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Chapter Fifteen
Ashton
“So Ashton, how have things been going for you?” my mom asked as we sat down for dinner. I shrugged, picking up the bowl filled with mashed potatoes.
“They’ve been fine, I guess.”
“And how’s work? You do that call center thing, right?”
O’Shea snorted beside me, taking the mashed potatoes from me when I finished. I gave him a subtle kick under the table, eliciting a grunt and a glare from him.
“Yeah, things with work are fine. Pretty busy.”
“You said that O’Shea here is fixing your car?” my dad asked as he put a chunk of pot roast on his plate.
“Yeah, I am,” O’Shea answered. “Should be ready this week.”
“That’s good to hear.” my dad replied. “So tell me, O’Shea, what brings you to a small town like this one?”
O’Shea took a sip of his sweet tea. “Just wanted a fresh start somewhere new. Had a bad breakup and kind of wanted to leave that behind to clear my head.”
“Oh, you poor dear,” my mother said, placing a hand on her heart. “You and Ashton are like two peas in a pod when it comes to relationships.”
“Oh my God, Mom,” I muttered.
“So you’re here alone? No family here?” my mother continued.
“Yep. My family is back in Virginia. My mom is supposed to be visiting soon, so that’ll be nice.”
“I’m sure you miss her,” she said with a sympathetic smile.
My dad looked over at Savannah and frowned, watching as she tried to sneak a text message at the table. “Savannah, put that phone away. You know we don’t have gadgets at the table,” he stated firmly. She rolled her eyes and put the phone face down on the table.
“Well, it’s not like anyone’s paying me any mind,” she mumbled.
“Join the conversation, dear. You don’t have to wait until someone says something to you,” my dad said. Savannah narrowed her eyes at O’Shea as she cocked her head.
“Is it true that once you go black, you end up in a wheelchair?” she asked, her face clear of emotion. O’Shea snickered as I sputtered my sweet tea, going into a coughing fit.
“Savannah!” my mother exclaimed. “You know that’s completely inappropriate!”
“What? I was just asking!” she huffed.
“What happened? What's with the wheelchair business?” my dad asked.
“It’s from the movie White Chicks, remember, Dad?” Savannah mentioned.
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Then do you have health insurance, Ashton? Sounds like serious business.”
“Oh my God, Dad! It's not even true!” I exclaimed while O’Shea nearly choked on his own spit from laughing so hard.
“It happened to Mrs. Paula from down the road, didn’t it, Janice? She came to the country club with that guy she called a black stallion and the next time we saw her, she was in a wheel chair with a cast.”
“She was in a car accident, Phillip,” my mother stated, rubbing her temple. “Why on earth would one end up in a wheelchair after having relations with a black man?”
“Because they have big penises,” Savannah quipped. My mother shot her a dirty look.
“And how would you know about that?”
