Miss Lola.

Rhonda cont'd.

I'll briefly tell y'all about their dads. I met Tommy's father at a basketball game and we started fooling around within days of meeting each other, even though he already had a girlfriend back home.

He was my first and for a hot minute I'd confused lust with love when it was only a fling. So anyway it ended badly one night when his girlfriend caught us doing the nasty at a cheap motel room.

Bella's daddy had been a one night stand, however I'd been genuinely in love with J.r's daddy who turned out to be bisexual and now he's a full time drag Queen and does shows at the Golden Palace three nights a week.

Right now I'm single and who has time to date anyway? Between working and trying to raise three kids my schedule is pretty much full.

Of course I'd managed to keep my very active sex life concealed from Mama until I kept popping out kids left and right and she still doesn't know that J.r's daddy is a bisexual white boy and I hope to keep it that way. Indefinitely.

"Now y'all better act right once we go in Granny's house or that's your behinds." I hollered at the kids before unbuckling their seatbelts and letting them out of the car.

They raced towards the front of the house like wild horses but I knew Mama would slow their roll once she met them at the front door because she didn't tolerate any running and jumping inside of her house.

Her car was parked inside of the garage and I did a double take when I saw the beautiful, silver Jag parked in the drive.

This must be her new man's car.
Well, well, well, I think and then jump when my cellphone started playing DMX "Up in here" and I checked the caller I.D and rolled my eyes because it was J.r's daddy, Raymond Fields.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I want to see my son." He said right off the bat.

Well today he's using his regular voice which let's me know that I'm not speaking to his alter ego, Miss Peaches who is gorgeous and rather Diva-ish and I can't stand her.

It's spooky how Ray can go from being a tall, cute, skinny and very easy going white boy with stubble on his chin and transform himself into that glamorous, and foul mouthed, willowy creature called Miss Peaches.

Sometimes I'm tempted to ask him for make-up tips but I never do because it would feel too weird.

"Ray, we've been over this a thousand times and you already know the answer. J.r ain't ready to see his daddy in a dress."

"How do you know that? He's my only son Rhonda and you can't keep him from me."

"I'm not trying to keep him from you. You can see him any time you want to, but just not in a dress.
I don't want to traumatize the boy any more than he already is."

"How's he traumatized? What's wrong with my son?" Ray demanded.

"J.r wets the bed at night and has trouble holding his wee wee even in the day time. The doctors say it's nothing to really worry about."

"Oh. Well my cousins used to wet the bed so maybe he took after them." Ray said thoughtfully. "Let me talk to him."

"I can't right now." I'd lowered my voice because just then I spotted mama standing in the entranceway, holding the security door back and scowling at me.

She was looking especially pretty tonight in a figure hugging, yellow linen dress and her curls are pinned back and her make-up is flawless.

"Why not? I ain't seen or spoken to my son since he was a baby. Put him on the phone." Ray ordered.

"Look, let's discuss it later. Bye Ray." I swiped "end", switched my phone off and plastered a big, fake smile on my face.

"Sorry we're late. We got held up in traffic." I lied.

Mama sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes as she impatiently hustled me inside the house.

"You look nice." She sounded shocked as she eyed my demure, knee length black skirt and pink blouse which wasn't tight or revealing. I'd made an effort tonight and I was pleased that she'd noticed.

"Thanks, so do you."

Mama lead me straight back to her small, over furnished dining room where Hollis, the kids and my brother were already seated around the big, oak table that was loaded with dishes of food.

The men stood up when we entered and Merlin left the table and hugged me.

Gosh, it was nice to see him and he squeezed me extra tight which felt good too.

I'd really missed my twin.

"Hello, Sis. You look good." Merlin smiled, letting go and giving me the once over.

I checked out his crisp, blue Polo shirt and creased black jeans and couldn't find a hair out of place.

"So do you." I turned to the other man in the room. "Hello, Mr. Hollis. I'm Rhonda."

I was boldly eyeing him, curious about this man who was crazy enough to date my mother.

Hollis was tall and dark and kinda looked like Denzel Washington in that movie "The Preacher's Wife" and he had a confident demeanor and he was dressed in a pressed, white button down shirt and tan slacks.

"Well, hello again." His voice was tenor and smooth like the rest of him and his crest white smile could melt a block of ice. Hmm..

Mama better watch out, this a true player right here and I wondered if she can handle a man like Hollis Williams and then I wondered if he could handle her because sometimes Mama can be a handful.

"Well, now that the introductions are out the way. Why don't y'all sit down. Tommy, take your elbows off the table boy. Rhonda? Can you help me in the kitchen?"

"Why? It look like all the foods already on the table?"

Mama faked a laugh through a tight smile and impatiently beckoned for me to follow her.

Once we were inside her spotless kitchen the smile vanished from her face.

"I'm so glad that you toned your clothes down tonight and I can see that you're trying to be on your best behavior and I appreciate that."

"Thanks, Mama. Now can we please return to the dining room? I'm starved."

"Just a minute." She opened the fridge and handed me a pitcher of iced tea while she got a couple of her best glasses down from the cabinet for the grown-ups and three plastic tumblers for the kids.

"Let's go." She said leading the way to the dining room.

10/23/21
Edited 12/20/21.