by S. L. Walker
If she was here this would have never had happened.
Raven laid a dozen red roses on her mothers’ grave followed by her dad laying some tulips and Deon white roses. They both stood together facing her grave as the crisp cold air blew out of their mouths. Raven couldn’t help but know she would be rolling over right now if she knew what was going on with her and Deon. Her dad bent down on one knee and began silently praying. Raven and Deon looked at one another. He then raised back up.
“I really hope you mother is watching over us right now,” he said, grabbing the both of them and hugging them close. It brought tears to Raven’s eyes as she locked eyes with Deon’s hidden guilt.
“Now, if you are uncomfortable in any way, you call me and I will come get you. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you?” Eva’s mom asked her. They were both at the Greyhound station getting ready for Eva to board to go visit her dad and sister.
“I got this mom,” Eva smiled.
“I’m proud of you,” her mom said kissing her on the cheek.
“Will you be okay?” Eva asked her knowing this was her first Thanksgiving away from her mom.
“Of course sweety, I’ll be with grandma. You just let me know how it goes and call me as soon as you get there,” she tells Eva, kissing her one more time and then pulling her purple hoodie over her head. “Stay warm.”
Eva smiled and got on the bus and took a seat. She noticed her mom still standing there. She took a sigh and pulled out her small mp4 player and headphones. She waved to her mom as the bus began to drive off. She knew this would be different and prayed she would get through seeing her dad’s new family.
$$$$
Victoria sat in the kitchen in silence. Her mom handed her potatoes to cut up and Victoria slowly cut them without a word being said. They both were still upset at each other for different reasons. Patty knew Victoria had a stealing problem since she was five years old. Her first crime was a popsicle she stole out of the kindergarten cafeteria. Then in second grade she stole a boys markers and swore up and down she didn't do it. She was disappointed in Victoria. She knew stealing little things would eventually lead to stealing big things. Clothes and fake jewelry at a mall was one thing, but next it could be credit card scams and bank robberies. She couldn’t help but think the worst.
“Tori, at some point we need to speak. It’s not polite to be like this around Thanksgiving,” she said, preparing string beans. Victoria continued to slice potatoes in silence. “Little girl I am talking to you,” she stopped working with the beans.
“What do you want me to say?” Victoria stopped cutting the potatoes. Victoria was more embarrassed than angry. She had never gotten caught before and she had been stealing from malls for years. She got greedy and she got sloppy. What bothered her more, was not knowing how she got caught and who ratted. What store caught her? Was it Eye Candy?
“How about a sorry!” Her mom said shockingly. “What has gotten into you?!”
“Sorry,” Victoria said with no remorse and began cutting the potatoes again.
“You know what, just go to your room, I got this,” she told her. Victoria looked at her. Helping cook was tradition.
“I always help you cook on Thanksgiving,” Victoria said.
“It’s okay just go to your room,” her mom started back on the string beans. Victoria eyes grew watery and face a blush red but her stubbornness took over.
“Fine!” She shouted throwing the knife down on the table making her mom jump a bit, she then stormed off to her room. Patty took a deep sigh and stopped preparing the string beans forcing her frustrated tears back. What was happening?
$$$$
Angel’s dad put a bag in the back of his car as Angel and her mom watched him from the front door. He then walked up to Angel and kissed her on the head.
“Happy Thanksgiving, honey, you guys have a good time,” he said. Angel gave an uneasy smile. He then looked up at her mother. “I’ll let you know when I make it there,” he told her. She also gave a fake smile and walked back in the house leaving him and Angel on the front porch. He looked back at Angel with remorse. He started to speak but changed his mind. He wanted to give them the space they silently was asking for, so he walked back to the car and pulled off.
Angel looked at him with disgust hoping he stayed gone.
$$$$
Zara walked downstairs dressed to an amazing dinner set up by Molly and her dad.
“Happy Thanksgiving dear!” She kissed Zara. Molly is all dressed up in a Holiday dress.
“Thank you, Molly, give your family my blessings,” Zara said looking at all the great food.
“Yeah, thanks Molly,” her dad said with a smile. “I could never cook like this,” he pointed at all the food.
Zara sensed an uncomfortable tension.
“I’ll walk you out,” he told Molly
“Okay, enjoy the dinner, hon,” Molly blew Zara a kiss as her dad walked her to the front door. Zara waited until the front door closed before she followed them, peeping out the window. They were intimately face to face. Closer than what Zara had ever seen before. She watched her dad put his hands gently on her face and Molly smiled. He then kissed her on the forehead and smiled back. She couldn’t hear anything they were saying but actions spoke it all. Her heart began to pound a bit in confusion. Not to sike herself out anymore she quickly walked back into the kitchen to make her plate. Her dad finally walked back in.
“All this for little ol’ us huh?” Zara asked as he walked in the kitchen.
“All for little ol’ us,” he agreed as he pulled his silverware out. They both sat at the kitchen table full of turkey, salads, breads, deserts, and potatoes.
“Listen, baby, I want to thank you again for doing that for me. I know how hard it was for you,” he said to her. Zara couldn’t keep her mind off of what Raven now knew and she couldn’t tell her dad.
