Black Beauty

White Girl Flow Part 2: Ashley and her Mother

Ashley and Her Mother

Ashley stood outside of Apartment number 131 of Vista Apartments. Her mother's apartment sat across from the office, the pool, basketball courts, and the playground.

Kids were already out flying back and forth on the swings and gliding down the plastic yellow slides. Occasionally bouts of laughter were interrupted with angry shouts as two small girls fought over the only working swing. Six boys ran back and forth on the basketball court, their shirts off and the sweat on the backs and chest glistened in the noon day sun. Most were dark, but there was a light-skinned boy also. They were all lean and muscled and beautiful. Two groups of giggly teenage girls watched from the shade.

This had been the setting to her childhood. She been raised in various apartments like this, moving every year or two when her mother decided she needed a change or didn't feel like paying the rent.

She missed the gossiping and the laughter of living in apartments. Two years ago, she'd gotten a government stipend and moved a few miles away into a house in an all-white neighborhood. None of the neighbors talked to each other, and none of the kids were allowed to play outside. Her neighborhood was quiet and boring, but her boyfriend, Reggie, urged her to stay. The all-white school was better, he'd insisted. Their child would be guaranteed a better education.

Ashley tried the knob of her mother's door. Of course, it wasn't locked. Her mother, Cora, and her daughter Ebony were on the floor playing the Mickey and Minnie mouse matching game while Judge Judy chastised someone on Cora's 17 inch television. From the amount of cards on Ebony's side, it looked like Cora was letting Ebony win.

Ebony glanced quickly at Ashley and said, "Hi momma," before she turned her attention back to the game and flipped over a card. "I got it grandma," Ebony said and clapped. Joy and triumph glittered in her eyes.

Ashely had no doubt if it came down to Ashley or Cora, Ebony would choose Cora every time

"Yeah you got it, baby." Cora stood, looking disappointed to see Ashley "You back already?" she asked. "Your hair don't look any better."

Ashley slid her hand down the ponytail she'd did haphazardly when she left the salon. "Chantel doesn't have the stuff I like."

Cora was dark and shapely and always wore a blonde wig, and occasionally blonde weave if she could afford the good stuff. She had flawless dark, coal skin.

Cora walked the few feet to the couch, sat down. From the side table she pulled out a pack of menthol cigarettes and lit it. She exhaled deeply as if she'd been waiting for a while to light up. After she exhaled, she said, "Well that stuff never worked that well anyway. You just got nappy hair. But not like my grand baby. My grandbaby got good hair."

Ashley bit her lip in frustration. It hurt to see Cora show Ebony so much love, but always took at every opportunity to put Ashley down. Ashley had given up a long time ago trying to get her mother's approval, but when Ebony was born and her mother showed so much affection and love, the desire to receive the same affection welled up again.

"They told me there's a woman in your apartments that does good blowouts," Chantel said, trying to distract herself from the pain in her chest. "I was thinking I would go see her."

"Who?" Cora asked, brow furrowed.

"Crazy Jade." Ashley sat next Cora on the couch.

Cora's eyes widened. "She gave me some lightening cream that goes on as smooth as butter. I'm almost as light as you." Cora craned her neck towards Ashley. "See?"

Ashley looked at her mother. She was exaggerating. She wasn't nowhere near being light-skinned, but she was much lighter. Ahsley should have noticed it before, especially since her face and neck were a shocking four shades darker than her chest.

"Maybe I'll go see her right now," Ashley said.

"If she can do hair half as good as she makes bleaching creams, you should have white girl flow. Bet." Cora took a puff of the cigarette and shook her head.

"But why do they call her crazy?"

"Don't believe what you hear. You know how folks like to gossip. She is just out there trying to make a buck to feed her child. So people want to talk about her 'cause she don't tell her business."

"Do you know where her apartment is?" Ashley asked.

Cora nodded her head as she inhaled the cigarette, her cheeks caving in and her eyes closing, before she breathed a cloud of smoke and put out the cigarette in the ash tray next to the couch. "I'll show you," she said.

Ashely followed Cora out of the apartment. "Damn it's hot out here," Cora said before she pointed across the apartment complex. "You see that apartment right there?"

"Yeah," Ashely said.

"It's behind that building, on the first floor. There is a small patch of grass with a small fence surrounding it. You can't miss it.