And Then There Was Me by Sadeqa Johnson

Author:Sadeqa Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

FOURTEEN

Accidents Happen

Bea tapped the magic spot and the large sausage pizza she’d had delivered from Mimmo’s Kitchen and the chocolate cake she’d picked up from Delightful Cake Kreations in Springfield came rushing out. The powder room to the left of the kitchen smelled rancid. She had been rotating bathrooms, going between the one the kids shared and the one she was in. To hide her deed, she sprayed the surfaces down with all-purpose Green Works, but even after she left the windows open for hours, the stank of her offense was still there.

How many times had Bea thrown up? She had lost count. What she knew was that three weeks had passed since she’d read the exchange between Lonnie and his new whore, chili101, and Bea hadn’t said a word to him about it. She knew what would come next. Lonnie would say sorry like it was a song on repeat, and she wasn’t in the mood for his falsetto. Every time Bea hung her head over the toilet she promised Mena’s baby that it would be the last time, but just like Lonnie couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, she couldn’t keep her finger out of her throat.

Bea stood at the sink in her master, rinsing her mouth with Listerine, when her cell phone rang. It was Awilda. Bea knew this because Awilda had programmed “Soul Sister” by Cree Summer as her ringtone and up flashed a picture of the two of them a few years back at Bea’s birthday party. Bea liked the picture because she wasn’t pregnant and with Awilda’s help had looked damn good in her halter dress and pink lipstick.

I want you to feel good.

I want you to let it all go.

“Hey, sis.”

“Bease. Can you meet me at the school? Something terrible has happened!” Awilda’s voice was high pitched and screeching.

“What?”

“Just hurry.”

Bea scribbled down the address of where Awilda taught summer school. Between the binge and Awilda’s call, her belly felt woozy, like she was on a ship swishing around at sea. Awilda always had to play little dramatic mind games. She could have told her what the emergency was instead of having Bea worry the whole drive. When she pulled up to the high school, Awilda was standing out front wearing a tight blouse and pleated skirt.

“Un-freaking-believable.” Awilda came to the passenger side window and stuck her head in.

“Would you tell me what the problem is, Ms. Drama?” Bea gripped the steering wheel. She had enough going on without Awilda getting her pressure up.

“The damn fools broke into my car. Snatched out my radio, busted in my back window. My laptop was in there and some fabric that I went all the way into the city to purchase for a dress I’m making. I just want to holler.”

Bea took a deep breath, trying to get her own emotions in check.

“Two nights ago a pipe burst in the basement, flooding the whole laundry room, and now this. Who has the money to pay for

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