Page 63 of Mahogany 2
After kicking it with bro for a couple minutes, I followed the smell of chicken and the sound of Luther Vandross to the kitchen. Ma was standing at the stove, flipping chicken breast, swaying her wide hips to If This World Were Mine.
“…I’d give you the flowers, the birds, and the bee’s,” She sang as if she was in a relationship, instead of single as hell.
I could barely remember the last time my ma had a boyfriend. I was in high school though. I was sure of that. That was damn near fifteen years ago. Either she was lonely as hell or kept her romantic life to herself. Either way, she was into the song like a muthafucka. Had me wondering if moms had fallen in love.
Sneaking up behind her, I kissed her on the cheek. “Who you don’ fell in love with, woman?”
She laughed and waved me off. “Boy if you don’t gon’ on somewhere talkin about love. Fuck love; I’ma playa.”
I laughed and leaned against the counter with my arms crossed over my chest. “A playa huh? Ain’t heard that shit in years.”
She shrugged, twisting her lips up. “Don’t mean they don’t still exist nigga.” She eyed me up and down. “Ain’t seen yo black ass this much in I don’t know how long. What you doin? Runnin from the wife?”
I ran my hand over my head with a sigh. “Mannnnn.”
She adjusted the temperature on the stove. “You ready to tell me what the fuck goin’ on? Or somethin’ gon have to happen for you to tell me?”
I tossed my head back a little before putting my hands back into my pockets, brushing my fingers over the worn envelope. She always knew. Guess that was mothers intuition or some shit.
I was nervous as hell. But shit… something had to shake. Right? I was losing it. I needed someone to talk to about everything. I needed to talk toherabout it. Had to. Not only because I needed her help but because the shit had been weighing too heavy on my spirit. I didn’t like it. I needed somebody to tell me everything would be alright. Needed to hear that yeah… I fucked up… but it was in the past and Mahogany would forgive me. She had to, right? It happened when we were in a bad place. I was cheating—she forgave me for that. She had to forgive me for what came along with it, right? That’s what I needed. Reassurance. Comfort. Somebody to quiet my racing mind, for real. Who better than my ma?
“Mmhmm. You know I know you better thananybody, right?” She said, sizing me up with her lips twisted.
I sighed, looked towards the living room and scratched my head. “Can we talk in the room or somethin?”
She smiled, nodded and said, “Mhm. As soon as this chicken done.” Again, she sized me up and leaned in a little. “She want you to sign them papers, don’t she? I knew it as soon as you called and said the party was off. I don’t?—”
“Come on na, ma,” I interrupted, shifting uncomfortably against the counter. “I wanna talk in the room for a reason.”
She sucked her teeth and waved me off. “That ain’t no secret, boy. Everybody already know. Soons you texted, we was in the group chat talkin about it.”
Taking a deep breath, I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned my head back. Of course they were. I had the type offamily that didn’t give a fuck or sugarcoat shit. Them being in the group chat discussing my marriage didn’t come as no surprise. It might’ve seemed crazy, my trust for my ma with Diary but she wouldn’t tell them about this. Loved to gossip and spread rumors, but when it came to real shit, she was solid. Even if it was a divorce I wanted to talk to her about, she wouldn’t have gone back to confirm shit with anybody.
“But,” she paused and whispered. “Don’t worry son, you know I got you.”
She was wrong as hell but I didn’t say anything to correct her. Didn’t give a fuck enough to. Didn’t have the energy to, for real. Had too much on my mind.
Ten minutes later, we were walking into her bedroom. Because I hadn’t been allowed to sit on her bed since I was a kid, I sat in the chair in the corner. She closed the locked the door behind us and immediately got right to it.
“So, what she askin for? Everything?” She asked with her hand on her hip. “I bet. Ain’t even got much of nothin and she comin for it all. I told you she was out for the money?—”
“Ma, chill,” I interrupted. “Ain’t nobody gettin a damn divorce.” Pausing, I mumbled, “Shit, not yet at least.”
“Umph. You cheated and she found out. I knew something was up that night. Mmhmm, talkin about you ain’t cheatin. Boy I can smell an ain’t shit nigga from a mile away! You my child, and I love you, but I know you ain’t shit.”
I just let her talk. She didn’t stop there neither. Kept rambling on about how Mahogany was book smart as hell but didn’t have a lick of street smarts. Said she needed to grow a ‘back bone’ and leave my ass. She didn’t know why Mahogany stayed after the first time. Said if it was her, she would’ve left a long time ago. Crazy how the tune flipped, right? Moms was like that.
“Gon’ break them kids hearts when they find out. ‘Cause you know they gon’ find out. They ain’t babies no more and everybody lookin at y’all sideways already too. Mmhmm. Shit is about to hit the fan and?—”
“Ma,” I said, finally interrupting. “Can I talk?”
Sitting on her bed with her arms crossed over her chest, she pursed her lips together and mumbled, “Mmhmm.”
Leaning over to the side a little, I dug into my pocket, grabbed the envelope and handed it to her.
“What’s this?” She asked. “I thought you said it wasn’t no papers… Boy!” Pausing, she frowned. “Na, wait a damn minute. What thehellis this!?” She yelled, after reading the heading. “I know got damn well you ain’t test one of them kids and they ain’t yours? Who is it? Honesty, ain’t it? She a lil too light. I knew it was?—”
“Come on now ma, damn!” I yelled, frustrated. “Just…” Clasping my hands together in prayer pose I said, “Just read it. I’ll explain in a minute.”
