Page 41 of Cherry's Jubilee

I take Cherry’s hand, and we follow her out. The first thing I see is a woman angrily yanking the gate open before stomping through the backyard. It takes me a few seconds to recognize Karen Turner. She’s dragging Amira while Amira tries to pull away.

“Can I help you?” Cal asks from the deck. Karen comes up the stairs, holding onto Amira’s arm.

“Mom, let me go!” she yells, to no avail.

They finally get to the top of the deck, and Karen gestures at Amira’s face. “Do you see this?” she asks.

Michelle looks around, confused. Cherry puts her drink down, but I grab her wrist and wrap my hand tightly around it. She looks at me and yanks it, but I shake my head at her.

“I think you’d better call the cops because I’m pressing charges.” When everyone just stares at her, she says, “Your thug of a daughter assaulted my Amira. Look at her face. She ruined it.” She angrily grabs Amira’s chin and turns her face. There’s a visible bruise. Her lips are also swollen.

Cherry sighs and snorts at the same time.

“Cherry, what is Karen talking about?” Michelle asks.

“Amira thought it was a good idea to kiss my boyfriend. I showed her that it wasn’t. And you’re lucky that’s all she got.” She pulls her hand again, but I tighten my hold.

“And if you press charges against Cherry, I’m pressing charges against Amira for sexually assaulting me,” I warn.

Amira starts weeping and finally manages to pull her arm from Karen.

“Good luck on the sex offender registry, Amira,” Cherry taunts.

“No!” Amira says. “No more. I told you I didn’t want to come here. You and Ashley are the ones who put together this stupid scheme. I don’t even like Daniel. If you would take your head out of Ashley’s ass and pay attention to me, you’d know that he’s not my type!"

“Well make him your type,” Karen snaps back.

“Do I get a say?” I ask.

“To hell with you!” Amira screams. Karen gasps in shock. “To hell with Ashley too. All you two know how to do is cause misery. That’s why Dad wants to leave you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Karen says, but I can tell she’s lying. She won’t make eye contact with anyone.

“And he’ll be happier without you,” Amira continues. “And so will I.”

Karen’s head rolls back as if she’d been slapped. I can see tears in her eyes, but she takes a deep breath and sticks her nose in the air. “You better watch how you talk to me.”

“Oh, yeah? Fuck you, Mother.” This time, Karen takes a step back. Amira turns to the rest of us and says, “Cherry and Daniel, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this, but Mom and Ashley wanted me to steal Daniel from you, even though I told them that was a dumb plan. I guess you’re right, Cherry. Ashley is stupid. I don’t want to cause any trouble, and I think you two make a nice couple. I’ve always wanted to be your friend, but Mom wouldn’t allow it. If you can ever forgive me, I’d like to buy you a cup of coffee or breakfast sometime. I’m done here.” She runs down the stairs and out of sight.

Karen looks around, and I think I see some color on her cheeks. “You got Ashley fired,” she says to Cherry. Michelle gasps again. “And you assaulted her too.”

“Ashley got herself fired,” I say.

“I think you’d better leave,” Cal says.

“Not until she apologizes.” Karen points at Cherry.

“I see where Ashley gets her lack of intelligence from,” Cherry says dismissively.

“You little bastard,” Karen hisses.

“My parents were married when they had me, so I can’t be a bastard,” Cherry says. “Do you not know the meaning of the words you speak? But you know who is a bastard, though?”

Karen gasps again. Her hands fly to her neck and she scratches nervously. She licks her lips and looks around, and I pray she will leave without making more of a scene.

“You want to tell them, Auntie?” Cherry taunts.

Instead of leaving, Karen takes a few steps closer to Michelle. “You see what your daughter has done. She assaulted both my girls, and now Ashley is out of a job. Isn’t it enough that they stole that building that should rightfully belong to my daughters? You should be ashamed of yourself, but you have no shame.” She looks her up and down and says, “You shouldn’t even exist.”

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