Swapped

Chapter 11

Joy

Summer didn't do my parents and I was going to call her and tell her to come by once she got back in town but my parents showed up at my door step so there went that. My parents could be a bit much. If you didn't go to church they judged, if you smoke or drank, they judged. If you didn't dress a certain way they judged. Summer made a comment once about the bible saying "though shalt not judge" and then she went on to say "how church people complain about sinners not coming to church and why should they to get judged by the members. Church people deter you away from God then complain." That shut my parents up and after that they tried to adjust their thinking but it was too late you only really got one chance with Summer McCoy she was not a people person. It was odd though because people loved her. "Joy you been eating honey you getting plump. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were pregnant" My mother said. No missed periods here thank God! I thought to myself and I pictured myself dancing and shouting in my head. Though my appetite had picked up a bit, pregnancy was not a concern my period came like clockwork every month. So I laughed my mom's comments off. I had never told her Marcus little soldiers were shooting blanks and I saw the appreciative smile he tossed my way because of it. Marcus loved my parents he and my dad clicked. Probably because my dad wanted a boy and got me instead, the fact that Marcus was such a good guy helped to. My dad had told me the day that Marcus asked him for my hand in marriage that he couldn't have picked a better man for me himself. Marcus lost his dad when he was ten in a freak accident at work. When my dad came by he was super excited they played basketball, talked sports, even took a sip together once in a while, and they loved complaining about me and my mom only to come to the same conclusion every time, which was that they wouldn't trade us for the world. Now I and my mom spent the day shopping, experimenting with new recipes, and gossiping about family and church members. "You remember Cassandra's daughter Olivia girl she getting a divorce."

"What, why ma" I asked?

"Honey get this she ran off with another man and left her husband and those three kids. People have no respect for their vows these days. I don't this there is anything worse than a whoring man except a whoring woman." My mother said clutching her pearls.

"Ma maybe she fell in love" I said defensively.

"She gone fall all right all the way to the depths of hell! Leaving those kids to run off with another man, her poor husband is just heartbroken. We have been carrying food over there. It's a disgrace somebody need to beat some sense into her. If it was mine she wouldn't of left because I would of told her aint no coming back!" My mother continued to rant as I browsed through clothes lost in my own thoughts. Lord I'm glad this ended as it did. As long as Rodney never said a thing I sure wouldn't. My mother would never forgive me. "Let's go mama I'm tired" I yawned. She eyed me suspiciously up and down and then she said "You glowing Joy you sure you not with child. You eating more and you tired" she concluded.

"No mom I just got off my period." They second time too since I slept with Summer's husband so I know I am not with child I wanted to yell. She nodded and we left the mall empty handed. On our way out I spotted Summer and her friend Mariah in another store. It was the first time I'd seen her in almost three months now. I was kind of jealous watching them laugh from a distance. I wondered when she had come into town. I kept meaning to call her and now I regretted it especially when Mariah smacked her on the ass playfully. Ass! Wow where did that come from? That must have been what she wanted to tell me. They seemed very friendly and I found myself wondering if Mariah got the same birthday and Christmas gifts that I use to get. This pissed me off royally and I wasn't sure why but I found myself marching across the mall and walking right up to her. She turned and looked at me and gave me a hug but I was stiff as a board. "Joy how you" I glared at her and she blinked at me and dropped her hands. Mariah looked back and forth between us but said nothing. "I missed you." Summer said.

"Oh have you" I said glaring at Mariah. I wanted to snatch her ass bald headed. She kind of smiled awkwardly then said "I'm going to give you to a minute" then she walked off. Summer frowned but she looked at me like what's up. "You cool chick" she asked? I wanted answer so I just stared at her. "Should I be Summer" I asked hands on hip? Summer frowned again but she didn't really say anything. She just kind of studied me.

"I have been calling you Joy why haven't you returned my calls" Summer asked? I was talking shit in my head but honestly I'm so not confrontational. In my head I was saying I'm asking the questions! In reality I looked betrayed and hurt. "Well looks like you found a quick replacement" Just then my mom walked up and bought me back to earth. "Joy I was wondering where you went off to I turned my head for a second and you where gone" she looked at Summer and gave her a fake smile. "Hi Summer how are you" she asked? Summer gave her a fake smile too then she said "Great Mrs. McCoy thanks for asking" she was eyeing me out the corner of her eye. "You girls will have to catch up later my bunions are hurting" Mother said. Summer rolled her eyes then looked at me saying "Talk to you later Joy"

"I'll call you" I said.

"Right.' She said already looking away from me I backed away then turned to follow my mom. As soon as I did that bitch Mariah walked back up to her and slapped her butt again. They were doing the do I know they were.