Was their friendship was officially over?
VICTORIA
THANKSGIVING
The dinner table was quiet on Thanksgiving Day. All you could here was the clank of the forks hitting the plate as my mom and I ate in silence. Every now and then I would gulp up the red Koo-laid I made and my mom would take a sip of her red wine and glimpse at me. The way she had called me to eat was chilling. She was really upset with me and I felt like there was nothing I could do about it.
A small knock tapped the front door and we both looked at each other in surprise as if either one of us was expecting someone. She took her napkin out of her lap and sat it on the table before she headed towards the door. I continued to eat but made sure I kept my ears focused on who decided to visit us.
“What’s this?” I heard her say. I couldn’t hear what the other person at the door was saying. “You got to be fucking kidding me?! Really? On Thanksgiving?! Get a real fucking job, ya prick!” I heard her yell and slam the front door. I started to get up from my chair before she stormed back into the living room with a folded up piece of paper and envelope. She leaned on the kitchen sink counter and opened it totally ignoring the nosy stare I was giving her.
“I can’t believe this shit!” She shouted and crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it landing on the side of the trashcan. She then looked at me with anger.
“What’s wrong?” I was afraid to ask.
“Your dad! Your dad is what’s wrong!” She tried to hold in the tears that I saw forming in her eyes.
“What he do now?” I asked, still afraid of the answer. She pulled her long brown and blonde single braids back and got herself together.
“Your dad is countersuing me. So instead of just paying what he owes and actually being a father, he is countersuing,” she looked at the paper. “Something about me not letting you be in his life and I just want him for money because he is a popular artist now,” she said finally sitting back down at her food.
“But that’s not right,” I said confused. “Can he do that?”
“Apparently he can. God, what a jerk,”
she sighed, throwing her hands in her face and finally releasing what seemed like every tear she had held in. This didn’t feel like Thanksgiving at all. I got up and walked over to her and hugged her.
“I’m sorry, mom. I’m sorry for how mean he is. I’m sorry for stressing you out, too,” I sincerely apologized. She looked up at me, her eyes red and snot forming. I grabbed the napkin she had put on the table and gave it to her. I let her cry in my arms. All the frustration she had finally released as she sobbed on my brand new vanilla laced sweater I had stolen some months ago. I felt like shit.
“I’m so sorry I can’t be both mom and dad for you. I’m trying so hard,” she began to cry again.
“We will get through this, remember? Dad won’t win,” I told her. “And I’ll pay you back for whatever you have to pay for me trying to steal that stuff, I promise.”
“Oh honey,” she stopped crying and wiped her tears and nose with the napkin on the table. “I don’t need you to pay me back, I just need you to slow down. Be a teenager, date boys and hang with your girls. And try your hardest not to make it harder on me than it already is,” she said looking me in my face. Her makeup was gone and her face was red and stained with dried tears.
“I will, I will,” I promised her.
“Speaking of girls, where has Raven been?” She asked. I thought about Raven faking on me and not coming with me to the mall and realized we hadn’t talked since. She didn’t even call to say happy Thanksgiving.
“I don’t know. I think she’s just been busy with her family,” I lied.
“Well, tell her I said happy Thanksgiving,” she managed to crack a smile. “And speaking of, let’s finish this meal I made huh?” She tried to cheer up.
“I’m sorry about that, too,” I told her knowing how much cooking together meant to her as much as it meant to me.
She smiled understanding and got up and grabbed the bald piece of paper she threw next to the trash and opened it up. She looked at it and sighed. “This is all I need right now,” she shook her head, placing it in a junk drawer. She then went in the refrigerator and grabbed a chocolate cake.
“Think it’s time for some dessert,” she smiled, placing the cake on the table. She took out a knife and cut a large chunk and put one in a napkin for me and for her. She picked it up with her hand and raised it as a toast. I laughed and picked my big piece up to with the same gesture.
“If it’s one thing I am thankful for is you as my baby girl,” she said to me smiling. “Don’t you forget it.”
“I’m thankful for you too mom,” I told her. She then took a big messy bite out of her cake laughing and I did the same. She then grabbed some frosting and wiped it on my nose giggling trying to start a cake war.
“I love you!” She laughed.
EVA
As I stepped off the bus in Pittsburgh, the cold air was more brisk than it was in Baltimore for some reason. I shivered but not sure if it was the cold air or the site of my dad, sister, and step mom. I hadn’t seen my dad in forever. He had a full grown black beard and a little beer belly underneath his tight black leather jacket and wore a black beanie. I gave an uncomfortable smile as I made my way to the side of the bus where people were getting their luggage. My step mom, Brenda, waved. She was a little bit taller than my dad, Caucasian and wore her dirty blonde hair in a bun with a thick bright red scarf over her brown sweater dress. Right next to her waving was my step sister, who I was now meeting for the first time. She looked a lot like my dad. I found myself staring and almost missed the fact that my dad was approaching me.
