Manic Pixie: Black Girls and the Everyday

Mommy Issues

"I got a question"

Tati said out loud to her 3 friends all devouring their burgers. Tati put down the fry she was about to eat and looked at them waiting for their attention. Sara nodded a go ahead as she tried to swallow a large chunk of meat.

"At 21 should I really still be stressing"

"What kind of question is that?" Kaya said, rubbing dried sauce off her chin.

"I miss vhs, this adulting thing not working out"

"Sis your 21, it's not working out for anyone of us"

"You know I don't focus on the next bitch. Plus, my life is not like yours. I mean you just finished university and are here on vacation!" Tati said, shaking Kaya's arm back and forth. Kaya rolled her eyes unmoved by Tati's last meltdown.

"But me? – at 21 I packed it all and moved to L.A. and I ain't got nothing else to say. It's hot every day, I can't find a job and I don't have a place to stay"

"Weren't you living with your boyfriend?" Anni said finally joining the conversation

Kaya and Sara chuckle at the question. Tati slumps over in defeat and embarrassment.

"Girl you don't know. Her boyfriend called her mommy when they were going at it" Kaya half screams as Sara bursts out laughing.

"Ooooh"

"Ugh, can you please stop telling people about that"

"Hold on I'm not just anyone"

"Yeah," Kaya says, backing up Anni.

"Fine whatever laugh all you want make fun of me and my stupid life."

"Wait so what exactly happened like were you giving him gawk gawk 3000 and he moaned mommy or..." Anni askes ignoring Tati's failed guilt trip.

Sara shakes her head "Nope he was lathering her donut with that krispy kreme glaze and moaned it into her ear."

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CALL IT THAT?" Tati says into the table.

"You know it sounds better than that other word" Sara makes a visibly disgusted face which sends Anni and Kaya into another fit of laughter.

"Buttermilk is the one" Anni says, still recovering from all that laughing.

"You know what I'm fine"

"Really?" they all say looking at a face down Tati.

Tati lifts her right hand up and gives them a thumb up.

"I'm just going to get drunk tonight and head over to his place and get my stuff"

"Wait, didn't you say it was his birthday?"

"Yup it is." Kaya pats her on the back feeling bad about the awkward conversation ahead of her.

"Won't be too bad right like he is throwing a party, right?"

Tati sighs "no he's sober now and he thinks a party would be too hard for him"

They go quiet not having anything else to say to each other over Tati who was clearly having a well-deserved melt down.

"I mean do you really have to move out over the mommy thing? Why not just talk to him." Kaya says.

Tati considers this for a moment that the mature thing to do in this situation would be to talk to him about it instead of running away. Plus, if she's being honest with herself, he's a great guy and it was kind of hot.