Whatchu mean you ain't got my work clothes ironed Kelly?" And where is my breakfast huh?" SLAP "Jason Please!" I was too tired last night from my second job and the twins, please understand!" SLAP "That aint no excuse, I'm getting tired of all your excuses. You're so full of it."All I know is, if my dinner aint fixed by the time I get home, the twins will be the last thing on your mind!" He screamed to the top of his lungs as he closed the door. "Is it over"? My little brothers looked at me with terrifying expressions on their faces, as they hid their ears with their hands. "Yeah I think it's over." I said, as we emerged from behind the couch, to see our mother on the ground holding her face, and wimpering loudly. You can see even from where we stood the purplish-blackish bruise that expanded on the right side of her face, from her lips all the way to her eye. We just looked at her, we didn't know what to say. Things like this happen all the time so we should be use to it.
1. Mommy thinks that she's in love
2. Mommy invites a man over
3. Turns out, the man only wants her for sex
4. Mommy begs him to stay, he does, and starts beating her.
5. The man get's tired of her screw ups and leaves
6. Mommy starts over again
It's a normal rountine for us too.
1. When the beatings start no matter where we are in the house, RUN behind the couch
2. Shield our ears
3. Wait for it to be over.
It had been what felt like hours when one of the twins finally broke the silence. "Mommy are you okay"? Mom carefully looks up at him and tries to smile it off. "Oh yeah Derek, Mommy is going to be okay don't you worry." She got up and motioned for us to come over to her and gave us a big hug. "I don't want any of you to be worried about me okay?" She then looked down at us with teary eyes and an ugly black bruise that made even her smile look ugly. And that's a lot to say because mommy is beautiful. You might be thinking that "Oh that's your mom, your suppose to say that"! But no, my mom truly was a beauty to look at. She won Ms. America three times, Ms. Ohio five times, and every single time she came down to Chicago and competed, she won. She was this gorgeous African American woman that would made anyone turn their head to to look at her twice, no matter who you were. She was fairly light skinned so people often confused her race and thought she was Hispanic. With thick,sandy colored curls and two big, beautiful hazel eyes to go with, My mom was the "it" girl. it Which is why through the years it often confused me why she was so desperate for attention. She could have any guy she wanted if she tried. But as the years went by, I watched Mommy succumb down to dating nothing but trifling men. Mommy didn't have a lot of friends because girls envied her and all the guys just wanted her for her body. But I thought it was okay to be alone...That is what she told me growing up. Every time I got picked on because of the big nose I had or the "no booty and no tits" body I had, she always told me that it was okay to be alone. That "God made me perfect the way I was and I don't need "people" who will constantly make me feel like nothing"
And I believed it.
She stood up and looked at the three of us then, directed her attention to me. "Oh Niala, you look so beautiful I just want to cry again." Tears started to fall down both of her cheeks as she made that statement.
But if what she said was true.
"My little girl is entering high school and growing up!" Smiling as if what just happened thirty minuets never existed. I just stood there gawking at her, waiting for her to break down or atleast make up some excuse to what had just happened. Lord knows I wanted one and it needed to be a good one, but she didn't say a thing. She just shrugged everything off and directed her attention on Dereak and Aiden "And look at my boys, going in the fourth grade like young men." Aiden smiled at the comment and put his arms up in a muscle type pose. But Aiden, was stil as gazed as I was and probably still trying to figure out what was going on. "C'mon ya'll grab ya backpacks and let's go to school!" Cheerful as ever as she held the door wide open waiting for us. Not caring if all types of bugs got in or out of her apartment.
Then why doesn't she follow her own advice?
