Page 17 of One Good Reason

“One week. You got all your medicine?”

“You would know. You the one packed the bag.”

“Well, I’mma do a quick sweep around your room to make sure.”

Grabbing her by the hand, I walked her over to the couch and waited for her to take a seat. I wanted to make sure she had everything she would need to make it through the next week. I had even packed her bible and a bag of candy that her ass didn’t need.

I didn’t need them depriving her of anything cause that’s exactly what my spiteful ass mama would do the minute she got her back to the country. I had gone out and bought her a cell phone and programmed my number along with Mrs. Jessie’s so she could call us, you know in case she decided she was ready to leave earlier than expected.

I know the only reason she agreed was cause the rest of her kids wanted her to come down. If it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t be going anywhere with my mama and her husband. Make no mistakes, if my Gema called me and told me to come pick her up, I was blowing the highway down to get to her. I didn’t care what time or day it was. I would drop everything just for her.

Wrapping her phone charger up, I placed it along with her phone in her pocketbook and slung it over my shoulder. “You was gon’ leave up out of here without yo’ phone.”

“Chile, I had forgot all about that thang,” she laughed. “Ain’t like I got nobody to call anyway.”

“You got me and Mrs. Jessie. She said she didn’t mind if you called her. She’s gonna be checking in with you anyway. Ya’ know, to make sure you taking your medicine on schedule. Speaking of schedule, she wrote down the time and names of the things you gotta take. I already told Betty Jo to look out for it.”

Frowning her face up Gema sucked her teeth. “Betty Jo ain’t gotta look out for nothing. I know what to take.”

“Ummhmm. Sure, you do.” Placing the purse down beside her, I laid on the couch and stretched out.

“You done sent me off to these strange people. What you gon’ do while I’m gone?”

Clutching my chest, I laughed, “Gema, that’s your daughter, not a stranger. And I gotta work.”

“Ain’t you should’ve been gone?”

“I’m the director which means I come and go as I please. Besides, I’ve got a doctor’s appointment at noon. I’m going in after I’m done.”

“You alright? What you need to see the doctor ‘bout?”

“Routine checkup.”

The ringing of the doorbell had Gema sucking her teeth so hard. “Lord, that girl gon’ live a long time. We was just talking ‘bout her.”

“I’on think that’s how it works.” I giggled and got up from the couch.

Unlatching the hook on the door, I unlocked it presenting my mama who stood on the porch with a scowl on her face. “Hello to you too mother.” I called to her back as she brushed pass me and into my house.

Ignoring me she rounded the couch and stood over my granny. “Mama you ‘bout ready to go?”

“I reckon.” Gema shrugged.

“Well come on. Joe Lee wanna stop and grab something to eat before getting back on the road. We tryna beat the rain.”

“Help her out to the car and I’ll get her bags.”

“Ummhmm,” she muttered.

My eyes rolled instantly. Heffa wouldn’t know a thing about being pleasant if it popped her in the mouth. Grabbing Gema’s luggage and pocketbook, I walked out of the house behind them. My mama’s husband spoke to Gema as soon as she walked out the door. Me on the other hand, his assknewnot to say shit to me. This lil’ visit would go from sugar to shit in a matter of seconds.

Gema knew it and so did I. That’s why she called my name and told me to hurry up and put her bags in the trunk. The way I felt ‘bout Joe Lee, Gema felt the same. Hell, even Papa Joe couldn’t stand his ass, and it wasn’t for nothing. Joe Lee was foul and everybody including my mama knew it, but she chose to keep his trifling ass around.

Crouching down by the back door, I fastened Gema seat belt and whispered in her ear. “One wrong move, you call me. If I don’t answer call, Mrs. Jessie. She knows how to get in touch with me.”

Instead of responding, Gema nodded her head. “I’m serious Bertha Mae. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, I will come get you. I don’t mind. I’m only letting you go without me cause Igotta work and I know the rest of ‘em will be around. If he says anything to you”

Gema patted me on the hand and shook her head, letting me know to drop it. She knew I was getting ready to go off on a tangent. Hell, the way my heart was pounding in my chest, I was about ready to call this whole thing off. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust my mama. Well, I didn’t in a sense. But it was another thing to send my granny two hours away for a whole week. Especially knowing she would be under the same roof as my mama trifling ass husband.

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