Janet
I silently looked out the windows as Toni drove. She thought that it would make more sense to drive together. I almost lost myself back there when I saw the covers lifted. I wonder what she was dreaming about. She was groaning like crazy. "So..." I jumped at her voice. "....how's the album going?"
"It's going okay. Trying to write, not much comes to mind though. I am working on a performance for this benefit."
"That's cool. What is the benefit for?"
"Children with disabilities."
"Wow. I know you're looking forward that."
"Yeah." It was awkward talking to her. It made me sad because I've always been able to talk to Toni and now, it's like such a distance between us.
"So what happened with Jordan?"
"He acting stupid up here at the school. The principal only told me so much."
"He better not be getting suspended."
"It'll be his ass if he does." She chuckled.
"I remember the first time you spanked him and he acted like the world was ending." I laughed.
"Yeah, and all I did was tap his leg a few times after he touched that hot grill after I told him repeatedly not to." We laughed.
"Why did we have the grill out anyway?"
"The family barbecue for Mike and the girls' birthday."
"Oh yeah." I looked out the window and thought about Mike. Memories of the two of us ran through my mind. The sweetest memory was on the girls' first birthday. He had a big blowout for them.
"Okay girls. Are you ready?" Amiyah and Amelia bounced in Mike's arms as he held them in front of their cake. "Blow the candles." They looked at him.
"Like this." He mimicked blowing the candles. They giggled and copied him. They managed to blow out each candle.
"Yay!" Everyone clapped.
"Okay, time for a picture." I got my phone out and held it to them. Mike tickled their sides and they started laughing. I snapped as many as I could get.
"Perfect." I showed them to mother.
"Aw, look at my babies." She went over and kissed Mike and the girls' cheeks. I took a few more pictures. It warmed my heart to see her put aside her beliefs to celebrate the kids' birthdays. Although she never celebrates hers in the traditional sense, she always said that a child's happiness and joy is more important than any belief or tradition.
"Time for presents!" Rebbie directed everyone to the gifts. Mike stood up in his sparkly purple suit that matched the girls' dresses and went to the little couch.
We tried to do something for him, but he insisted on doing whatever the girls wanted. So when they went crazy over purple sparkles, he went along with it.
He sat down and stood the girls on both sides of him. They held onto his shoulder. "Okay. The first one is from Grandma Evelyn." Rebbie handed it to Mike.
"Oh they gone love it." Mama E said. Mike helped them open it and it was two cute teddy bears dressed up like princesses with each of their names on them.
They screamed and grabbed at them and just so happened to grab the correct one.
"Next is Grandma Kathy."
"Mother, you got them something?" asked Toya.
"You thought I wasn't gone get my grand babies something? You better recognize" We laughed. The girls, now understanding the process, ripped the paper off and instantly screamed again.
