“Oh, kiss my ass, Jaiyanna. You always trying to cut corners or find a loophole, so you don’t have to deal with me. Sending a damn cleaning service instead of coming yourself, like you’re so busy or something.”
“I thought sending a cleaning service would be nice.”
“No, the hell you didn’t, because the last time you tried to send a cleaning lady, I sent them out of here too. You knew I didn’t want no damn body all in my house, but you tried it anyway. Like I said, just so you didn’t have to deal with me. Swear, you’re just like your damn daddy.”
Yanna’s shoulders dropped, feelings hurt from her mother’s words.
“Now, why would you say something like that? I’m nothing like him, Ma. I wouldn’t dare abandon you.” Now Yanna felt bad. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be around her mother; she loved Janis with every piece of her being, but sometimes she needed a break. Needed an interruption from the constant reminder that her mother was only a shell of the woman she once was. Janis didn’t understand that each time her daughter had to witness her in such a state, it chipped little pieces away from her heart.
“Well, I can’t tell! Every time I turn around, I’m begging for some of your time, and you’re delegating time with me to someone else! I have feelings too, you know? Just because I’m sick doesn’t mean I should be treated like shit!” Janis bellowed, grabbing a bottle of her favorite Gin from the coffee table.
“Unh uh, hell nah! Give me this damn bottle! Your ass is not sick. There’s nothing wrong with you except for the fact that you’re a drunk!”
“And you just like me, so judge yourself!” Before Janis could tip the bottle to her lips, Yanna snatched it, holding it behind herback. “Oh? You want to play this game with me? If you think you can beat my ass, you about to be in for a rude awakening!”
“That would be more threatening if you could say it without slurring and swaying. I could push you with my pinky and you’d fall over. And you stink too!”
“Fuck you, give me my fucking bottle back.”
“No! Did you not hear me say you smell like a damn dumpster?! You don’t need a drink, you need a bath! Take a fucking shower!”
“Who the hell do you think you cursing at like that? Get the fuck out of my house with your disrespectful ass! Hell, you should’ve just left the Mexican bitch in here?—”
Tiring of her mother’s shit, Yanna slammed the bottle of liquor onto the coffee table and grabbed Janis by the arm. She pulled her through the house en route to her bathroom. “Talking about beating somebody ass and you’re as light as Kian. You gone need more than an all gin diet if you want to tussle with me. I take breaks from you because it breaks my damn heart to see you like this. All over a fucking nigga… I wish like hell I would.” Yanna muttered that last part under her breath.
“What the hell you say?”
“Nothing, Ma, just come on, let me help you in the shower, please.” Yanna turned on the water in the shower and adjusted the knobs so it could warm up. “Here, let me help you get this shirt off.”
“I got it, I’m not as low functioning as you think I am. Can you just get me something to put on when I get out.” Janis was drunk as hell, but she’d heard the break in her daughter’s voice when she said she was heartbroken.
“Are you sure you can stand on your own?”
“Girl gone, I got it.”
Yanna went into her mother’s room and took out some fresh clothes for her. She then went ahead and finished what Janisdidn’t allow the cleaning lady to do. Luckily, Janis’ house wasn’t as nauseating as it was the last time Yanna was there. After nearly two hours, both the house and Janis were clean. Yanna forced her mother to take a walk around the block to a popular chicken spot for food, and they were now seated at the table while Janis ate.
“Thinking about what I said earlier… have you talked to---”
“Hell no, I haven’t.”
“Jaiyanna. There’s really no real reason for you not to. If you think you’re doing it for me, I promise you don’t have to. Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about the whole situation. You’ve been---”
“Ma, you know what? I wasn’t even prepared to be here so long, and I had something I was supposed to do a while ago. I’m going, but I’ll be back, okay?” Yanna could’ve stayed longer, but she was too mentally drained for the conversation her mother was trying to have.
“Oh, okay.”
“And please don’t drink anymore today. I threw away both bottles of gin you had in there, so don’t try to send none of them lil’ niggas on the block to the liquor store.”
“You’re a pain in my damn ass.”
“Yea, yea, I love you too.” Walking over to her mother, Yanna gave her a quick hug and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“You know I love you, baby. No matter how crazy I get, don’t you ever doubt that.”
“I know, Ma. I know.”
Yanna gave her mom one last reassuring pat before exiting the house and climbing into her car. It wasn’t until she was in her car with the doors locked did she allow the sob she’d been holding to burst through.
