Green Eyed Monster

Friendly Competition

Once home, Lola sits on the porch swing in her bikini top and shorts listening to music through her earpods. She has one leg up hugging her knee, as her other foot remains on the ground, pushing the swing. Only moments after, Solomon and his friends return. They sit on Mrs. Tolbert's porch laughing and talking. Mrs. Tolbert exits her home with a tray of iced tea, like a real grandmother would do. They thank her as they take the cool, refreshing, sweating glass filled with ice, with a perfect lemon wedge lodged on the mouth of it. Solomon guzzles his down then kisses her cheek saying, "Thanks nana."

Smiling she says, "I have apple pie. Who wants some?"

They all act like children as they hurry inside behind her for pie. I'm standing in my screen door watching. It's then I look at Lola and she's still watching Mrs. Tolbert's front door, as if she's awaiting his return.

We live in Indigo Beach, Michigan. It's a very prestigious area in the upper peninsula. If I had to give a relatable description of the area I'd compare it to the Hamptons, but it's not as commercial and much more beautiful. Indigo Beach is very quiet and quaint. It's our own little piece of paradise. I can see the lake from my room balcony. The beach is less than a mile up the road. Our town is less than five miles away and it's modern. We have the MegaMarts, Coffee Roes, Bulleyes, and all the popular restaurants. We live as if we're secluded, but only a few miles up it's busy and normal, for the lack of a better word.

I do e-marketing for a Fortune 500 company and my ex-husband Drake, owns his own construction business. He actually built our marriage home from the ground up. Lola's father Ernest, was so impressed he asked Drake to build him a home not far from here. Drake and I absolutely loved Ernest's home and were planning to build our retirement home here. After we divorced, I decided I can still get my dream home without him, and I did. Drake lives at least three hours away that's why Trevor coming for the 4th was a bit much, but I'm his favorite girl, so he saw the ride as nothing. Also he thought I'd be alone. Although, Marshall, Lola, and Trevor are close they're still only half brothers and sister, meaning they have three separate families, thus they live three very different lives.

Ernest was born into wealth. He's mixed. His mother is mixed and his father is White. He was born and raised in New York. He moved to Michigan to sow his oats, I guess. We met in college, fell in love, but then soon after he started acting like a snob the more he got into his family businesses and working to uphold his family's legacy. Once I was pregnant, he loved me but thought I should get an abortion. I refused and it brought a wedge between us. Soon after Lola was born we broke up. Ernest has always been a great father, but Lola never witnessed us together. I was living a regular Black American middle classed lifestyle, but when Lola spent time with Ernest she'd be in France, England, Africa, Japan, just everywhere. She lived the life of the elite in society. Marshall's mother is Mexican so he lives a totally different lifestyle from Lola and my baby Trevor whose parents are Black. All he knows is Black and all he loves is Black culture. My Trevor was needed in my life. He brings stability and soundness to my world.

Oftentimes, because of my upbringing I saw dating outside of my race as a symbol of elevation. However, it left me confused and seeking an identity. Finding Drake saved my life. My parents were mortified. Going from soft spoken, introverted, articulate, and wealthy Ernest to bodacious, outspoken, and in my parents's eyes, outright ghetto Drake, just boggled their minds. They often derided me on how Drake and I were going to end up in poverty. That fueled his and my lust to prove them wrong, and we did. Although our marriage failed we're still fairly close. Our divorce is too new to say we're besties yet, but I'm sure in the near future we will be.

I go to tell Lola to come inside, but I stop myself. She's fine. I decide to leave her be and go check on my pie. Then I think, what made Mrs. Tolbert bake an apple pie today? Had she smelled mine and decided to impress her own grandson before I did? Well, I've had her apple pie before and there's no competition. Mines destroys hers. It's then I continue with my plan to invite him over and wow him with my signature pie.