Dippin' Low: A Girl Named Cassandra (Book 2)

AGNC: Chapter 10| Getting Familiar

(Big Poppa MM)

"Good friends are like streetlights along the road... They don't make the distance any shorter, but they make the road easier to navigate." - Melchor Lim

Chapter 10: Cassandra

"Juice? Water?" Mrs. Wright asked me before opening up one of the cabinets over the stove to retrieve two glasses.

"Water will be fine, thank you." I replied resting my chin on my palm. She sat one in front of me and the other on her side opposite of me where she would be sitting. She smiled and reached into the fridge for the water pitcher pouring into our cups then putting it back. She flipped the hem of her floral skirt behind her and sat on the bar stool.

And stared.

And stared with this huge cheesy smile on her face. I smiled back but I knew I looked a little uncomfortable and I began fidgeting in my seat.

"Mrs. Wright, I don't mean to be rude but why are you staring at me?" I asked with a nervous smile.

She continued to smile at me as she spoke. "It's just I want to make sure you're real. Keith doesn't bring anyone home. You must be something special. But it makes sense he's been smiling more."

Smiling more?

"Is there something wrong with Keith?" I asked concerningly. It was then Mrs. Wright's smile faded as she picked up her glass to take a sip and setting it back down before talking again.

"I probably shouldn't even be talking about this, but Keith has been very depressed lately. The anniversary of his brother's death is coming up and every year around this time he shuts down for a few weeks. " I could hear the sadness in her voice when she spoke. She worried heavily about her son as should any mother would. "Sometimes I just don't know what to do a--,"

"Do about what Ma?" Keith asked suddenly popping up in the kitchen entrance with at least six grocery bags in hand. He walked to the counter placing them all at the same time up top.

Ms. Wright's frown was fastly replaced with a smile. "I dont know what ima do about what i want to make for dinner. I wanted to make pot roast but its too late in the day to start on that." she got up from her chair and starting going through the grocery bags as if the answer to her false worries were in there.

"You know what, how does take-out sound?"

I nodded my head completely in awe at how well she was able to bury the subject we were on.

"Take-out is, uh, fine with me." i spoke. "Let me call the house to let them know im staying for dinner."

"Of course, go right ahead." Ms. Wright urged then looked back at Keith who was on his sidekick.

"Did you get all the bags out the car?"

Without looking up he replied, "Yes ma'am."

"Well get your head off the dang on phone and help me look for the chinese menu."

"Hold on, lemme send this-,"

"Boy if you dont put that phone down , ima break my foot off so far in your ass-,"

"Ma not in front of Cassy!"

"Then do as I say and I wont have to embarrass you." Ms Wright started looking through her kitchen draws looking for the menu still mumbling under her breath about how cell phones were gonna destroy that boy's brain. Meanwhile im trying hard as hell not to laugh at Keith just getting yelled at. I dont care what anybody says. When its someone's else getting cussed out, its funny as hell.