“I’m so glad you came,” he said hugging me hard. He smelled of rich musky cologne. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Me too,” I smiled. I noticed my pink zebra duffle bag and pointed to the bus guy to grab it.
“This yours?” My dad asked, grabbing it for me.
“Thanks,” I told him expecting him to hand it to me, but he carried it instead.
“Well, come on and meet the gang,” he took my hand guiding me over to them. “You know of Brenda, my wife, your step mom,” he introduced me to the overly smiling woman. As I noticed her more closely, she had small freckles on her nose and her hair was browner than I thought. She didn’t look like my dad’s type compared to my mom.
“And this is Lilly, your sister,” he introduced.
“Hey how are you?” I smiled. I wondered if the awkward feeling showed on my face and if she was feeling the same way.
“Nice to finally meet you! You’re so pretty!” Lilly said, excited. She had small freckles on her face, too but her nose, eyes, and mouth resembled my dad exactly. She was slightly shorter than me, had big brown curly hair tied in a ponytail and really straight teeth as if she had braces.
“Well, let’s get going. The food is done and ready to eat!” My dad held onto Brenda’s hand and walked ahead as Lilly and I followed behind.
The whole ride to the house was the same basic questions you would ask
a relative you hadn’t seen in a while. How’s school? Making good grades
Play any sports? Got a boyfriend? Apologizing for not calling more. It was a shame a father didn’t know the answer to those questions already.
I couldn’t wait till we finally pulled up to their house. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting but definitely not the small red bricked town home we stopped in front of. There were Christmas decorations already in the front of the house and a huge green reef on the door.
It looked even smaller on the inside.
The ground was a weird brown tile and the walls had an off green color, like leaves just before they turned brown. There were a lot of brown accents you could tell she tried to match with her marble decor throughout the house.
“You will be staying in Lilly’s room unless you want the couch which I don’t recommend or Samson will try and sleep with you,” my dad said as he handed me my bag.
“Samson is our dog,” Brenda said. “He’s really friendly. We have him in the backyard right now,” she pointed towards the back patio. I walked over and peeped out there ugly green matching curtains to see a Golden Retriever staring back at me through the glass with his tongue out and tail wagging.
“Come on, I’ll show you my room,” Lilly said, taking my bag from me and showing me upstairs. Her room was small as well with blue carpet. Her bed took up most of the space but at least it was clean. She had a bunch of posters of Christina Aguilera and Brittney Spears, two female pop singers. She also had at least five posters of Eminem who was a famous white boy rapper; I was also a fan of.
“You like Eminem?” I asked her.
“Oh girl yes! I love him!” She sat my stuff on her bed. “He’s so fine. There’s this guy named Marc at my school that looks just like him. Of course all the girls want him!” She took off her boots and jacket. I did the same. “Cute shirt!” She said, eyeing my black half top sweater. “You’re so lucky you can wear that. Daddy would kill me if I ever showed my belly.”
“Oh, thanks,” I smiled looking at it as if it was nothing special.
“You look so much like daddy. When he told me you were coming for Thanksgiving, I couldn’t wait to see you,” she said hopping on her bed. “You’re even prettier in person than your pictures. Your mom is pretty too,” she kept talking.
“Thanks, I’m glad I came,” I told her.
“Are you?” She asked, unconvinced.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,” I reassured her.
“Girls come down to eat!” My dad yelled from downstairs.
“Good, I think we will get along great then!” She smiled and pulled me downstairs to dinner.
ANGEL
Sam was standing in front of the movies with a single rose and a big grin on his face. He was even dressed in a nice red sweater and khakis. I felt underdressed in my black hoodie and jeans. It was freezing cold that day, too. I gave him a small smile as I walked up to him.
“You look cold,” he chuckled. He had a single white rose in his
hand.
“I am,” I folded my arms.
“I already bought the tickets,” he said, handing me the rose. “This is for you. Just a friendly rose,” he emphasized the friendly part.
I know he didn’t want to just be friends at this point. But I accepted that he would settle for whatever he could be. I took the rose smelling it.
“Thank you,” I took his arm in mine as a kind gesture. I could tell doing that made him less nervous.
“So what movie are we seeing?” I asked him.
“I thought we could see Spiderman. You like action movies right?” He said opening the door for me.
“Yeah, I love action movies, especially super heroes,” I smiled a little impressed at him knowing that.
We walked up to the food station for some popcorn and drinks. I was still holding his arm and couldn’t help but feel a warm and secure feeling with him. He was rambling about something but my mind had wandered to my dad and how he was still gone. It felt so weird not being with my family for Thanksgiving, it was almost unreal. My mom and I had binge watched some TV and ate dinner for the most part of the day. She was okay with me going to the movies after with Sam. I think she secretly wanted some time alone.
“Angel,” he said to me.
“Huh?” I asked looking up at him.
“I asked what kind of drink you wanted,” he said.
“I’m sorry, a coke please,” I told him. I took my arm from around him when I noticed Nancy coming towards us. It was too late for me to look away or detour around her because she definitely had locked eyes with me first. She smiled a devious smile and looked at Sam, too. Sam didn’t notice right away until she said something to me.