me & tomfoolery

Contained pt. 5 | Mikal Bridges Short Story

Three Months Later....

"Your arm still hurts?" Flo asked as she scooped more of her non-dairy ice cream into a bowl.

"Hurts like a bitch."

"Watch your mouth around the baby Mikal." Flo's mother, Angela scolded.

Since the announcement of the baby, it seems both families were on board and excited about the bundle of joy. The last three months had been interesting to say the least. The CDC approved a vaccine for the virus. Mikal among others in high status were approved first due to their occupations. The NBA was losing money and wanted to get back as soon as they could.

Angela had also taken her vaccines due to her job as well and she was approved to fly into New York to visit her pregnant daughter and the man who knocked her up.

Flo gave him an apologetic look as she walked over to him. Mikal was having a hard time holding his tongue since he wasn't in the mood but Angela had overstepped the entire time of her visit.

"I'm gonna be in the room." He announced before leaving the kitchen, he wasn't about to address it or argue. He didn't want to be bothered. He had a work meeting soon to get ready for over Zoom and it was no point of being frustrated going into it.

Florence could sense the discomfort and she felt the disconnect. They were able to be themselves with her mother around because she had so many rules. At five months pregnant she truly didn't have the energy to give to anyone's attitude. She was annoyed with her mother and sometimes annoyed with Mikal because they simple could not keep it together long enough for her to have peace.

"Mom."

"Yes sweetie?" Angela took a spoon to the bowl of creamy goodness and scooped some back into the container to go back into the freezer.

"Please stop." She takes the spoon out of her mother's hand to place on the counter before grabbing her hand in a comforting manner. "I need you to stop."

"Stop what?"

"Micromanaging what I eat for one. I'm going my to scoop that back into my bowl." She pointed between her bowl and the container. Two, you're treating Mikal a way and I don't like it."

Angela waved her hand and smirked, "I'm doing no such thing."

"Yes, you are. You're unnecessarily rude to him. He's doing more than an exceptional job at ignoring his distaste to your attitude."

"Why didn't he just say something, hmm?"

Flo was transitioning from annoyed, to angry. "Out of respect for you and me he's refraining from finishing something he knows will end in an argument. You know what you're doing."

••••

Flo wanted to cool off and she knew she would find peace at her own apartment. Things had been untouched for awhile and there was a plan for her and Angela to come over and tidy up but that wouldn't be happening soon. She would have to do it herself.

It had been awhile and dust collected inside the apartment. She went from a light clean to a deep clean. She was tired as hell. Her back was inflamed and her feet were hurting. Regretting it all the moment she plopped onto the couch.

"Mommy is so tired little one. I need to rest."

That's what she did. Flo took a nap and woke up to the smell of bacon. Breakfast at night was always great. She would hope that it was night because if it were the next morning, that would have meant she had been gone all night and no one knew where she was.