Chapter 19 #2
Alice's mother left her when she was a baby. Granny had been the only motherly figure Alice knew. Granny had helped Alice when she got her first period, her first crush, and how to do her hair. There were times we didn’t even want to go to our own parents with the problems we were having. We brought them to Granny every time.
“Oh, don’t cry, sweetie. You know I’m just fussing. I just missed you, that’s all.” Granny released her and wiped Alice’s tears.
“I missed you, too.” Alice choked out a giggle and moved out of the way.
Granny faced Tech, and a bright smile stretched across her face.
“There’s that handsome blue-eyed devil. Come here and give me a hug.
” Tech blushed at her compliment but obliged.
Once they pulled apart, she faced Red and threw her hand on her chest. “Alice, well done, baby. Lord, y’all gon give an old woman a heart attack. ” She fanned herself.
Red chuckled, stepping forward, and slung one arm around her. I swear I thought she was about to faint. “Nice to meet ya.”
“The pleasure is all mine, handsome,” she flirted. “But tell me, you got any older uncles? Asking for a friend.”
“Granny!” I shrieked in embarrassment.
“Boy, hush. I’m old, not dead.” She turned around and made her way into the house. “Come on in so we can eat.”
We followed her inside to the dining area.
Once I spotted her lasagna on the table, my stomach growled.
It was indeed my favorite dish that she made.
She also had salad and garlic bread on the table.
Everyone took a seat and dug in. For about fifteen minutes, Granny led the conversation and got to know Red and Tech before the babies woke up in their car seats.
Aunt Toya and Granny asked if they could hold them. Red gave Caleb to Aunt Toya, and Tech handed Miracle to Granny. They were cranky at first until Alice and I made their bottles. Once they were eating, they were cool as cucumbers.
“Oh, they’re both beautiful. I can’t believe I got two great grandbabies,” Granny said while watching Miracle with a smile.
“Granny, Tabitha has two kids,” I reminded her.
She turned to me with a raised brow. “Now you know I don’t claim that she-devil.”
She was right. I did know that. Granny had never been one to fake it for anybody. Although she remained cordial with Tabitha, she kept her distance.
“Granny, doesn’t sugarcoat anything, huh?” Big Read teased her.
“I sure don’t. Life is too short, and I’m too old.
I’ve been telling my daughter for years that Tabitha is evil.
That’s why when she came, trying to get sympathy because your friend told her off at the hospital, I paid her no mind.
I know she said something that provoked that tongue-lashing. I just wish I were there to see it.”
Oscar snorted. “Granny, you should have been there. I haven’t seen anyone shut Tabitha up except for me.”
“That’s what she get—” her words were cut off at the sound of someone opening the front door and shutting it.
A few seconds later, my mother and Elliot walked into the dining room.
From the look on Granny’s face, she was just as surprised as I was to see them.
I’m glad she didn’t set this up because I would have been pissed.
I didn’t want to reconcile with my mother.
I wished her the best in life, but I meant it when I said I was done.
“What are you doing here, Pamela?” Granny asked her.
My mother’s eyes scanned the table until they landed on me. She gave me an awkward smile. When I didn’t return it, she sighed and focused on Granny.
“You make it sound like I’m not welcome, Ma,”
“Who are you getting smart with?” Granny hissed.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I was passing by and saw all the cars outside. I just wanted to stop by and make sure everything was okay.”
Granny rolled her eyes. “Well, as you can see, everything is just fine. We were just having lunch.”
“Why didn’t I get an invitation?”
Before my granny could come up with an excuse to spare her feelings, I spoke up. “Because she knows I don’t want anything to do with you.”
She gasped, as if I said the most unreasonable thing. “I am your mother, Will.”
“Maybe you should try acting like it.”
“Now, wait a minute Wil—” Elliot started.
“I would appreciate it if you refrained from talking to me.” I cut Elliot off.
It was a new day, and I was a new Will. From this day forward, I would give them the same energy I had been given for years.
My mother tried to play innocent all this time, like she didn’t see what was happening around her.
As long as I was willing to accept the treatment just to have her in my life, she was willing to allow it to continue.
There were a lot of things I kept hidden from my grandmother. I didn’t want her to know the full ugly truth about her daughter. But no more. If either of them decided to push me today, then I was going to spill all the tea.
“What has gotten into you?” My mother glared at Tech and me.
