With amusement in my tone, I straightened my spine and asked, “And what did you say?”
“I said, ‘hell nawl!’ I ain’t that damn healed. Bitch better see her from the pictures he took on his phone.”
I tossed my head back in laughter. I was always guaranteed a good laugh with my mama. She threw herself into work when Glee went to BU, and we didn’t spend enough time together during that time. I knew she was lonely, but she was adamant about not living in Jagoda Bay. I was so happy she was here now, no matter how much shit she talked about my dad. I honestly didn’t blame my mama for how she felt about my daddy or his wife. He’d married one of the women he’d cheated on her with.The new marriage was signed before the ink dried on the one to my mama. Glee and I didn’t attend the wedding because my mama was not going for it, and when I moved in with them at nineteen, my mama caused so much hell that I moved back home just weeks later.
“You can’t lie. Daddy did look good.”
“As fuck.” She agreed with a scoff, and I was no more good. “But that doesn’t mean shit, Glow. He still ain’t no good. Begged me to let him sniff it, and when I declined, he still handed me his whole credit card.”
She reached into her bra and pulled out a silver Amex that had my daddy’s name on it.
“I’m going to spend his money because I need to pay for movers to pack my house up. The bastard owes me anyway. Other than that, he can eat dirt.”
I shook my head as I eyed the card. “Y’all are too much. Let me find out us being hospitalized is bringing y’all back together.”
“Keep finding out. You’re gonna be searching till the end of time. Fuuuuck yo’ red-ass daddy.”
I was cracking up.
“But”—she placed the card back in her bra—“Stop playing my baby like she isn’t her mama’s daughter. She and my grandbaby will be just fine.”
“So he came to the hospital when I was out? You met him, didn’t you?”
“Let me ask you this… That man in the suit, with the bodyguards and the men carrying all those pistols… If Glee wakes up and wonders why she has guards at her door, will you provide her with answers about whoyourhusband andyourfriends are married to? Will you tell her the truth?”
My tongue swiped across my teeth, and I pushed my back into the headboard.
“Yeah, exactly. So stop trying to get in her business. She may be young, but she will be twenty in a few days. She ain’t dumb enough to let no broke nigga get her pregnant. Now, y’all daddy went the corporate route, so that gangster shit y’all into… Y’all didn’t get that from me. But with the way those young men were all up and through that hospital, swaggering around and calling shots, has my taste shifting. Give me the daddy!”
Everybody’s daddy was six feet under, and in Pia’s case, gay, but I kept that to myself.
“So she went and got a street nigga? Oh, God. He’s going to run circles ’round my sister.” I shook my head.
“He is not, Glow. From what I could tell, he loves your sister something serious. He didn’t know about the baby, and that’s allI am willing to share. Anything else will have to come from your sister, but just like you have loyalty to you and your friends, and their men, and your man, she has loyalty to hers. Respect that.”
“Okay, so he didn’t know about the baby. He knows now, and where is he?” I popped my lips. I couldn’t believe Glee would like some hood nigga knock her up.
“And where isyourhusband?”
My lips perched.
“Ummhmm. Get out of her business, as I said! Give your sister some credit. I would have preferred her to wait, but I don’t blame her for getting pregnant. Just like I don’t blame you for getting hitched to your boo’s brother.”
“Shio was not my boo.”
“Either way, both my son-in-laws look damn good.”
“But what about her dreams of being a doctor?”
“What about it, Charisma? A baby doesn’t stop shit. I was pregnant with you when I received my degree. Good and pregnant, so I went through most of my senior year sick as a dog. She can still be a doctor if that’s whatshewants to do. If not, oh well. You can make doctor money in many fields these days. The great thing about life is you can start over as many times as you want. I’m proud of her and you, either way. If you pressure her, you’re gonna lose her. Just be her big sister, Glow. And stop using her life as a reason to stress about shit that doesn’t concern you. Glee is going to be just fine.”
My mama grabbed my chin. I could smell the faint hint of Johnson and Johnson lotion from her handling Lee Lee.
“All I wanted for y’all to do was get good men who would love, protect, and spoil y’all. As much as I hate your daddy, he has always taken care of home. Except for that fighting and cheating shit, he was decent. I don’t care how good a man looks; if he’s mentally and physically abusive, get the fuck on. Your husband and her baby daddy don’t give me those vibes.”
She stood. “We gone be aite, my little gangster princesses.”
“Mama, please. Go add some fantasy or something to your Kindle. You too deep in them urban streets.”
