Borrowed Time

Twenty Four

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"Wow, look at you, Toni," my mother said, walking toward me. She carried a forced smile upon her face, trying to put forth some sort of excitement. "You're so grown up. Looking all beautiful..."

I rolled my eyes, moving away from her. "Mhm. Don't do that. Don't try to act like you're happy to see me."
I didn't mean to be so dismissive, but I had my reasons. Though sometimes I missed her, seeing her standing before me only reminded me of memories I wished to forget about.
"We both know you're just here because you need something, not because you want to be."

My mother had caused me immense pain, choosing to not be apart of my life simply because of how I loved. She wanted me to be with a man, to submit to a man how she submitted to my father. But that wasn't me, and I wasn't her.

"Now, Toni, regardless of how you feel about me or why you think I'm here," Mother said back to me, pointing toward me. "I am still your mother and you will respect me." She spoke rather sternly, just how she used to when I was a kid.

But I was heated, beyond heated. I didn't care about anything she said. I was an adult now, I no longer had to just sit back and allow her to treat me however she pleased. "You being my mother isn't a good enough reason for me to respect you."

I just couldn't believe she had the audacity to show her face in my salon after all the distress she caused me. See, when I needed my mother she acted as though she wanted nothing to do with me. Wouldn't want me over her house, barely answered the phone for me. But oh how the tables had turned, and now she needed me.

"Toni, girl, you got one more time to talk to my mama like you crazy," Dorinda added, giving her voice where it was not needed. "And I'mma flip this damn shop upside down." She then stepped closer to me, feeling as though she had instilled some sort of fear.

I turned to face my sister, talking to her just as she had talked to me. "Go 'head so I can beat your ass afterwards." I shrugged my shoulders.

My mother shook her head from side to side, ashamed of the way her daughters spoke to one another.

"Now wait a minute," Mike then intervened, placing himself between Dorinda and me. "Y'all gon' stop all this cursing in front of your mother. That ain't cool."

I rolled my eyes, wishing he had just let things be. Hell, Mike was part of the reason these two were even in my shop, thinking they could just show up with their hands out.

"See, Dorinda, I told you I didn't want to come to this shop asking Toni for nothing," My mother said, giving her focus to my sister. "I don't have time for this foolishness."

Dorinda sighed, rolling her eyes. "I didn't want to come here asking Boujie Ass for nothing either," she signaled toward me. "But we need help, Mama."

"Dorinda Elaine, you got one more time to curse and I'mma slap the piss out of you." Mother told her, making it clear that she was not having the profanity.

My sister tried to respond, but I stopped her from doing so. "Help with what? What is going on, Dorinda?" I grew curious, still not certain as to exactly what it was that they needed.

She took a moment before replying, breathing deeply and gathering her words. "Listen, about two months ago I got discharged from the Air-Force, alright?" After watching my eyes widen, Dorinda allowed embarrassment to settle within her own. "And I couldn't keep up with Mama's house payments...so...so she got evicted."