The Teacher

1

The music blasted and all you could hear was the vibrations of the beats, people laughing, and kids screaming. I was in the kitchen with Mama mixing up potato salad. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand and took a sip of my iced tea.

Today was the last day of summer break and I had to go back to work. I am a college professor at Chicago State University and I teach Creative Writing for freshman students. All of my family and my husbands family was over and we were just having a great time.

"Jewel you married a great man." Mama said looking out the window. I smiled and looked out the window too. My husband, Felix and I have been married for 20 years and we have 2 kids.

"I did didn't I" I replied and put down the spoon, grinning as I watched him play catch with one of his cousins.

"I knew he was a great man from the time I met him. I told you you were going to marry him. Now look at y'all, married and shit. Mama knows best." She boasted.

I rolled my eyes.

"Mama you wanted me to marry George."

"I should have made you. Once you have sex with a man. You have to marry them. It's in the Bible you know."

I rolled my eyes again.

"Mama please. Once I found him with Dottie, I was done."

Danielle or Dottie is my youngest sister.  I caught them having sex in the house. The house me and George used to share. At first I couldn't believe own blood sister would do something so conniving and evil. It took me a while to get over it, but I eventually moved on. George and I had a son together and everything. It was tragic. I cried non stop for months and even years. It just broke my heart to find somebody I loved so much with my youngest sister at that.I never spoke to Danielle after what happened. I forgave her though. I'm not a cold hearted person. I don't hold grudges either. To be honest, I showed no remorse when she died. George had came to the funereal and cried like a baby. Then George, like a dumbass, killed himself weeks later. I hope they burn in hell together.

"Earth to Jewel." Mama waved her hand in my face.

"I'm sorry what you say?"

"I said why you gotta bring up Danielle. My baby was so young when she died. I miss her so much." Mama put her hand over her heart and shook her head solemnly.

"Mama we were having a conversation about George and she's going to come up... obviously. You do know she cheated with MY husband" I snapped.

"Everybody makes mistakes."

"That wasn't no damn mistake. She knew what she was doing.What a trick." I mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Mama turned her head to look at me.

"Nothing."

" Yeah it better be nothing little girl. I'm still your mother and you will not disrespect me or your deceased sister. Do you understand me Jewel?"

"Yes" I mumbled

"Yes what?"

"Yes ma'am" My mama was the 2nd person who met the world to me. God was first of course. She always put me in check whenever I got out of place. I needed it though. Mama is 66 years old. She can walk, run, jump hell the woman can do splits and backflips something I can't even do. My mama is definitely the definition of that bitch. My daddy and her have been together for 50 years married for 30. The back door opened and my son came in.

"Hey ma" He grumbled

"Hey D what's wrong?" I asked him concerned. He ignored me.

"Hey GG" He said to Mama and kissed her cheek.

"Hey grandson where you come from"

"Work" He mumbled.

"You hungry?" I asked him.

"Yeah can you make me a plate. I'll be upstairs" he said and walked around the corner.

"What's wrong with him" Mama said

"Ma you always say that. Nothing is wrong with Dominic he just has his bad days and today was one of them"

" Chile are you blind? You didn't just see the way he came in here stomping around like a mad man and he had the nerve to ignore you. "She says and takes the pie out of the stove and sets it on the counter.

"Let that boy keep giving you attitude he gone end up like Dottie. Dead and gone."

"Mama chill." I said laughing.

"Jewel this ain't funny. You need to control your kids. They probably act like that cuz you spoil em. I never heard of no 8 year old having a iPhone 6."

"If it was up to me, neither of them kids would have phones, especially not SaRay's bad ass. Felix is the one that even considers buying them. You know good and well I don't allow SaRay to have a iPhone."

"There is no I in team Jewel. It just ain't Felix, it's you too. If you didn't want her to have one just take it away from her and get her a more useful one like a trac phone or-"

"Mama I'm not about to buy my child no trac phone."

"Don't interrupt me Jewel. Shit. I hate when people do that. Like I was saying-"

"HELL NAW MAN!" Felix's brother shouted as he came in the house with Felix, Jerome and Tanya.

"Man, Kelly is fine." Tanya said licking her lips and rubbing her hands together. She was a stud.

"Back the hell off niggas she's mine" Jerome said and made a V sign with his fingers and put it up to his mouth.

"EXCUSE ME!" Mama shouted. They all turned around and looked at her.

"Can y'all go back out there with that shit? You see I'm tryna have a conversation with my daughter."

"My bad Mama Joy" Jerome said.

"Don't talk to me nasty hoe. Y'all going to hell for fornicating and lusting." Mama said. Jerome looked taken back for a second.

"Mama..." I said hitting her lightly.

"Get the hell out of my house!" She said shooing them away. Jerome scuffed and said something under his breath.

"What you say hoe?"

"He didn't say any thing Mama" I said

"Oh he said something alright. I may be old but I ain't deaf."

"Mama please..." I begged.

"Man I'm leaving" Jerome said and and walked out slamming the door behind him.

"You betta walk away and don't slam my door BITCH! She yelled.

Oh my god...

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It'll get better eventually I promise.