I didn’t feel like getting up that Sunday and I didn’t plan on getting up the Sunday after that. Instead, I pulled my duvet over my knees and sat up in my bed straining my ears to hear every word that she said.
“She hasn’t moved an inch, that is what I am trying to tell you.” She snapped.
I always knew when she was losing patience. She became short, and all of her responses came out fast and sharp, like each word were a hard pellet. They all stung.
“Eddie, I don’t need to hear your suggestions. I need to know if you are going to come over here and talk to your mother or did you forget you had one?” She started yelling right then. The two of them must have got to fussing again. I sat perfectly still, as if the slightest movement would affect my ability to hear her shouting.
“To hell with you Eddie, I don’t have time to deal with your ignorant ass today!” The sound of the phone slamming against the receiver made me wonder if the girl done broke my phone. I settled back into bed and closed my eyes. I didn’t want any part of the mess that had become my children’s relationship.
No sooner did I let my eyelids close when she came storming into my room like a human hurricane. The door flew open and created a breeze that made me pull my duvet tighter against my legs. I cracked my eyes open making my greatest effort to appear interested in what she was about to say.
“I can’t deal with him anymore.” She announced. Her hands were on her hips and her face was screwed up tight as a spring. She was such a pretty girl, a better looking version of me and yet she spent so many days screwing that face of hers, one would never know it.
“You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep fixing your face that way.” I raised my hand to my creased forehead. “I got these staying angry for over twenty years.”
She didn’t laugh. She instead rolled her eyes and walked out of my room.
I went back to closing my mine.
“Nene, please get up and get ready for church.” She sounded like she was giving me an order, but using the word please was her way of making it a request. Still, I saw it for what it was and I wasn’t planning on taking orders from anyone.
“I’m tired. I’m not going.” I replied evenly and made sure I raised my voice so she heard clearly. She shoved her feet in her heels, tossed on her coat, grabbed her purse and car keys and stormed out of my house. I didn’t see her do it, because I kept my eyes closed the entire time. I didn’t need to see.
The phone rang. I didn’t know if it was her or him but I didn’t want to speak to either of them. But, I knew that if I chose to nestle under the warmth of my duvet rather than answer the annoying trill of my phone that someone would begin to worry. God, I hate aging. There is no option for solitude without someone fearing your death. It seems the only peace you are allowed is your final rest in it. One missed called and everyone imagines the worst. You either fell down a flight of stairs and can’t get up, or you kicked the bucket during a cat nap. You can’t possibly just be in the mood to be left alone. Apparently you relinquish that right once you are over sixty-five. I think that’s when it all started....The goal date for publishing? Fall of 2015.
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