Something About Him

-52-

Christopher Brown

So it's the first of the month and my mom sorta forced me into going to the grocery store with her and that's where we're heading home from right now.

"Chris if you don't slow down..." She trails off and I look over to see her looking timid with her eyes focused straight ahead.

She looked scared honestly and it made me laugh.

"Ma, I can drive. Relax," I chuckle but still make a point to drive a little slower before she says the same shit again.

"Relax?" I can feel her stare on me and that made me laugh again.

"I'm slowing down," I motion to the road with one hand and that makes her say immediately, "Put both of your hands on the steering wheel, Christopher."

This is funny as hell, but I'm not gonna laugh out loud..

Imma try not to at least.

The rest of the car drive home went kind of like that until we made it to the house and the first ten minutes was spent bringing all the groceries in the house and putting them away with most of the work being done by me.

Once I balled up the last plastic bag and put it in another plastic bag full of bags, I plopped down at the kitchen table ready to eat the honey bun that I sat down before I put the box away.

Seconds after I opened and took a bite out of it, my mom came walking into the kitchen.

"You busy?" She asks me and I shake my head no while still chewing.

Imma finish this in like two bites.

"Good," she slides into one of the chairs to the kitchen table as well and that lets me know that even if I was about to do something she was gonna shut it down. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay..." I trail off and wait for her to talk.

"Well first off, if you're wondering why or even how your father is still home, the plan is and has been for him to stay until you graduate," she explains as I finish eating.

It actually has popped up a couple times how is he still here when usually it's short periods of time that he's home, but at one point him being here brought at least a little bit of positivity in this house. That includes me having some more freedom so I didn't really worry about him still being here, but yeah.. clemency just don't live here anymore.

"Oh, alright," I give a small smile. "That's wassup."

Now yeah.. I'm not feelin' my pops right now but it still wouldn't feel right if he wasn't at my graduation.

"It was meant to be a surprise but now you know," she shrugs a bit.

"Yeah, but uh," I pause and fiddle with the wrapper of the honey bun after I finish it. "About that... What's up with y'all?"

"What's up?" She repeats looking right at me causing me to nod my head. My mom doesn't speak for a couple of seconds before she shakes her head and looks down. "Well I'm still a Brown and I plan t-"

The way she started that made it seem like some bullshit was about to leave her mouth like 'I plan to be forever' or 'I plan to work things out' and I can't just sit back and let that happen.

I've watched her cry about this.. Hell, I've cried with her about this and I'd feel like a little bitch about it if I don't make sure she does what's right for her well being- for her to be happy.

"Don't tell me that you just gonna deal with it, Momma," I cut her off.

It just wouldn't be right.