Taraji Henson
"Alright girl, I'll catch up with you later." I spoke out the window of my Kia Forte to my best friend, Tracie.
"Thank you again for coming get me, I don't know what I'd do without you boo." I extended my gratitude out to her.
Tracie had came pick me up from the airport once my flight had landed.
I'd backed up out of the parking spot in front of her apartment and made my way home. Driving down the street I knew all too well, I pressed the button on my steering wheel to turn the volume of Jill Scott's angelic voice down.
I pulled into the elongated driveway of my mother's home, parking next to her BMW. As I stepped out of the car, the North Carolina humidity slapped me in the face. I'd forgotten about the horrible climate of my home state. Grabbing my bags out of the trunk, I made my way up the driveway.
The heat, however, was something I couldn't forget even if I'd wanted to. The sun was just as hot as it was back in LA at school.
Walking up to the front door, I put my pink key with 'HOME' engraved on it, in the key hole twisting it then twisting the doorknob to the right.
"TJ!"
I heard my mother's voice as soon as I walked through the door of the house I spent my younger years in.
"Hey Ma!" I yelled out in excitement. I dropped my bags and ran up to my mama who was waiting at the door. I hadn't seen mama since Christmas. College kicking my ass being the reason I didn't come home for spring break.
Mama wrapped her arms around my torso and spun me around. "Lord, I missed you T." She said as she put me down with tears welled up in her eyes. Oh my gosh, she's so over dramatic. "Mama, it's only been a couple months," I said going back to pick up my bags from the front door. "You're acting like I was gone for 10 years."
"Well I'm sorry for missing my only child," She spoke after wiping the tears from her eyes. "It gets lonely now that you're gone and your father is doing God knows what with his new woman." It's been a year since mama and daddy's divorce had been finalized. It's odd to hear that daddy had moved on. My parents' relationship was all I knew as a child.
I used to daydream about getting married and finding a man that treated me the way my daddy treated my mama. He'd bring her flowers every week. Every Friday, for 20 years, they'd have a date night. But I guess everything wasn't peaches and cream.
I walked up the stairs, going to put my bags in my old room as mama went on about how she was grateful for the divorce.
I needed a long nap. The final semester of my junior year in college was over, and all I wanted to do was relax.
I opened the door and threw the bags on the floor on side of the door. They would get unpacked sooner or later. Most likely later. I was so exhausted from the four hour long flight. I was most likely jet lagged and all I wanted to was get under my cover and close my eyes. As I went to lay down on the queen sized bed, mama busted through my door.
"Yes mama?" I questioned as she stood with a smile on her face. "TJ, I forgot to tell you," she spoke. "You remember Mrs. Taylor?" I looked at her with confusion written on my face. "Fantasia Taylor, well it's Barrino now" She said once she realized the look on my face. "Mama that name is still not ringing a bell." She huffed and puffed. "My divorce attorney! Y'all met at the divorce party." She said a little agitated.
That whole party was honestly a blur. Tracie and I had probably smoked two blunts before going downstairs to mingle with some of my family and friends. I barely remember what I wore.
"Mama I don't remember much from the party" I spoke honestly.
"Anyways, we were talking over brunch and she mentioned how she needed a babysitter for the summer." She explained to me as I stared at her, trying to find the relevance to this conversation. "She was saying how stressful everything's been since her divorce and how she didn't have any help around the house"
I hoped this conversation wasn't going where i thought it was.
"And I figured since you're home for the summer, that you could make some extra money." She continued. "I said that you'd be available to live with her for the summer." She finished with a bright smile on her face.
I began to feel my head hurt with the information she had given me. "Ma!" I yelled. "Did I not stress to you enough that all I wanted to do this summer was relax?!" Now I was the agitated one. "And why would you tell her that I was available without even thinking about asking me?" I expressed to her.
"Because, all you do is stress over school. A change of scenery and events could become good for you." She tried to reason with me, but I wasn't going for any of it.
"So you thought, chasing after little kids 24 hours a day would somehow make me less stressed?" I questioned, looking for a genuine answer.
"Her kids are fourteen, ten, and the last one is ten months old. The first two can practically watch themselves, so you'll really just be watching the baby." She tried to make everything sound so easy and simple.
" Okay Ma." I replied with a frown on my face.
"Cheer up, you might actually enjoy it." She said, still trying to get me to see the bright side of this situation. Im convinced there isn't one though. Cleaning up after snotty nosed children was not how I planned on spending my summer.
So much for relaxing right?
Questions?
What y'all think about Taraji's mama going behind her back?
Until Next Time,
XOXO,
L0VECTRL
