me.”
From the wide grin on my grandmother’s face, I knew she was just as excited to move into a better place as I was.
“Uh, it’s too bad I’ll have to take two or three buses to get from our new address to that chicken shack I work for over here,” Grandma Lilly pointed out, batting her eyelashes in Daddy’s direction. “I got to work two more years before I can retire.”
“No, you won’t,” Daddy said real fast, shaking his head. “Mrs. Cooper, you can retire right away. As a matter of fact, I insist you do just that. You’ve worked long and hard enough taking care of other folks’ needs. It’s time for somebody to take care of your needs for a change.”
Right after Daddy stopped talking, Grandma Lilly looked at me and winked.
“This junk we got won’t look too good in a fancy new apartment,” I mentioned, hoping Daddy would take the hint and offer to buy us some new stuff.
“Like I said, the condo is furnished. Pack only the things you really need—clothes, pictures, and other personal items. I’ll have some movers come over here to collect and dispose of the rest of this broken-down mess.” Daddy gave my grandmother an apologetic look. “I hope I didn’t sound too harsh again,” he said with his hands up in the air. “I can be pretty blunt at times.”
Grandma Lilly laughed. “Honey, if you going to do everything you say you going to do for us, you can be as blunt as a dull shovel for all I care.” Grandma Lilly rubbed her palms together and pursed her lips. She always did that when she was happy. I hadn’t seen her look this happy since she won a hundred dollars in a bingo game last year.
I laughed, too, but I was still kind of sad inside. I was afraid that my new life might not be the life I wanted....
CHAPTER 12
KENNETH
M Y VISIT WITH S ARAH AND HER GRANDMOTHER LASTED A LOT LONGER than I thought it would. I had not enjoyed such a scrumptious meal since the last time I visited Houston, and I couldn’t wait to get better acquainted with my daughter and her grandmother.
I got home around five that evening. Vera was in our bedroom taking a nap. She looked so innocent and peaceful lying on the bed on her back. For a brief moment I considered not telling her about my affair and Sarah. I had enough money to do just about anything a cheating man could do to keep his house in order. Vera didn’t have to know about me taking care of Sarah and her grandmother. But the downside was that I could never have an open and honest relationship with my only child. I could never claim her in public, bring her to my house, or introduce her to my friends and family.
Vera stirred as soon as I sat down on the side of the bed. She opened her eyes when I caressed her chin. “Hello, beautiful,” I greeted. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
She gave me a strange look at first; then she touched my hand, which was still caressing her face. “Where have you been?” she asked with a yawn. “I was getting real worried.” She sat up and stretched her arms. She wore a red see-through negligee with matching crotchless panties. And from the smell of fermented grapes on her breath, I could tell that she’d also sipped a glass or two of wine. “Why . . . what’s the matter? You don’t look so good.” Vera felt my forehead. “Did you take your pills today?”
I nodded. “All twelve of those suckers,” I said dryly.
“Good. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said with relief as she gently squeezed my arm. “I want you to be around for a very long time.”
“Baby, we need to talk. It’s real important,” I began. My chest tightened and I wondered if I’d live through my confession. “I have something to tell you . . .” The words left a nasty taste in my mouth. I knew that everything else I said in the next few minutes was going to taste even nastier.
“What is it?” Vera’s body stiffened. She pressed her lips together and blinked at me. “What’s going on,
From the wide grin on my grandmother’s face, I knew she was just as excited to move into a better place as I was.
“Uh, it’s too bad I’ll have to take two or three buses to get from our new address to that chicken shack I work for over here,” Grandma Lilly pointed out, batting her eyelashes in Daddy’s direction. “I got to work two more years before I can retire.”
“No, you won’t,” Daddy said real fast, shaking his head. “Mrs. Cooper, you can retire right away. As a matter of fact, I insist you do just that. You’ve worked long and hard enough taking care of other folks’ needs. It’s time for somebody to take care of your needs for a change.”
Right after Daddy stopped talking, Grandma Lilly looked at me and winked.
“This junk we got won’t look too good in a fancy new apartment,” I mentioned, hoping Daddy would take the hint and offer to buy us some new stuff.
“Like I said, the condo is furnished. Pack only the things you really need—clothes, pictures, and other personal items. I’ll have some movers come over here to collect and dispose of the rest of this broken-down mess.” Daddy gave my grandmother an apologetic look. “I hope I didn’t sound too harsh again,” he said with his hands up in the air. “I can be pretty blunt at times.”
Grandma Lilly laughed. “Honey, if you going to do everything you say you going to do for us, you can be as blunt as a dull shovel for all I care.” Grandma Lilly rubbed her palms together and pursed her lips. She always did that when she was happy. I hadn’t seen her look this happy since she won a hundred dollars in a bingo game last year.
I laughed, too, but I was still kind of sad inside. I was afraid that my new life might not be the life I wanted....
CHAPTER 12
KENNETH
M Y VISIT WITH S ARAH AND HER GRANDMOTHER LASTED A LOT LONGER than I thought it would. I had not enjoyed such a scrumptious meal since the last time I visited Houston, and I couldn’t wait to get better acquainted with my daughter and her grandmother.
I got home around five that evening. Vera was in our bedroom taking a nap. She looked so innocent and peaceful lying on the bed on her back. For a brief moment I considered not telling her about my affair and Sarah. I had enough money to do just about anything a cheating man could do to keep his house in order. Vera didn’t have to know about me taking care of Sarah and her grandmother. But the downside was that I could never have an open and honest relationship with my only child. I could never claim her in public, bring her to my house, or introduce her to my friends and family.
Vera stirred as soon as I sat down on the side of the bed. She opened her eyes when I caressed her chin. “Hello, beautiful,” I greeted. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
She gave me a strange look at first; then she touched my hand, which was still caressing her face. “Where have you been?” she asked with a yawn. “I was getting real worried.” She sat up and stretched her arms. She wore a red see-through negligee with matching crotchless panties. And from the smell of fermented grapes on her breath, I could tell that she’d also sipped a glass or two of wine. “Why . . . what’s the matter? You don’t look so good.” Vera felt my forehead. “Did you take your pills today?”
I nodded. “All twelve of those suckers,” I said dryly.
“Good. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said with relief as she gently squeezed my arm. “I want you to be around for a very long time.”
“Baby, we need to talk. It’s real important,” I began. My chest tightened and I wondered if I’d live through my confession. “I have something to tell you . . .” The words left a nasty taste in my mouth. I knew that everything else I said in the next few minutes was going to taste even nastier.
“What is it?” Vera’s body stiffened. She pressed her lips together and blinked at me. “What’s going on,
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