Does He Do It Like I Do It

Chapter Three

"Roxanne, wake up!"

I was in a deep sleep when my mom startled me awake. I jumped up and looked at her with my eyes halfway open.

"What happened?" I asked her.

"Just because you are suspended doesn't mean you're going to be sleeping all day."

I fell back on my bed and groaned. "What time is it?"

"It's ten fifteen but that doesn't matter. Your father and I are going to the public market to pick up some things. Some of the club members back in Albany are coming to visit for some wine and chitchat. Clean the dining area and set the table."

She twiddled her fingers at me then left out of my room. I heard the front door closing shortly after. I sighed and closed my eyes. Last thing I wanted was to be around my mom's uppity as friends from Albany. Half of them don't even like my parents, they just come around to be nosey. My dad knows that but my mom insists on continuing to be around them. I know we hadn't been here for that long but I was finally getting used to the area. I was trying to let my past life in Albany go because at the end of the day I'll never have it again. I hope the club members aren't bringing their kids with them because that would mean I'm obligated to socialize with them and at this point I'm over it.

I got up and began cleaning up the house. I know my mom only mentioned cleaning the dining area but knowing her she's going to want everything tidied up. I blasted some music from my speaker, slapped on some sweatpants and started to clean. I never understood why my mom made me do everything. My dad said she's trying to train me to be a wife but I don't want to marry a man who expects me to cook and clean and that's it. I want a man who values me and appreciates my sense of independence. I wouldn't be signing up to be a maid, I'd be agreeing to be someone's lifelong partner. And if he can't accept that then I guess I'll be single forever. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

By the time I finished cleaning, the sun had set and I was beyond tired. My parents had just got back and my mom was quickly preparing some small finger foods. I found my dad sitting in the front room in his recliner, smoking a black and mild. I had only seen him smoke them on holidays so I knew if he was smoking one right now he was stressed. I went over to him and sat on the ottoman across from him.

"Everything okay, dad?" I asked him.

He ashed the black and mild and tried to force a smile. "I'm okay, Snookie."

"Come on dad, you know I know when something is wrong."

He shook his head. "It's nothing I want you to worry about."

"Adonis, darling! Come and tell Laura how the mayor requested you specifically to speak at a seminar," My mother called out to my dad. He put out the black and mild and let out an exasperated sigh. He got up from the chair, straightened his tie, and put on a painted smile.

I knew my mom wanted me to interact and play the part but by her third glass of wine I was sure she wouldn't realize I wasn't there. I grabbed my sketchpad from the coffee table in the living room and decided I'd go outside and sketch what I saw in the sky. I wasn't all that good at drawing but I was decent. It became a therapeutic way for me to cope with my surroundings. And right about now I was feeling very overwhelmed.

I opened the screen door of our inclosed porch and sat down on the stoned steps outside. I flipped to an empty page and grabbed a pencil out of the pouch I had tucked under my arm. I took a quick look at the sky to get an image and my head and looked back down at my paper. I scrunched up my face, knowing I didn't see what I thought I saw. I looked towards the street and there standing underneath the streetlight was Naheim.