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Chapter 30

When I first moved in with Momma and Matt, it was very nice. We all spent a lot of time together. We joked around a lot. We were always ragging on each other. Back then I really liked Matt.

He would call me his ______ or something like that and I would call him old man. It was kind mine and his thing, just out of fun. We were always joking around like that. He always brought treats home for everybody. The house was very clean. Everybody did their part to help out.

Maybe a month or so later, they had an argument. 

Momma was sitting in the living room in the chair to the left of the window. Matt was standing up folding cloths next to her. They were talking while I was watching TV. As I was watching, my throat started to feel dry. I got up off of the couch, but I kept my gaze on the TV. As I turned and started walking into the kitchen, I started to realize that they were gradually getting louder and louder.

I turned my attention to them them. I walked around the couch and walked to the kitchen counter.

As I looked over to Momma, she was facing Tim. 

"Matt don't be mean!" she said. 

"No I'm not being mean, it's YOU who don't seem to be doing anything nice."

As I stared at them, my dry throat reminded me why I came into the kitchen. I turned and opened the fridge and grabbed the 2 liter coke bottle and closed the door. I still heard them arguing as I opened the cabinet and grabbed a glass.

As I started opening the bottle, I heard my name.

"Raven," Matt called . "Will you pour me a coke?" 

Momma turned toward me, "No don't pour him anything. He don't need anything." She jerked her head back around to Matt.

As Matt turned to her he said, "Selena! I'm thirsty now, don't be telling her not to fix me no drink now."

He turned to me now as he put the towel I his hands on the chair. "Raven, fix me a coke." This time he was demanded me.

I heard the words but all I could do is stand there holding the coke bottle. I could feel my face turn red. Momma turned her glance my way. After a few seconds of staring at me, she apologized.

"I'm sorry Ray. Go ahead and fix him a coke."

I still stood there. My face still red from not knowing what to do. I started to move to get down another glass, but I stopped because I was still unsure of what to do.

"Its ok sweetheart. Go ahead and get him a drink." Momma said. Finally reassured, I looked up to the cabinet and got down another glass and sat it down on the counter next to mine.

As I started pouring his drink first, Momma asked, "Didn't your daddy and stepmom ever have arguments?"

I looked up at Momma. Matt had resumed folding towels. I thought back to when they had an argument.

"They did sometimes."

I turned back and poured my glass and threw the bottle back into the fridge. I picked up both of our glasses and walked back to the living room toward Matt. I held it out to him. As he took it he said thank you and took a large gulp before sitting it down and folding another towel.

As I sat back down on the couch, Momma and Matt started taking and laughing again. I felt so relieved that the dysfunction was now over.