Forever Never

Chapter Sixteen | Like Mother, Like Daughter

Tyana

The only person Daise loved more than me was mom. Once mom took her into her lap to pet her she never wanted to move. I saw them in the couch mom had slept on these past couple of nights when I came out of my room, talking to each other like they understood one another. Mom always treated her like a second child, instead of the cat she was and nothing was funnier. We were both like that though. We didn't pet animals, we parented them.

We hadn't exchanged a word since our argument last night but that wasn't really out of the ordinary with us. I couldn't remember the last time her and I were in each other's company and didn't argue about something.

The realization that this was just our new normal now, that we could never go back to who we were when we still had music, didn't feel good. I wanted my mama back.

I entered the kitchen where grandma sat with a cup of tea and a crossword puzzle out in front of her. Working the body at night and the mind during the day. She glanced up at me.

"Mmh, great you're awake. Take a seat baby I wanna talk to you about something." she gestured to the seat opposite her.

I poured myself a cup of the chamomile tea that was left in the kettle before sitting down. "Talk about what?"

"That boy of yours."

I tried my best not to huff out loud. "Thought yall were done pestering me about this?"

"Just hear me out," she said. "I haven't always been honest to myself about your pops and couldn't really see how your mama's relationship with your daddy was just a pattern she'd learned from me. My marriage wasn't exactly the best example of love for an impressionable kid," she went on.

I stared at her in silence for a moment. Grandpa wasn't much better than dad either. I wasn't very close to him but I didn't need to for me to see that grandma was way out of his league. "So you're saying trashy men just run in the family?"

"Evidently. Just look at you and that white fella you was dating." she pointed out and that got me thinking. "What I'm tryna say is don't keep this going in the family. I understand it's not really fair but it's up to you now to unlearn that and choose healthy love," she finished. There was nothing but love and concern in her expression as she looked at me with a tilted head.

I breathed softly. "And that means choosing Leroy?"

She shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But now you recognize this cycle and can work to put a stop to it. Maybe that starts with him."

I watched her write the last word in her puzzle before she put it aside and finished the tea. Soon she left to go pack her things. A new notification popped up and it was a text from Tim telling me he actually liked his first few sessions with the shrink he chose. I definitely wasn't expecting that but I was glad either way.

Mom had her things packed and ready already when I went back and entered the living room. The couch was back to being a couch. Daise was right on her heel as she left to the hall, throwing an empty glance my way as she passed me.

By lunch time they had gone and were halfway to the airport. Daise stayed meowing at the door as if mom could hear her from here and would come running back any minute for her. That was something I'd stopped doing myself at one point.

***

Mine and Leroy's date was more than just going out to a café. We would get our order to go then explore a bookstore downtown to pick out a book for the other to read and discuss when we eventually finished. He promised he'd turn me into a reader and I welcomed the challenge. One small change to the plans though was Daise coming along. I couldn't leave her restless ass alone at home for an hour without worrying about the safety of herself and my damn apartment.