Eyes narrowed, I said, "And I don't?"
She sighed as if I was being impossible. I studied her jet black hair so she wouldn't see the disgust in my eyes. No doubt the grays had been tamed into submission, like nearly everything in her life. This was the reason I stayed away. I'd never been able to do anything right for my mother.
"This is just another example." She jarred me from my bubble of resentment with a question. "Where did he say he was from anyway?"
"If you were interested—"
She cut off my snark by raising her voice above mine. "In all of America, you couldn't find any other man than one from some uncivilized village clear across the world."
My head felt as if I were about to pop a blood vessel, but I wouldn't satisfy her by losing my temper. She’d only think it proved her point that I was unstable.
"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked.
"See, you don't even know where he's really from."
"What does it matter?" I let my shoulders droop. "He means a lot to me and I'd appreciate it if you would respect that."
"How long have you known him?" she asked, glancing toward the doorway.
"Long enough."
"That doesn't answer my question." She held out her hand as if to touch my arm, but I stepped out of her reach. "Are you ... have the two of you ... "
I knew what she wanted to ask, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. I wish she would have, but right now I was so mad I'd probably say something I'd be sorry for if I didn't stop arguing.
"How long will you be here this time?" she asked.
Giving her a glare that would have stopped anyone else, I said, "I'm not sure."
"You're not sure or you don't want to say?"
I shook my head because I was done. This time, my point of exhaustion had come much faster because of her behavior with Kofi. And I had only been home for several hours.
Kofi had done nothing to deserve being treated as if he had leprosy. He'd been nothing but good to me and didn't need to take this from anybody, least of all people he didn't know. Garth and Daddy had redeemed what would otherwise have been a total disaster of a visit.
I made up my mind then that Kofi wouldn't be setting his foot down in this house again.
Mom called my name, but by then I stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Garth turned his head away from the television, frowning when he looked at me.
I shook my head and headed for the room where I'd left my suitcase. When I stood inside, I pressed my back to the door. The double bed stood across the room, far out of range of the window, exactly where I didn't want it to be. When I lived here I insisted that it be under the window, but Mom couldn't let things be. I went to sit on the bed and pulled my phone out of my handbag, simply for the want of something to do.
It wasn't long before someone tapped the door. I didn't answer, but it opened anyway. Squaring my shoulders, I prepared for the next battle. I needn't have bothered. It was only Garth.
He closed the door behind him before sitting next to me. Taking my hand in his, he linked our fingers. "We haven't had a chance to talk much, but since you'll be here for a few weeks we'll catch up."
"Did she send you?"
He nodded. "But it's not what you think. I wanted to talk to you anyhow."
"Why?"
Garth studied me for a few seconds before sliding his arm around my shoulders. "Don't get defensive with me. You know I'm not going to harass you."
"Sorry," I mumbled. "You know how I get after a run-in with Mom."
"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I can see this guy makes you happy."
Despite how I felt inside, I chuckled. "You can tell all that after four hours yesterday, plus two today?"
