I couldn’t help but laugh. My mother was too adorable at times. She wasn’t hip to the new slang so in her mind, I was on drugs right now. I swear if it wasn’t for them my life would be duller.
“No, Ma. It means I feel really good right now as if I was on them. I worked my tail off and now the whole world knows it. I’m truly on cloud nine,” I expressed.
“So, now that you’re done, are you focusing on your agency? What’s next?” My mother asked the same two questions Crowned Magazine did when I announced my retirement.
“Yes ma’am. Those kids deserve my undivided attention, and I plan on giving them everything I have. I made some really good friends and accumulated a lot of favors over the years, so I got my list together ready to cash them in whenever my kids give me the okay.”
“You have no idea how good it feels to be your Mama. Obasi is here too. Would you like to speak to him? I believe he called earlier.”
“Sure.”
Shuffling occurred on the other end of the phone before my father’s voice beamed through. I was his only child. He showed me so much affection growing up I really thought I was a princess. He hadn’t dropped the ball once showing me how a woman was supposed to be treated. Chinara and Obasi Afor were the standard couple for me.
“Cheyonne, this is your father.”
“You really need to stop answering the phone like that, Dad. How are you old man?” I jested.
“Old, huh? I can move around like a fox. You better ask your mama. I called you earlier. Toneshia answered saying you were on the runway. You looked extravagant by the way.”
“Thank you, Dad. I feel even better. Enough of me though. How are you? I’m not understanding why I’m asking that again.”
“Because you’re demanding like your mama. I’m fine, my leg is fine, and so is my blood pressure. Stop worrying about me as if I’m some weakling needing assistance everywhere I turn. I’m a grown man that can handle himself.”
“I never said you weren’t. You’re giving me attitude so what aren’t you telling me? I’ll give you the chance to tell me before I ask Mama.”
My parent’s always felt like hiding the truth from me would keep my stress level down and out of flare territory when that was never the case. I stressed more when I had to find things out and try to deal with situations before it was too late. All I asked was for them to make me aware of any changes in their health. They could live as they pleased.
“I slipped and hurt my hip the other day when I was going out to cut the grass. I’m alright so don’t go giving me lip. I went to the hospital and had scans. I’m just a little bruised up. Nothing to worry your pretty little self about,” he tried reassuring me.
Releasing a deep breath, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. They were truly going to run me to my grave before time. Toneshia noticed and came to sit beside me.
“What’s wrong, Che?” she asked giving me a once over as if she could detect any physical pain.
“This old man is going to be the reason for my unstable health. He went to cut grass as if I didn’t hire a landscaper, fell, and didn’t call or text once about it. He said he’s just bruised but one thing I know for sure is how much he downplays the situation. I won’t get the truth until we get home.” I spoke to Nesh as if my father wasn’t on the phone. I didn’t care to be honest. My parents were turning into children, and they were making it so frustrating to raise them.
“I can hear you, you know. Don’t go running your mouth to folk. I don’t want them in my business,” he scolded me.
“Oh hush. Nesh knows more about your business than anyone. The flight is no less than twelve hours, so we’ll be landing around one in the afternoon give or take a few minutes. We board a little after midnight. I’ll be to you and Mama soon. And Dad…”
“Yes, Cheyonne?”
“Sit your old behind down!” I stated through gritted teeth. Hanging up, my eyes closed instantly. Leaving them alone was like leaving a toddler to fend for themselves.
“Is he really okay, Che? You know how they like to lie,” Nesh said shedding light on how they make big deal situations seem so small.
“I don’t know, Nesh. Hell, Mama didn’t even mention it to me. I want to say it’s minor but with him hurting his leg at work years ago and never fully recovering to this fall, I’m sure it’s more to it. I can’t stress that right now though. I can’t afford to have an episode on the way back. Can you check and see ifthey have any sudoku or word search books that can divert my attention? I need something to keep me calm.”
“Yeah. Give me like fifteen minutes. I saw some on the way over here at the gift shops. Che, I really need you to like keep them excessive thoughts at an all-time low. All it takes is for you to get overstimulated or overly stressed and that’s it.”
“I know, I know. I’m going to try.” Truth was, I wasn’t going to be relieved until I was reading the discharge papers for myself.
God, I’m asking you to spare me until I return home. I don’t need an episode right now.
CH. 2
GENESIS
Sitting on the back porch, I put the perfectly pearled blunt to my lips and inhaled deeply. It was the first blunt of the day and a damn good way to wake up. It felt good as hell outside so baking just seemed right. My mother slid the patio door back as I pulled on the blunt once more. In her hands was a hearty breakfast I just knew was ‘bout to slap.
