I glanced guiltily at her, trying to decide if I should share the full truth or not. I didn’t want my mother to carry that guilt with her, but she needed to know. So, I shared my conversation with Muffin with them.
“She’s using that to justify why she treated you that way?” Mama balked.
“Yes.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying that she isn’t hurting, but I am saying that’s a sorry excuse. I don’t regret my decision. You both were too young to be having a baby. She would use that baby to lock you down, and I didn’t want her using a kid to do that. I always saw Zoe for who she was, even when she played the sweet, innocent role all those years ago.
“I knew it was only a matter of time before her true colors were revealed. I’m sorry that the procedure left her with scartissue, but that’s not a reason to start cheating on your husband. I’m sorry, I just don’t buy it. I’ll call her and?—”
“Mama, don’t.”
“No. I owe her an explanation and an apology. Not because of the decision that I made for you both, but because of how I handled it and the result.”
Mama huffed and walked out of the kitchen. My father shrugged and followed behind her. I pulled out my phone and shot a text off to Chanel, whom I labeled as Coco in my phone in honor of her namesake, Coco Chanel.
ME:
Are you good? Just wanted to check on you.
COCO:
I’m fine. I’m worried about you and your actions lately on and off the court.”
ME:
Why off?
COCO:
A little scuffle that landed you at county to cool off.
ME:
The past is all behind me now.
COCO:
What are they going to do?
ME:
Automatic suspension of the next game.
COCO:
Next time you want to blow off some steam, phone a friend. LOL!
I fingered my phone, thinking that it might be safer not to respond to that comment. It could be interpreted in many ways, and I didn’t want to say anything that might land my ass in hot water, nor did I want to make her feel some type of way about my response. In the end, I kept it simple.
ME:
A’ight. Stay chill and have a good night.
COCO:
I will. You stay out of trouble.
I found my parents in the living room and spent another hour with them before I headed home. All I wanted was a shower and my bed, but another mystery lay waiting for me: a pair of women’s panties on my bathroom floor and the familiar scent of a woman’s perfume in my bedroom.
