Love and Lotus Blossoms by Anne Shade

Author:Anne Shade [Shade, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781635559866
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2021-09-01T23:41:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

I kept myself busy prepping for Spelman, working, and avoiding confrontations with my mother. I also went back home after Dad, Tanya, and J.J. left for Indianapolis. It was hard to say good-bye to my little sidekick, but I knew he would be much happier and feel more secure about himself being with Dad and Tanya. Dad’s recent promotion required much less travel, so he would be home with J.J. more often, and Tanya was able to provide that mother figure he needed so much in his life. Dad and I had a long talk about the plans he and Mom had made to go down to Georgia with me. He was still determined to do it, whether she went or not, and made me promise to leave the discussion for him to have with her so there would be no reason for us to get into another battle. Since Jackie, who decided to stay at a friend’s place in the city for the summer, and J.J. were gone, it was like two ghosts haunting the apartment. We barely spoke to each other unless we had to. I spent as much time as possible away from home, and when I was home, I stayed in my room.

It went on that way until two weeks before I was scheduled to leave for Georgia. Dad told me the previous night that he’d spoken to Mom about the trip, but she still hadn’t confirmed if she was going. I was in my room trying to organize what I was taking with me and what could be shipped later when Mom knocked on my door.

“Yes.” I didn’t even bother looking up from what I was doing.

“I’ve decided not to go to Georgia with you and your father.”

It took me a moment to respond because even though I had been expecting her to tell me that, it still hurt. How was it possible for me to keep allowing her to hurt and disappoint me? My eyes burned as I tried to hold back tears that I refused to continue to shed because of her.

“Okay.” I could see out of the corner of my eye that she stood there a moment longer before she sighed and walked away.

I finished what I was doing, showered, changed my clothes, and headed next door. Nikki and I were going to a club in the city later, but I didn’t want to stay in the house any longer than I had to. If I did, I would’ve been too tempted to ask Mom why. If she had a good excuse as to why she wouldn’t see her own daughter off to college, her alma mater, then she would’ve told me. I was done. I’d be gone in two weeks, leaving her to wallow in her “poor me” pity party alone. I knew that seemed cold, but I refused to let her continue pulling me down into the pit with her.

“You look like you really need this night out,” Nikki said.

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