Page 6 of Love Me Carefully
“Hello?”
“Hi, baby.” Her mother’s voice echoed through the line. “I knew you’d be home. What you doing?”
Her voice crisp and to the point, Leah answered, “Nothing.”
“Girl, I’m about ready to put this man out, you hear me?”
Oh Lord,here we go again.Marsha Baker was on husband number five, Darryl Baker, who owned several barber shops around the city. Leah thought Darryl was a nice man, even though he was almost sixty. Her mother had married him last year after having an affair with him for two years and finally convincing him to divorce his wife.
“What’s wrong now, Mama?” It was a shame she couldn’t muster any sympathy for her own mother. Wasn’t that pitiful? No, she told herself, it was honest. Her mother went through husbands like a cheap pair of shoes and Leah was long past the point of trying to figure out why.
“You know he ain’t even came in here with my Valentine’s gift yet?” Marsha screeched into the phone.
“Mama, the night’s not over yet. And besides, I told you this was a stupid holiday anyway.” Rolling her eyes toward the ceiling, Leah slammed her book on the table. She’d be on the phone with her mother at least another forty-five minutes, discussing why Darryl was a bum and how soon she was going to put him out and move on.
Settling herself, Leah prepared for the tedious conversation. It was just more evidence to support her plan of never getting married.
