“We’re identical twins, Erin.”
The sound of hands played in the background.
“Ladies and gentlemen, he knows my name. Yes, you’re identical, but you’re different.”
This was the second game of the road trip and, for once, I was ready to go home. I wanted her next to me as we played the game and not over the phone.
“You know what I been wanting to ask you?” I said.
“What?”
“Where are your people?” I asked.
Erin sighed through the phone. Whatever happened between her and her family weighed heavily or it was some bullshit.
“My dad is in Chicago and my mother is in Florida. I was raised by my dad and before I graduated from college, I found out he was a fraud. My mom warned me, but I was, or am, a daddy’s girl. It broke my heart to block him but I couldn’t reconcile who he really was,” she said.
“Damn, what did he do? Steal some money or something?” I asked.
“That’s an in-person conversation,” she said.
Whatever he did must have been illegal and it may be in my best interest not to know the details.
“Do you talk to your mother often?” I asked.
“Not really. We are apples and oranges, but I respect her title.” she said.
I learned in five minutes I wasn’t the only one with a fucked up family.
“Do you talk to your bio mom?” she asked.
After the draft, things were cool with Toni, but she kept pushing this idea of meeting her family. She hadn’t put in the time to get to know me before infusing herself into my daily life. When she slipped up and called me her son, I blocked her ass.
“No, and please don’t give me a reconnection speech. Being honest, I don’t want her around. The last time we talked, her energy was sad, depressed, and traumatic. I don’t know how Malcolm does it,” I said.
“And I’m sure you were forthcoming and discussed things with her,” Erin asked, and I scratched my beard, dismissing her sarcasm.
“No need to explain. She has an ulterior motive,” I said.
We were silent for several seconds and I could sense she wanted to say more.
“Go ahead,” I requested.
“You could be searching for an invisible snake because it’s easy to blame her. But I can’t talk. I also have crazy parents,” she said, and I chuckled.
Toni wasn’t invisible. She stood right in front of my face. Our family was fractured with the surprise marriage, and she couldn’t wait to jump at the opportunity to turn Malcolm. I’m trying to protect everyone, but Mom and Malcolm were fighting me on it. I told him to stop talking to Toni until we heal our foundation, but he refused.
“I know who she is and see right through her.”
“Have you tried viewing things from her point of view?” she questioned.
I tossed my head backward, exhausted with this story line. Toni had it hard. We all did, but at what point do we move on?
“Did you try viewing things from your parents’ point of view?” I asked.
“Yes, and I couldn’t justify my father’s behavior, and I was wrong about my Mom. Please accept my apology,” she said.
I wasn’t expecting the accountability in Erin’s response. There wasn’t any anger in her voice, and she recognized that she needed to work on things.
