Girlfriend

12. Go to Bed

Janet moved her piece four spaces and picked up a Chance card. "Advance to go. Collect $200." She looked up at the rest of us and laughed as hard as she could. She was winning.

"We don't have anymore money to give you," Mother chuckled. She took on the role of banker.

"Yes, you do. Pay up!" Janet demanded. She held out her hand and Mother gave her the $200.

"My turn," I said, picking up the dice. I shook it in my hands and tossed it out on the game board. "Seven."

Sure enough in seven spaces I was on Janet's property. A resounding sigh came from every mouth in the room. I paid my sister and counted up the money I had. $235 isn't a bad amount.

"Katie!" The door slammed and echoed through the house.

"We're in here, Joseph!" Mother called.

"Your turn, Toya," I said, giving LaToya the dice.

Joseph entered the room and surveyed the area. LaToya focused on rolling the dice and moving 4 spaces. Unfortunately, she was sent to jail.

"What's the matter, Joseph?" Mother inquired.

"This girl at the diner I went to was tryin' to cause some trouble," he grumbled, sitting on the nearby couch.

"What was she doing?" Mother asked, straightening out the money the bank had left.

"She was claimin' I was her daddy."

Janet and I glanced at Mother who didn't seem to be phased about the situation at all. She was concerned on the inside but she'd address that when we were sleep.

"Interesting," Mother simply replied.

"I think this game is over," LaToya said, beginning to clean up the game board.

"I think so too," Mother agreed. She assisted in the clean up.

"Dunk obviously won," I said eyeing Janet.

"She probably cheated," Randy mumbled.

"Joseph, can I speak to you?" Mother requested heading to the doorway. I guess her comments couldn't wait another half an hour.

Joseph stood up and my parents disappeared into the hallway. The four of us stopped cleaning the game pieces and listened for whatever fight would they would get in. We didn't hear anything.

"Joseph is digging himself a deeper hole," Janet sighed, resuming the cleaning process.

"I wonder who this girl is. She had to really believe Joseph was her dad to say something to him," LaToya said, folding the game board.

"We'll never know." I put the top on the box and carried it to the shelf where it belonged.

"How's your friend? Has she brought up the incident?" LaToya has been mentally scarred since the day she walked in on the moment Cathy Jean and I were having.

"She's fine. I guess," I replied.

"You didn't ask her out?" Janet asked.

"No."

"Good. I'll do it!" Randy chimed.

"No you will not. Leave her alone," I snapped.

"Well maybe if you'd be faithful we wouldn't have these problems!" Mother screamed.

Hearing Mother yell always shook me to the core. It broke my heart that my parents were having marital issues. I think us kids always knew our parents were having problems but we never knew how serous it was until Joh'Vonnie was born. She's the product of an affair my father had that tore our family to shreds.

Janet curled up on the couch and buried her face in a pillow. "I'm done," she muttered.

"What's wrong, little sister?" LaToya asked, sitting next to her.

"I'm done with the fighting." Janet was on the verge of tears.

"We're all done with the fighting, Dunk," Randy sympathized.

"I'm sure this girl at the diner didn't mean anything. We're gonna be alright," I assured her.

As every day passed, I could see Janet slowly losing faith in our family. As the youngest, she has never experienced a time when Mother and Joseph would keep the arguing volume to a minimum. From the time she was born, Janet knew our parents had a problem and it was a reality she was forced to live with. Family was a cruel joke in her eyes.

"Children," Mother said, peeking her head in the room. "Go on to your rooms."

I took Janet by the hand and led everyone out of the room. We walked past Joseph who death glared us until we were out of sight.

"Look at what you're doing, Joseph," Mother hissed. "We still have a family to take care of!"

"I told you I didn't know this girl!" Joseph argued.

"Forget it, Joseph. I don't know why this is surprising."

"Katie."

"Go to bed."

"Katie, listen!"

"Go to bed, Joseph!"

Janet untangled herself from my grip and ran to her room. LaToya began to follow after her but stopped right in her tracks.

"There's nothing I can say to her, huh?" LaToya asked in defeat.

Randy and I didn't answer. LaToya nodded and said goodnight before heading to her room. It was the right time to turn in for the night and just go to bed. Only in our dreams would we find peace.