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 thrilled to see 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 we had dated for seven years prior. We both had children before we got 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. 

For over 20 years, I've been with Drake, but once we reached our forties, I think we both experienced a midlife crisis. Drake ended up cheating on me with a high school fling he reconnected with via social media. Fortunately for me, it was my legitimate way out. I was so bored with our marriage that 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 as if after I turned 40, we stopped connecting. Everyone thought I was crazy to divorce so quickly, but I didn't care. Deep down inside, I knew it was exactly what I needed.

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

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

"Oh yeah! 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!"

She shrugs, protruding her lips. 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 said, 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 that he'll be over by six o'clock this evening. Trevor is staying with his dad 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 the city where her university is located, which is two hours away. She'll get in early this afternoon. 

I bathe, put on my mellow music, and marinate 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 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 that women often think she's wearing falsies. Her perfect face, with its defined cheekbones, is framed by 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.