The Untelling of Love & Happiness

Man TF Up; cont'd 4

Chp. 4: Breakup Tour

"Can I get some time with you?/ What a bad feeling?/ See you posting all the time/ Caption 'Bad bitches!'/ Know you making yo' 'rounds/ All around town/ Letting everybody know..."
-Devvon Terrell

Weekends never really feel like weekends anymore. Well, today! This Sunday doesn't feel like a Sunday. So far, I've spent most of my morning catching up on missed assignments and readings. My first two weeks of school got me looking like a freshman who's having a hard time trying to transition between high school and college. I desperately need to focus and redirect because I've come way too far to jack up my GPA now. And to make matters worse, our suite has been forced to endure the sounds of Lawrence and Winnie-his new girlfriend-having sex for what seems like all night and all morning. Don't get me wrong, I ain't mad at him. It's just extra annoying. At least Kandace knew how to... Nope! Next subject... So anyway, since I never called my grandma back, I felt it was time for a study break. I dialed and waited. Nothing. I dialed again.

"Hello?" My grandma answered. She sounded like she was upset. "Hello? Now, I don't have time for this now."

"Grandma, it's me! Josiah. What's wrong?" I coached. My best guess was that she might have been in the middle of an episode. "Who's at the house with you?"

"Oh, I'm alright. Shelby's here. She's gonna take care of me. And my other kids. Margaret. Eric. And Henry. And Delilah. And Julian. Lil' James. Elise." My grandma said, clearly disoriented and confused. She was naming all of her children; living and dead. "They'll handle everything for me."

"Can I speak to Aunt Shelby?" I requested.

"Naw, not right now, baby. She's on the phone with the funeral parlor. James Sr. went on to be with the Lord last night. Nobody called to tell you?" My grandma rattled off. My granddaddy had passed years ago. "I just don't know what I'ma do with myself. But I'm alright. Shelby's here. She's gonna take care of me. And my other kids. Margaret. Eric. And Henry..."

"Grandma! Granny E!" I said with bass in my tone. The hope was to snap her out of the moment if possible. "It's Josiah. Eric's son!"

"...Twinkie, hey granny's baby!" My grandma bubbled.

I felt so sad but also relieved that she remembered me.

"Hey!" I blushed. "I didn't get to call you back the other day so I'm calling you now. You aight? What'd you cook today?"

"Oh, I don't cook no more, baby. Your cousin said he's coming to take me out to eat. But you know Dino, that poor boy would forget his name if it wasn't tattooed on his knuckles. Why'd he do that?"

I exploded. That was my grandma! She was back with a sense of humor that matched mine. We've always just got each other.

Finishing up my laughter, "I don't know. Crazy." I shrugged. "I'll text him and make sure he takes you somewhere nice. What is Aunt Shelby doing?"

"She's out in the yard, pruning back the rose bushes."

"Why aren't you out there helping her?"