Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 82060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Danni looked to her and there was a slight whine in her, “Mom.”
“You disrespect the mother of my grandchild, the love of my son’s life to her face in my house?” she asked. “Who raised a child to do that?” She shook her head. “Not me.”
“Darius was lying in a hospital bed,” she slashed a finger at me, “and she gutted him like he was the bad guy in this scenario.”
“Drop your hand, girl,” Darius warned on a terrifying purr that gave even me a shiver, and it wasn’t directed at me. “Do not ever point at Malia like that.”
She was smart enough to drop her hand, but she threw both up. “I’m just saying, Gabs and I don’t think we should all pretend like everything is happy and awesome, when for sixteen years, it was not.”
“And who do you think felt that the most? You?” Dorothea asked.
“I’m just saying—” Danni repeated.
“I heard what you were saying,” Dorothea cut her off. “And I cannot believe in all the heartache we’ve all endured you’d want to keep that going for another second.” Her hair shook on her last word. “Not another second.” More hair shaking. “I did not cook for the last three hours to have my family all around me for the first time and have my girls act like harridans.”
Gabby threw Danni right under the bus with her, “It wasn’t me!”
Then again, Danni had already tossed herself there.
Still, Danni shot angry eyes to her sister.
“Maybe we should all just take a breath,” I suggested.
“Naw,” Liam said, putting down his drink. “I think we should go home. This is bullshit.”
Dorothea’s face froze.
As did Gabby’s and Danni’s.
“Honey—” I started.
“When they apologize, we’ll come back. But not before, Mom.” He’d come to me, and he swung an arm to the door. “Get in the truck.”
I looked up at his father.
“You heard your son,” he said. “In the truck.”
Totally ganging up on me.
“Darius, your mom has cooked for hours.”
He looked down on her, his face blank, eyes cold. “Sorry, Ma. But you know the statement has to be made.”
God!
I whirled.
“I’m not leaving. I’m eating your food.” I said to Dorothea. Then to Gabby and Danni. “Be mad at me. I don’t care. Darius is right. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and our business isn’t yours. I appreciate your loyalty to your brother, but really, you should have thought this through. If you had something to say to me, you should have found some other time to say it. I would have listened. I might not agree with you, but I love your brother enough to listen. But you didn’t do it like that. You did it like this. That’s not on me. It’s on you.”
I switched the wineglass from hand to hand as I took my jacket off. I swung it on the arm of the couch, then I sat back down, took a sip, thanking the good Lord it wasn’t sweet, because sweet wine was from Satan, and I went on.
“I’ve got a great job. But yes, this dress is not Walmart and it’s highly likely some of Darius’s money bought it for me, and I’m proud of that. My man takes care of the ones he loves that are under his protection. As you both know very well.”
Gabby had the good grace to look ashamed.
Danni couldn’t meet my eyes, so I figured she felt the same.
I turned to Dorothea and finished with, “What’s for dinner?”
“Chicken and dressing, pureed carrots and turnips, sauteed green beans, mashed potatoes and rolls. Carrot cake for dessert.”
Damn.
I shouldn’t have eaten lunch.
“That sounds great,” I replied.
She stood. “I think it’s time to sauté the beans and finish sorting the table. I was going to ask my girls to help me, but would you do it, Malia?”
I stood too. “My pleasure.”
She started to the kitchen with me following, and she didn’t look at anybody when she ordered, “Sort it out before your behinds sit at my table.”
I turned and gave Darius a work it out! look then transferred it to my son before I lost sight of them when I turned the corner into the kitchen.
That said, before I lost sight, I didn’t miss their identical stances (feet planted, arms crossed on chests) nor their identical scowls.
Both of them aimed at me.
Eek!
* * * *
My family and I trooped through the back door and laundry room into the kitchen.
The ride home had been silent.
The night had been great…for Dorothea and me.
We caught up and her food was just as I remembered it, stick to your ribs, soul food delicious.
Danni and Gabby tried to make up for blowing it, but Darius and Liam were having none of it. They were warm and respectful to Miss Dorothea and me, but it was like their sisters/aunts weren’t in the room.