Bitter Roots

Chapter 5

LaToya sent her children inside while she and Julia opened the garage door and stepped inside. They both pulled out a chair and sat down.

"I can't believe that jerk," LaToya said.

Shaking her head, Julia replied, "Him and that witch both have a nerve."

"Yeah, showing up like that! Like it wasn't bad enough that he cheated on me...with HER!" Julia heard her sister's voice crack. The pain was still deep and unhealed. Julia recalled the text messages her sister forwarded to her. Michael was singing honey soaked words to Jezebel like she were his wife.

"I'm mad as hell!" LaToya snapped. Julia knew she was responding to the burning, bitter hurt inside. I'd be mad too if the whole world knew my husband dogged me out.

"I know," Julia said gently. She watched her sister, seeing fire in her brown eyes.

LaToya snapped, "He was sleeping with her, Julia! Uh! I trusted that man. Dang, we have kids together, been together, and everything. AAAHH!"

The two sisters sat there for a moment, not saying anything, just taking it all in. Julia thought of a plan, but chose not to share it with her sister. Yeah, I'll find her online. That nasty whore.

LaToya asked God one more time, Why? Why is everything falling apart? Now I have to be a single mother? Jesus!

"Life is a trip," Julia mumbled. LaToya kept staring outside. She covered her stressful, brown face with her tired hands.

LaToya burst out into tears, "I wanted to punch her in the face! And...and I just hate him!" Julia just let her sister vent . She listened while LaToya complained about God leaving her, about being hurt, about never wanting to be a single mother, about struggling financially, and about her children suffering from what was unfolding in her home.

Meanwhile, Grace decided to help her mother by cleaning the house and making spaghetti. She felt she needed to help. She had to find a way to glue the pieces of her family back together again. But how?

"Jacob, make sure the living room is straightened," she said in a secretive manner. He pretended not to hear her until she reminded him of the consequences.

"You know Mommy is out of control these days and will snatch up your technology---cellphone ---games, for a month!" That reminder got Jacob's attention and he quickly obeyed.

This is all so dumb! Grace thought as she made the meal. I'm another rejected kid of divorce. Talking about love...Nobody loves nobody no more.

Not long after, LaToya and Julia walked into the house. "Something smells good!" Julia exclaimed.

Chuckling, LaToya added, "Grace is a big time chef up in here. She helps out a lot."

The sisters sat at the kitchen table.

"What about me? I don't help out?"

"No!" Grace answered.

"That's cold," Jacob whined as he finished sweeping the last section of the living room. "I'll just go back to playing my games since I don't help out," Jacob teased, wanting to keep a light atmosphere. No more tension.

Julia laughed at her nephew. "Boy, you are something else." Grace asked everyone if they wanted spaghetti. Everyone said yes and LaToya went over to the stove to help her daughter serve the family.

"I'm sorry you all had to see that today," she humbly stated.

Grace said, "Ok." Jacob raised his left thumb.

"Things will get better," Julia reassured everyone.

"I hope," Grace mumbled. Man, I gotta go back to school with this weighing on me.