THIS KIND LOVE

005

' Do you think you should be eating that?'

Her daughter Star said as she walked past her. Betty was doing laundry when she decided to grab a chocolate covered granola bar. She had been busy all morning and had had nothing to eat.

' I don't think so. I'm hungry and I know so.'

' You could have easily just made whole fibre cereal. You know it has ....'

Star went on about health facts and she tuned her out. It was bad enough that Nicole was always on her about her weight and what she ate. Star had learnt to scold her on her eating habits from Nicole. The other three children did not care but not Star and Nicole. Everytime she put something in her mouth they had something smart to say.

' You know what!,,when mom cheats on you with a much slimmer woman. Don't come crying to me because I am trying to help you and you aren't even listening.'

' Star don't you have obnoxious friends to talk to?! and please make sure all your clothes are in here. I don't want you nagging me because I did not wash something.'

' Yeah whatever!'

Just by her answer she knew that they would be arguing tomorrow about something she did not wash. She could not go into her room because she was not allowed and could not get any missed clothes. At first she would try but they would always get into a heated argument and just get her frustrated further. Betty could not believe how things between her and had daughter had changed ever since they moved and it was fueled by Nicole's attitude towards her.

' I swear you always have something in your mouth. Don't you ever get tired of eating. If you spent as much time eating as you did taking care of yourself maybe we would be having sex as much as you want.'

Nicki or Nico or Nicole also known as her wife, her other tormentor said with her nose scrunched up as if she was disgusting, said when she found her with the yet to be eaten bar in her mouth. The looks she got from her wife was what made her self conscious and hurt her feelings more. If she knew her asking her to bear her children would result in her wife hating her, she would have not agreed.

' If you weren't cheating on me we would be having sex. It has nothing to do with what I weigh and you know it. I've lost a considerable amount since the babies but you still use that excuse.'

' See this is why we're always arguing. You can't handle the truth and you have to always accuse me of some shit. I don't want to have sex because I can't stand to look at your body. You're just too big.'

The words from her wife hurt her more than any stares and snickers from strangers. The woman who promised to love and to hold her treated her like something under her shoe. Star hurt her too but not as much as Nico. Who always seemed to make her cry just by a simple look.