LEMONADE|| Keith Powers

Chapter 67:King's Dead

*It's crucial that you read the flashbacks or you'll be confused*

Flashback

I helped bring in the bags of ice for my mom. "Thank you, Honey," she smiled. "No problem," I said placing the ice bags in the cooler. She was having dinner for her children and grandkids. "You invite your ex? I asked. "Hell no, he won't taste my cooking anymore," she said. I walked near to stove lifting the aluminum fool to see her famous lasagna. She slapped my hand "Boy, you better wash your hands" she said. "My bad ma," I said washing my hands. I can see her smiling at me from my peripheral vision. "What you looking at? I asked drying my hands. "My beautiful son," she said. "How are you doing? She asked looking concerned.

"I'm here," I said. "I wanna talk to you for a second," she said. "Uhh okay, what you want to talk about? I asked. She led us upstairs to her room. I closed the door behind me wondering what was so important

"What's going on? I asked.

"Ricky are you mad at me? She asked. I looked at her confused and caught completely off guard. "What? No No of course not" I said

She sighed "I just... me leaving your father after this long really had me thinking" she said.

"I allowed certain things to happen to you and your brother. I was a weak woman for so long-

"Ma, you don't have to-

"No please" she begged to grab my hand.

"From your father being physically and emotionally abusive to you two growing up. I just allowed all of it to happen because I didn't have the strength to say anything or to leave. This isn't the first time your father stepped out on me. This is the first time he's created another human being but I let your dad disrespect me for my ages and I just think you have some resentment towards me and maybe that's why you're so angry all the time, maybe that's why you're having a hard time with women" she said.

"Maybe that's why Kamaya has an attitude problem and maybe that's why Dreux acts oblivious like me," she said. I rubbed the back of my head.

I wasn't expecting to get hit with this. I always felt some way about my mom just being there and not being proactive when it came to putting her foot down and certain incidents pissed me off as a child but I just learned to let it go. It annoyed me that she waited until I'm 31 years old to say these things.

"To be honest I never liked Dad growing up and I have no respect for him. You may have been a pushover but you were good to us and I could never be mad at you" I said.

"It's okay if you are, I am sorry. I just let these things happen" she said. She was right, she's always acted oblivious to what was going on. She knows our dad forced us into The Game and she didn't say a word. As soon as I graduated college, I couldn't start to focus on my dreams instead I was helping my dad's. I could see that this was starting to eat her up. I can't describe how I feel really, I'm just at a state of numbness the things that I've been through are trapped in the back of mind and I don't think about it unless I'm reminded.

"I could never be mad at you ma, you gave me life," I said. "I know baby but how you treat women is a reflection of me. You just don't know it" she said

"What does my dating life have to do with you ma? I asked. "I just think you're not successful with it because of what you've been exposed to" she said. Now I was getting irritated since when does she want to be aware of things. "Okay ma, I hear you," I said

"But do you really? She caressed my face. "When I look at you, I see hurt and disappointment and I know its because of your father and me," she said. "Ma, stop," I said getting uncomfortable