Green Eyed Monster

Holiday Weekend

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:4

My neighbor Mrs. Tolbert is so excited about seeing her grandson this weekend. She's been talking about it for weeks now. Her 70th birthday just recently passed, but she's a jazzy old thing. Believe me, she has more male guests coming through than I've ever had. I'm a recent divorcee. Drake and I were married just over 13 years, but dated seven years prior. We both each had a child before we married. I have a 24-year-old daughter named Lola, and he has a 30-year-old son, Marshall. Together we have an 18-year-old son, Trevor. Over 20 years I've been with Drake, but once we hit our forties, I think we both went through a midlife crisis. Drake ended up cheating on me with an high school fling he reconnected with via social media. Fortunate for me, it was my legitimate way out. I was so bored with our marriage I started getting depressed. I reenrolled in college to get my doctorate. I just wanted out of my boring life. Drake was a great provider, but our love life was dreadful. It's like after I turned 40 we just didn't connect anymore. Everyone thought I was crazy to divorce so quick, but I didn't care. Deep down inside I knew it was exactly what I needed.

It's July 4th weekend. I go out to my car to remove fireworks from the trunk. Mrs. Tolbert is wearing a long, bejeweled, strapless, yellow sundress. Her hair's in a salt and peppered faux ponytail. She looks beautiful and summery today. I greet, "Good morning sexy lady. I see you're up bright and early."

"Hey Mae. Yes, preparing for my grandson to pull up shortly."

"Oh yea! Today is the day. Is he coming alone?"

"No he and my son are coming. I told my son to leave his dreadful wife at home." she scoffs.

Laughing I say, "She's that bad, huh?"

"Worse! Too, she's always jealous of my younger boyfriends."

"Is your boyfriend coming tonight?"

"Nah, it's a holiday. He's stuck with his wife today."

"Mrs T!"

Protruding her lips, she shrugs. Shaking my head laughing I say, "You're so bad."

"Trust me honey, you don't have fun this old being a good girl. Watch and learn, okay?"

"I'll keep that in mind." I say laughing. "Well, let me clean up before my children get here."

"Alright Mae. Talk to you later."

I walk inside still shaking my head. My cellphone's buzzing. Trevor has texted he'll be over by six o'clock this evening. Trevor is over his dad's for the summer, but he's bringing his girlfriend and a few friends over to celebrate with me. Lola just recently graduated from college. She still lives in her university's city which is two hours away. She'll get in early this afternoon. I bathe, put on my mellow music then start marinating my meats when I hear my front door open.

"Mommy, where are you?"

"In the kitchen!"

My Lola is an angel and absolutely stunning. Whenever my baby walks in I just stare at her in awe. We look a lot alike, but she just came out perfect. Big round innocent brown eyes cradled in eyelashes so thick and long often women think she's wearing falsies. Her perfect face with defined cheekbones she outlines with her beautiful long silky jet black hair. Her teeth and smile are picture perfect. And her body is every woman's dream and every man's desire. However, my baby is so introverted she seems mentally challenged to outsiders. Home with us, she's fun-loving and outgoing, but with strangers it's hard to get her to even come out and say hello. I greet her at the door with a big hug and kiss asking, "How was your drive?"