know right now I need time to myself to think clearly. Hopefully Brandon and I are hiding our problems from them as well as my Mom and Dad hid theirs from me. When I say goodbye to Chloe the line goes dead. Brandon didn’t even say goodbye?
When I walk back into the kitchen, trying not to feel bothered by the phone call, Mom is holding Tia’s face in her hands. I freeze seeing tears in my mother’s eyes. Neither of them heard me come in.
“What’s wrong, Tia? Why would you say something like that to me?” My mother’s tone is filled with panic and fear. What the hell did Tia say?
Tia tries to pry my mother’s hands from her face as she snorts. “I just told you I love you, Mom. I know I don’t tell you enough and I wanted to make sure you know. You’ve always been the best mother, even to your unruly crazy child.” With my mother’s hands successfully peeled from her face, Tia rubs her cheeks.
“Unruly maybe, crazy no.” My mother’s fearful expression softens. “We just want you to be happy , Tia. Are you?”
Tia stares at my mother a moment and sighs. “ Every day, Mom. Every day. My life has been nothing but happiness. A lot of that thanks to you and Daddy.”
“You don’t look well.” My mother feels Tia’s forehead with her hand before pulling Tia’s head and placing her mouth on her forehead, the good old lip thermometer. “Are you eating enough meat?” my mother asks as she pulls away and scans Tia’s face, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“Reall y, Mom?” I grin as I lean over the counter making my presence known. Leave it to my mother to worry about how much protein Tia’s getting.
Tia laughs and pulls away from her, her smile contagious , because I can’t help smiling, too. I know Tia’s about to crack a joke just by the look on her face and even the anticipation of whatever stupid thing she’s about to say has me on the verge of laughing. Tia is just that way. One of those people who can talk about anything, say anything and make people laugh. It’s one of the things that draw people to her, make others eager to hang out with her even though she is far from perfect. She makes people laugh and it’s addictive.
“Yeah, Mom ,” Tia adds. “I’m on a diet rich in sausage.” Tia’s tone is thick with innuendo, and she winks at me. I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head at her terrible and inappropriate joke. Then I laugh silently to myself as my mother’s face is covered with a soft blush. My sister has no shame.
My mother smacks Tia’s arm with her dishrag and Tia rubs the spot she hit in mock pain. “I know you’re being perverse, Tia Renee Campbell.”
Tia turns her head to me and waggles her eyebrows. “What do you know about tube steak, Ma?” Tia keeps goading and my mother’s cheeks go from slightly pink to beet red as she purses her lips, but she gives it right back to Tia.
“I’m fifty-seven years old, Tia. I’d wager I know a lot more about ‘tube steak’” she makes air quotes with her fingers as she says ‘tube steak,’ “than you think I do.” My mother stiffens her back and continues washing the dish she’s been working on in the sink.
T ia is immediately silenced, eyes wide. She silently mouths the word, “Gross.”
“You asked for it ,” I laughed and picked my knife back up to continue dicing.
***
We leave my parents the next day and head to the airport after my mother gives me another pep talk and tells me to look after Tia because she senses something off about her. My mother always worries about us. I promise her I will and promise to really think about my decision concerning Brandon.
I’m still a little thrown by my mother’s confession, but I appreciate what she was trying to do. A part of me thinks, it was just a kiss Sophia. You can’t end a marriage over a kiss. My marriage hasn’t been perfect, but we have loved each other, we’ve been happy together. Walking away seems so selfish in a way. I know
When I walk back into the kitchen, trying not to feel bothered by the phone call, Mom is holding Tia’s face in her hands. I freeze seeing tears in my mother’s eyes. Neither of them heard me come in.
“What’s wrong, Tia? Why would you say something like that to me?” My mother’s tone is filled with panic and fear. What the hell did Tia say?
Tia tries to pry my mother’s hands from her face as she snorts. “I just told you I love you, Mom. I know I don’t tell you enough and I wanted to make sure you know. You’ve always been the best mother, even to your unruly crazy child.” With my mother’s hands successfully peeled from her face, Tia rubs her cheeks.
“Unruly maybe, crazy no.” My mother’s fearful expression softens. “We just want you to be happy , Tia. Are you?”
Tia stares at my mother a moment and sighs. “ Every day, Mom. Every day. My life has been nothing but happiness. A lot of that thanks to you and Daddy.”
“You don’t look well.” My mother feels Tia’s forehead with her hand before pulling Tia’s head and placing her mouth on her forehead, the good old lip thermometer. “Are you eating enough meat?” my mother asks as she pulls away and scans Tia’s face, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“Reall y, Mom?” I grin as I lean over the counter making my presence known. Leave it to my mother to worry about how much protein Tia’s getting.
Tia laughs and pulls away from her, her smile contagious , because I can’t help smiling, too. I know Tia’s about to crack a joke just by the look on her face and even the anticipation of whatever stupid thing she’s about to say has me on the verge of laughing. Tia is just that way. One of those people who can talk about anything, say anything and make people laugh. It’s one of the things that draw people to her, make others eager to hang out with her even though she is far from perfect. She makes people laugh and it’s addictive.
“Yeah, Mom ,” Tia adds. “I’m on a diet rich in sausage.” Tia’s tone is thick with innuendo, and she winks at me. I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head at her terrible and inappropriate joke. Then I laugh silently to myself as my mother’s face is covered with a soft blush. My sister has no shame.
My mother smacks Tia’s arm with her dishrag and Tia rubs the spot she hit in mock pain. “I know you’re being perverse, Tia Renee Campbell.”
Tia turns her head to me and waggles her eyebrows. “What do you know about tube steak, Ma?” Tia keeps goading and my mother’s cheeks go from slightly pink to beet red as she purses her lips, but she gives it right back to Tia.
“I’m fifty-seven years old, Tia. I’d wager I know a lot more about ‘tube steak’” she makes air quotes with her fingers as she says ‘tube steak,’ “than you think I do.” My mother stiffens her back and continues washing the dish she’s been working on in the sink.
T ia is immediately silenced, eyes wide. She silently mouths the word, “Gross.”
“You asked for it ,” I laughed and picked my knife back up to continue dicing.
***
We leave my parents the next day and head to the airport after my mother gives me another pep talk and tells me to look after Tia because she senses something off about her. My mother always worries about us. I promise her I will and promise to really think about my decision concerning Brandon.
I’m still a little thrown by my mother’s confession, but I appreciate what she was trying to do. A part of me thinks, it was just a kiss Sophia. You can’t end a marriage over a kiss. My marriage hasn’t been perfect, but we have loved each other, we’ve been happy together. Walking away seems so selfish in a way. I know
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