Promised me that one day…you said you loved me, that you’d always be true. ‘You’re the only woman in my life, Daisy. The only one for me.’ Do you remember that, Jasper? Hunh? You lied to me, gave me false hope, promised a lie. Now I’m giving it back to you. Take your promise and shove it up your rotting ass.”
Daisy looked around and saw that she was alone. She unbuckled her pants, pulled them down with her panties in one swift motion, and pissed on Jasper’s grave.
Daisy walked into the cluttered living room, stepping over boxes and avoiding bubble wrap. She’d done everything she could to avoid packing up the guest room and dealing with her demons, but she knew she had to. With every step toward the stairs, her neck stiffened and her temples throbbed. Tension spread through her back as her muscles tightened. I can’t. She grabbed the banister and sat on the lower step. She thought about home—her real home. She needed her mother.
She hadn’t called home since their last argument, almost a year before. She’d wanted to apologize, to kiss and make up, but she had refused. She was stubborn, and so was her mother. The ordeal hadn’t been Daisy’s fault. Her parents hadn’t agreed with her wanting Lani back and didn’t allow her to have her say. When she tried to speak out, her words fell on decidedly deaf ears as they sung her mistakes to her like spirituals. “You’re not Lani’s mother anymore, Daisy. How could you be? You gave her up. Do you honestly think it would be wise to step in and be her mother now?” her mom had said without hesitation or remorse. “But I am a mother. Damnit, I am her mother,” Daisy’d spat back. As angry as she’d been, she now wanted to hear her mother’s voice. Daisy wrapped her arms around her middle and cuddled herself. She needed someone to say that they loved her and mean it.
Daisy held the phone, staring at the lighted numbers. Her hands were sweaty, trembling as she dialed. She swallowed hard as she waited for someone to answer.
“Hello?” It was her mother, Ms. Christine Parker.
“Hey, Mom. How are you?”
“Daisy?”
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”
“Daisy, is that you? Thank God, honey. I thought something had happened to you. You had me worried after the last time we talked. You okay?”
Daisy blinked back the tears and tried to blink back the memories of the fight they’d had over where her daughter should live. “I’m okay, I guess.”
“How’s Jay? And Jasper? Is he still treating you good?”
Daisy shook her head. “Jasper’s dead, Mom.”
“Oh, Lord. When? How? Are you and Jay okay?”
“I’m handling it the best I can. He’s been gone over a month now. Shot to death. I think his family is going to try to take Jay away.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. Why didn’t you call sooner? I know you must’ve needed me. I would’ve flown out there—”
“I know, Mom, but that’s not why I’m calling. I’m moving. I have to clean out my closet, and I can’t. I want to, have to, but I can’t.”
“What’s in the closet, baby? Why can’t you?”
Daisy wiped her eyes. “The papers. All those damn papers. I can’t do it, Mom. Please help me. I need you.”
“Stay put. Your father and I will be on the next flight out—”
“Just you, Mom. Just you, okay?”
“Okay, baby. Just me. Hold on. Be strong now. Call Gigi and your other girlfriend and have them come over and keep you company until I get there. I’ll be there as soon as I can. And call an ambulance if you feel one of those breakdowns coming on, okay? Daisy?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you. No matter what’s happened between us over the years, I love you. You’re my baby girl.”
“I love you too, Mom.” Daisy cradled the phone to her chest and cried until she had no more tears.
Knowing that her mother was coming, Daisy felt stronger. She willed herself up on her feet. I can do this. I can. She repeated her mantra. Preparing herself for what lay ahead, Daisy
Daisy looked around and saw that she was alone. She unbuckled her pants, pulled them down with her panties in one swift motion, and pissed on Jasper’s grave.
Daisy walked into the cluttered living room, stepping over boxes and avoiding bubble wrap. She’d done everything she could to avoid packing up the guest room and dealing with her demons, but she knew she had to. With every step toward the stairs, her neck stiffened and her temples throbbed. Tension spread through her back as her muscles tightened. I can’t. She grabbed the banister and sat on the lower step. She thought about home—her real home. She needed her mother.
She hadn’t called home since their last argument, almost a year before. She’d wanted to apologize, to kiss and make up, but she had refused. She was stubborn, and so was her mother. The ordeal hadn’t been Daisy’s fault. Her parents hadn’t agreed with her wanting Lani back and didn’t allow her to have her say. When she tried to speak out, her words fell on decidedly deaf ears as they sung her mistakes to her like spirituals. “You’re not Lani’s mother anymore, Daisy. How could you be? You gave her up. Do you honestly think it would be wise to step in and be her mother now?” her mom had said without hesitation or remorse. “But I am a mother. Damnit, I am her mother,” Daisy’d spat back. As angry as she’d been, she now wanted to hear her mother’s voice. Daisy wrapped her arms around her middle and cuddled herself. She needed someone to say that they loved her and mean it.
Daisy held the phone, staring at the lighted numbers. Her hands were sweaty, trembling as she dialed. She swallowed hard as she waited for someone to answer.
“Hello?” It was her mother, Ms. Christine Parker.
“Hey, Mom. How are you?”
“Daisy?”
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”
“Daisy, is that you? Thank God, honey. I thought something had happened to you. You had me worried after the last time we talked. You okay?”
Daisy blinked back the tears and tried to blink back the memories of the fight they’d had over where her daughter should live. “I’m okay, I guess.”
“How’s Jay? And Jasper? Is he still treating you good?”
Daisy shook her head. “Jasper’s dead, Mom.”
“Oh, Lord. When? How? Are you and Jay okay?”
“I’m handling it the best I can. He’s been gone over a month now. Shot to death. I think his family is going to try to take Jay away.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. Why didn’t you call sooner? I know you must’ve needed me. I would’ve flown out there—”
“I know, Mom, but that’s not why I’m calling. I’m moving. I have to clean out my closet, and I can’t. I want to, have to, but I can’t.”
“What’s in the closet, baby? Why can’t you?”
Daisy wiped her eyes. “The papers. All those damn papers. I can’t do it, Mom. Please help me. I need you.”
“Stay put. Your father and I will be on the next flight out—”
“Just you, Mom. Just you, okay?”
“Okay, baby. Just me. Hold on. Be strong now. Call Gigi and your other girlfriend and have them come over and keep you company until I get there. I’ll be there as soon as I can. And call an ambulance if you feel one of those breakdowns coming on, okay? Daisy?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you. No matter what’s happened between us over the years, I love you. You’re my baby girl.”
“I love you too, Mom.” Daisy cradled the phone to her chest and cried until she had no more tears.
Knowing that her mother was coming, Daisy felt stronger. She willed herself up on her feet. I can do this. I can. She repeated her mantra. Preparing herself for what lay ahead, Daisy
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