You can smell every greasy thing she ate for breakfast. I want to throw up, too.
Perry turns on the spigot and rinses out the sink using a small rubber hose.
Jeff grins and says, “Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.”
“Shut up, fool,” Aunt Perry snaps. “Hey.” She scrutinizes him closely. “What are you doing here? You and my niece back together now? When’s the wedding?”
“Ain’t gonna be no wedding,” jumps in Marlene. She has the nerve to yank Jeff by the arm. We’re now all gathered next to the kitchen sink facing the breakfast table.
“He with you?” Aunt Perry asks. “Is that how we do things now?”
“You got a problem with that?” Marlene says.
“You’re the one with the problem, girl. I can’t believe your stupid ass. You got a lotta damned nerve walking up in your daddy’s house with that man on your arm. Can’t you even p-pretend to respect your sister?”
Marlene gasps and stares rudely at Aunt Perry.
“Damn shame, girl, you were not raised right. But with your mama’s ways, what do I expect? I never did like her ass. Miss Loretta—the Woman Who Can Suck Dick Betta. That’s what they used to say about her back in the day!”
“What did you say about my mama?” Marlene asks, standing in front of Aunt Perry.
Marlene always tries to defend her mom, even thoughmy mama told me she dated Blinky first. Loretta and Brooke were best friends years ago, before Marlene or I was born. Even though Brooke was ten years older than Loretta, they got along famously. But their relationship changed when the two women fought over Blinky. Now the ladies can’t stand each other half the time.
“Girl, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” says Aunt Perry.
“No, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marlene cries out.
“I think I know about this more than you. I was alive at that time and you weren’t. So like I said before, Loretta is the Freak Who’s Always in Heat.”
“Stop saying that stuff about my mama,” Marlene shrieks.
“She told it like it was, that’s what Perry did.” Brooke,
It feels like two people have swung their heads back and butted me right on my forehead, punching me so hard that I see a bright array of stars and it feels like something is squeezing my head. People you love the most can inflict the most damage. They hurt you so bad you wonder what the true definition of love is. Does true love hurt? Because in some ways, I still love Jeff, and all I feel sometimes is hurt.
Just then Marlene dashes back into the kitchen.
“Sorry, being in the bathroom took longer than I expected. What’s going on here? What ya’ll doing?”
Lie first and tell the truth later.
“For your information, I was talking to Alita,” I say, nodding at my friend who quietly stood by all that time. “I don’t care to talk to him. I will leave you and your new boyfriend alone.” I say that so she won’t know that what she’s doing truly bothers me. But I doubt she believes me.
I start to say something else to her, but my Aunt Perry staggers in from the backyard through the sliding glass door and peers curiously at me.
“It takes that damn long to get my cup?”
“Oops, sorry Auntie. I forgot.”
“‘Oops, I forgot,’” she mocks. “Naw, girl, how can you forgetabout me? You know how I am.” She lets out a loud and drawn-out belch that sounds disgusting.
“Yuck,” I say. “That stinks. You’ve been out there drinking bottles of beer, haven’t you?”
“Yep, I sure was,” she says and belches again while she’s talking. Then her face turns green, and she dashes to the sink and pukes. I hear her throat contracting. You can smell every greasy thing she ate for breakfast. I want to throw up, too.
Perry turns on the spigot and rinses out the sink using a small rubber hose.
Jeff grins and says, “Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.”
“Shut up, fool,” Aunt Perry snaps. “Hey.” She scrutinizes him closely. “What are you doing here? You and my niece back together now? When’s the wedding?”
“Ain’t gonna be no wedding,” jumps in Marlene. She has the nerve to yank Jeff by the arm. We’re now all gathered next to the kitchen sink facing the breakfast table.
“He with you?” Aunt Perry asks. “Is that how we do things now?”
“You got a problem with that?” Marlene says.
“You’re the one with the problem, girl. I can’t believe your stupid ass. You got a lotta damned nerve walking up in your daddy’s house with that man on your arm. Can’t you even p-pretend to respect your sister?”
Marlene gasps and stares rudely at Aunt Perry.
“Damn shame, girl, you were not raised right. But with your mama’s ways, what do I expect? I never did like her ass. Miss Loretta—the Woman Who Can Suck Dick Betta. That’s what they used to say about her back in the day!”
“What did you say about my mama?” Marlene asks, standing in front of Aunt Perry.
Marlene always tries to defend her mom, even thoughmy mama told me she dated Blinky first. Loretta and Brooke were best friends years ago, before Marlene or I was born. Even though Brooke was ten years older than Loretta, they got along famously. But their relationship changed when the two women fought over Blinky. Now the ladies can’t stand each other half the time.
“Girl, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” says Aunt Perry.
“No, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marlene cries out.
“I think I know about this more than you. I was alive at that time and you weren’t. So like I said before, Loretta is the Freak Who’s Always in Heat.”
“Stop saying that stuff about my mama,” Marlene shrieks.
“She told it like it was, that’s what Perry did.” Brooke,
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