I knew she was going to tell herself whatever she needed to believe she wasn’t the problem. Even if that meant blaming Tech for my new attitude.
“You are what has gotten into me. I’m tired of your husband and his daughter treating me like shit when I’ve never done anything wrong to either of them. Excuse my language, Granny,” I apologized, seeing the look she gave me for cursing.
“Will, they’ve never done anything—”
“Enough!” I barked, slamming my fist on the table. It startled the babies, but Granny and Aunt Toya simmered them down easily. “You really want to sit here and act like they’ve done no wrongs toward me?”
“Will, I just feel that sometimes you overreact to certain situations.”
I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. Since she wanted to go here, I was about to tell her exactly how I felt. Something I should have done a long time ago. Slowly, I rose to my feet, planted my fists on the table, staring into her eyes. She appeared nervous about where this was headed.
“Overreact? Was I overreacting when I came home crying because Tabitha had the entire class calling me ‘sissy?’ I was nine then. I remember it like it was yesterday. Elliot overheard, came into the kitchen and said I must be a sissy since I was crying like one. You said nothing.
“Then there was that time Tabitha and her friends pushed me off the jungle gym during recess. I dislocated my shoulder. When I told you what she did, you told the hospital that I had fallen by accident. Don’t worry, though.
Alice slapped every last one of those girls who were involved.
” I winked at Alice, and she smiled ear to ear, showing all thirty-two.
Elliot pointed a shaky finger at me. “I will not let you paint my daughter as a villain.”
I placed my hand on Jacob's shoulder when I saw him about to stand. I knew he wanted to protect me, but I needed to handle this on my own. This was long overdue.
“I believe I told you not to address me.” I gazed at my mother, who had tears streaming down her face.
I was unmoved. “Nothing to say?” I paused, waiting for an answer.
“No? Okay. Well, let’s talk about how Tabitha brought her boyfriend home for dinner, and it just so happened to be my boyfriend as well.
You sat there while Jeff lied and said he never wanted me, and I confused him.
Even after I showed you the proof, you allowed your husband to send me to my room while you all ate dinner and mingled with the boy who had just broken my heart.
I sat in my room crying for hours, listening to you all talk and laugh with him like I wasn’t shit!
“If that wasn’t enough, you continuously allowed this man and his daughter to make comments about my sexuality.
They actually compared me being gay to being a fuckin’ child molester!
Saying I should never be able to adopt a little boy.
So, dry those fake-ass tears. Just call things for what they are.
You were so concerned with keeping this bastard happy that you purposely overlooked any mistreatment toward me. ”
By the time I was finished, Granny was handing Miracle back to Tech. She grabbed her cane off the wall, standing in front of Mom and Elliot. “What is he talking about? Jeff dated both him and Tabitha?”
My mother made me keep that information to myself.
She didn’t want the family to find out. I was so embarrassed about how things played out that I had no intention of telling anyone.
It wasn’t until I was older that I realized I had nothing to be embarrassed about.
She knew how this would make her look, so she convinced me to keep my mouth closed to save face.
“Mom, it’s complica—”
“I don’t want to hear it! I know my grandchild, and I know he isn’t lying. What the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you allow this man to treat him this way?”
“Mom, you always told me when I got married, it was my job to make sure my husband was happy.”
Granny’s eyes enlarged, and Aunt Toya shook her head in disappointment. “Make him happy, yes. Neglect and mistreat your own flesh and blood, no! Had I known my baby was going through this, I would have taken him from you. No wonder he barely comes around if you all are involved.”
Elliot’s face was beet red. “Ms. Nina—”
His words were cut off when Granny raised her cane, and she hit him upside his head. “Get out of my house!” she yelled.
“Oh shit,” Tech murmured with wide eyes.
“Mom!” My mother gasped and bent down to help Elliot off the floor.
Granny looked down at her in disgust. “Get him out of my house. You should be ashamed of yourself. From this moment on, I don’t want him or his bitch of a daughter around my family. If you stay with him, that’s on you, but he will not be welcomed around here.”
My mother continued to cry, but she helped Elliot to his feet before walking out with him. The room was silent until Oscar spoke up.
“Granny’s still got it.”
The room erupted in laughter, breaking the tension. It felt good to get everything off my chest. I had been bottling all these emotions up for a long time. But for the first time in a long time, I was at peace with where I stood with my family.