I Can't Take It Anymore

4. Their Shenanigans

Finally my eyes started to close, as my body began to drift off to sleep. I literally felt myself jump out of my sleep from the crashing noises downstairs. Walking downstairs I can see mom attempting to make something from scratch. Looking up at mom's face her eyes stayed glued to her concoction of what seems to look like dough. Mom's eyes were puffy from crying and in response made circles underneath her eyes. Since her fight with dad, she now has bruises running across her face.

Eventually mom glanced up from her task and gave me a small smile. I smiled back and helped myself to one of the aprons that were against the wall. I quickly began to help mom roll out the dough that she already mixed, while she started stirring her sauce. Suddenly we were both surrounded by a cloud of smoke, as we inhaled the smell of burnt pasta. I quickly grabbed a potholder and grabbed the pan from the oven. I kept my eyes on mom because I could clearly see that she was about to have one of her many melt downs. As if she could read my mind, her tears came trailing down her face.

"Mom, you okay?"

She sighed, "I'm just emotional these days. I was trying to surprise you with the food once you woke up. I also thought it would make your dad come back home, but he hasn't even returned any of my calls. I'm starting to think our family is cursed nothing ever comes out right in this household."

What am I suppose to say to that? I mean I do feel bad, but I'm speechless because what am I suppose to do? Finally deciding that a "it'll be okay" would be okay to respond back to her.

"And how do you know that-" Well excuse me I thought. "- everything is always going wrong. There's no fixing this dinner; it's completely ruined."

"This is Atlanta, Georgia better known as ATL that's known for it's people, the known fact of always being packed, and there food stay banging." Mom laughed. "Why don't you get cleaned up and we can just go out to eat and enjoy a night out?"

Mom shrugged in approval. "That actually sounds great. I'll go get ready meet me in the car in twenty minutes."

As mom left out, I stayed to clean up the kitchen cleaning up the mess of runny dough on the counter, over cooked boiled sauce, and burnt pasta leaving a bitter smell in the air. Feeling satisfied with my work, I headed back upstairs to get ready. My hair is still braided up into a bun, so I decided to attempt to do my edges, since I'm no good at it at all. Deciding to keep it casual with just a pair of biker shorts and a graphic tee, I paired it with one of my many pairs of vans. My style consisted of the basics nothing too much but nothing too basic. I like to keep it just right with adding the right accessories.

While heading downstairs to mom's car, I could hear mom still getting ready, so I decided to wait on the couch. Before mom was in view, I glanced up to see her looking like a different person. It's clear she added makeup on since her eyes weren't as puffy and the makeup covered the bruises making her skin glow in the perfection of her complexity. Her once long-curly hair, is now put into a tight bun and she changed her t-shirt and jeans into a simple-fitted black dress. Me seeing her smile makes me have some what of a better day. I wish she could stay this way more often.

"Ouuuu... mom you pretty," I said in a baby tone. Since I was trying to make her smile again. She did a slight turn giving a show of her full outfit in confidence.

"I do, don't I? If your dad wanna be out, I got to show out," She smirked, while grabbing her things

Arriving At Restaurant:

Me and mom both decided on soul food. If you live here then you already know why. The drive though is taking extra long, but that's ATL for you. Finally we pull into a diner that's packed with a mixture of people. Mainly you have couples in booths, elderly men laughing at the bar, but mom and me bypass all that and head to the back.

"Hey ya'll, here is ya'll menus. Let me know when you ready to order," said a short-chubby woman with a thick southern accent, as she passed the menus before walking off in the opposite direction to another table.

I'm extra hungry but it's not going to take me too long to figure out what I want. Just like my outfits, I'm basic when it comes to my food too. I decided on the fried chicken with collard greens and a side of mac & cheese with a block of corn bread. Before you ask am I going to eat it all, when I'm hungry it's like I'm feeding for two. Basically it's a fact that I don't play about my food. Mom ordered for the both of us, while I checked my phone to pass time. Out of no where I see mom constantly looking behind me to a booth in the very back. I hesitantly looked behind me to see no other than my idiotic donor looking at his over priced watch and his phone.

"I want to leave now," said mom in complete annoyance.

Our waitress came back over to our booth with the food. My brain quickly forgot about my moms words, as I eagerly began to eat my greasy but delicious food. As I was enjoying my food, I didn't even realize the she was up out of her seat. She made her over to my dad in no time, while I soon followed behind her.

"So you can be at a diner, but not answer your dam* phone. I've called you so many times. I even tried to make you a dinner and you have the nerve to be here. And of course you just have to have a bottle at your side." Mom shook her head. "I'm so tired of this, I really am. You always up so quick and ready to leave after you get mad and then you wanna leave me."

Dad decided to give his attention to mom after he stopped looking at his phone. However he looked at her in complete annoyance. "If I didn't want to talk to you at the house, why would I do it here? Can ya'll just leave, if you must know I'm here meeting someone here on business."

"Carter, what type of fool do you take me as? What kinda business do you have to handle over dinner at ten o'clock on a weekday? I'm not stupid, so don't try to play me. I'm leaving but I need to know when you're coming back home," said mom, as if she was pleading for him to give her some type of attention.

"When I come back home you'll know. Now did I answer all you questions or do you want to continue ruining my night?" Mom scoffed, while walking out of the restaurant. I don't know about her but I'm not about to give this excuse of a father and man, the satisfaction of taking something else from me. Grabbing the waitresses attention, I asked her to bag our leftovers.
Before walking out the restaurant, I glanced back at the booth that my dad was sitting at. Of course his so called "business" has now arrived sitting in front of him smiling. He thought he was slick but I see nothing has changed. He's just unbelievable . One of these days he'll get his karma, until then he'll just keep driving everybody else's life through hell.