Aunt Tabitha By Maria J

All I could hear was sirens and screaming. The smell of vomit made me nauseated. I remember the officers deep tone. "Mena Cromwell" he said. I had drunk so much I forgotten my real name "Mi-Mi" I called to him remembering how he carried my slender frame from behind my vehicle. My black BMW, my baby was crashed into a tree; from yet again, one of my drunken rages. "Mena you're coming with me" I remember the officer placing cuffs on my scrawny wrist. My Sandy Evans sundress soaked from nature's H2O. "WHY MENA! "why! wha-aat did I do? '"hat did daddy do? where did we go wrong with you? "my dear child". The verbal antics of my mother were heard aloud. The more she screamed the more the echos connected with the aching head ache pain I was experiencing.

"Mena! Cromwell" my mother's voice floated about the police station.

Mena! driving the car we bought and paid for! You! "you're drinking and God knows what else.

I went into a hysterical laughter, I glanced at my mother blury as she was I saw her standing. Gracing a stance of medium height, caramel color tone with jet black hair pulled back.

Tears flowing from her eyes staining her youthful looking face stinging her cheeks with dissappointments. " I screwed up I effed up! "You are here to release your daughter? the officer asked with a puzzled look.

"Mena"

her voice spoke calmly and sullen "WHAT! I snapped on her

"Girl that is no way to speak to your Mother!

the officer told me I stared at my long manicured fingers coated in a shiny, brown, watching them as they trembled. Looking around me at the company I was around a lady with a wig and horrible makeup, a woman who seemed to havent had a bath or a decent shower in months, from the stains on her clothes to the smell she gave off..Another girl a little older carving herself with an ink pen. This was no place for me.

I watched as my mother with embarrassment went to sign the papers for release, my right kneee then took control and started to shake up and down.

"Mommy!

I cried burying my shame and guilt into her chest. She softly raked her hand over my head and hair to assure me that all will be okay. I inhaled her Victoria Secret fragranted blouse an belted out hollow cries. Her shirt was soaked with more than the mist of Heavenly but now my tears and shame. She routinely cleaned up my mess and comforted me. Did I feel bad for driving drunk and getting arrested? Well sort of it's not the worse thing that I have done. I'm what they call a girl menace, just looking for excitement and starved of attention.

Mommy! I, -I- I repeating over and over I couln't get the words out. Yearning to apologize but my mouth wouldn't do it. "Mi-Mi" she said "I am tired I wash my hands" "Mommy I sorr- again I paused. I had messed up big time. My eighteenth birthday was coming up and I couldn't think of anything but my Hotel party. Would mommy be that mad that she would cancel my birthday party at the hotel? Tears started to stream down my face my mother was too quiet. A few seconds from now I know she would be yelling and dramatic antics would be spreading through the air.

The car was silent all I can hear was the motor of the car and the radio commercial blaring about a local upcoming circus. She twisted the knob and stared at me. "Mommy" I-I again the stutter came.

"Mena save it! she spat. Am I to blame? Am I a bad mother? Well God forbid and kill me for wanting to put food on the table. Clothes on your back" "designer ones! she fumed. "What do you have to say for your self Mena?

she asked me my tears and shame did the talking.

You're almost eighteen girl" "not twelve" . She pulled into the gas station and grabbed her purse I was saved by Citgo.