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Dramatic Exit

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"So why are you making fried chicken again?" Vince asks. We're both standing in the doorway of the kitchen guarded by Sawyer's baby gate as we look at my dad who rolls drumsticks around in batter.

"Because I was on the phone with my brother and he said he makes the best fried chicken," my dad says laughing. Vince and I exchange looks as he continues to roll the chicken in the batter.

"He does though," Vince says not too loudly. Dad shoots Vince daggers, and Vince adjusts his serious composure. "I mean you make better grilled chicken, and fried chicken is the only thing uncle John can make while you're good at cooking everything else," Vince argues.

Dad shakes his head and his smile reappears. "I am aren't I?" he asks and happily sets aside some of the chicken. His smile transfers onto me as I love seeing him so happy, but of course the word happiness makes me think of my mom's lack of happiness, and how she's stopped sending me 'I love you' text.

When there is no sign that Vince and I going to get any food we head into the living room as my dad begins dumping the chicken in oil and singing, "Ain't too proud to beg." Vince grabs Sawyer from the constraints of her playpen and places her on his lap while we stare at the bright tv screen that's showing some Amazon prime movie. I'm not too sure what it's about, but it takes place in Paris and the mother and law hated the bride to be.

"You're coming to mom's tonight right?" Vince asks while moving his leg to bounce Sawyer up and down.

"Uhh I'm not sure," I say.

Vince's face gets more serious. "It's yes or no are you coming to mom's tonight or not?" Usually I would since it's a Friday, but my dad wants me to stay here and my mom won't say it but probably wants the same. Since Dani's at a sleepover camp besides a pair of pants I left in my closet there is no reason to go, especially when the transition is going to require me to carry every one of my belongings.

"Probably not," I conclude.

Vince's eyes roll all the way back and he gets up from the couch to put Sawyer back in her playpen and go to the same spot he was standing in before.

"Dad why the hell are you keeping Daya from mom," he howls. At the mention of my name I go back to where I was standing too, but I stand more behind Vince.

The happiness that I loved on my dad's face goes away as he drops his shoulders. "Vince that's between me and your mother," he says sternly.

"That's not fair! When mom was yelling her ass off at me you didn't let me stay over here," Vince shouts. As a response to this Sawyer whines in her playpen.

"That's different Vince," dad says. He has officially taken his eyes off the chicken and the pot of hot oil.

"Nothing is different mom's bipolar, she'll always be, and keeping Daya here won't stop anything," Vince yells and doesn't even look at me. My eyes bulge out of their sockets, but not too much because of my glasses.

I sound like a slow dumb ass, but I ask, "Mom's bipolar?" Vince and my dad both turn to me like me standing here and hearing Vince is that surprising.

Vince kisses his teeth. "Yes dumbass Divalproex is a mood stabilizer, aren't you just lucky not to have realized it."

All I can manage to get out of my throat is, "uhh," and Vince shakes his head some more.

"Aren't you just lucky," he repeats in a lighter tone before storming off into his room and slamming his door which sends a vibration in the apartment. I take Vince's place in the kitchen doorway to look at my dad. He stops gazing at the burnt chicken he's taking out of the oil and his eyes soften on me.

"Daya your mom is not bipolar she's just-"

Before my dad can utter another word I cut him off which is not something I normally do. "Crazy? because that's what black people say when someone has a mental illness," I say quite softly.

Dad puts his hands in his pockets which is probably something he picked up from Ziyah. "Your mom was getting examined by a doctor when we were married, but she stopped going because they stopped giving her free snacks." Smiles etch on our faces and even though I should be questioning my childhood a laugh escapes my lips.

"So the whole time you were married you didn't think to finish the examination."

"Oh trust me I thought about it, but your mom never seemed too crazy and when you came along it was like her illness went right out of the window." He makes an uncomfortable face. "And then when we got divorced that shit came right back."

Not wanting to talk about my mom's mental health I just nod, and go back in the living room. After my dad finishes cleaning the kitchen I sit back on the couch and he swoops Sawyer into his arms while Vince's loud rap music blares from his room.

"What is this?" my dad says in his baby voice as he holds Sawyer. He takes a little white card out of Sawyer's little hands, and I realize it's the business card the women on Melrose gave me. I didn't mention that part of my wonderful date to my dad because singing with strangers doesn't sound good even they are singing some of Motown's favorites.

Surprising me my dad smiles at the card instead of throwing it in the trash or asking where it came from. 'Cover ladies of the sixties," he says to himself. "She's going to freak when she sees this." He pockets the card and I don't bother asking any questions as Vince comes out of his room.

"You guys are supposed to beg me to come out when I storm off," Vince says crossing his arms. He makes another dramatic exit, and storms out the front door. The door opens right after he leaves and Vince peeks his head in. "I'm going to Vicki's she has orientation today I'll be back at 6," he says and my dad shoots him a thumbs up.