Gold (BOOK 3) || PRN

XXXII. Family Feuds

All of it is nothing but some bullshit.

"You two have been trying to run my household from afar and I don't appreciate any of it." My mother specks with her hands neatly folded in front of her. The light makes her manicure sparkle as if it is glowing. "We have to get it together." My eyes blink, dropping to the brand new wedding ring on her finger. I figure it's an anniversary gift as I don't care to think it over too much. I don't care about any of this.

Clearing my throat, I take a long drag of my tea. My voice needs to be taken care of at all times while I'm recording. I'm not wasting it on the woman who birthed me. "I think that you're mistaking us being worried as discourtesy and disrespect." My tone is light, as polite as I can be, and diplomatic. I don't want to fight.

"No, it is disrespect. How dare you tell me how to raise your brother? He's my son."

My eyeballs peer in Aaliyah's direction. She knows I quit. "Your turn." I'm not going to sit here and let her yell at me like I'm twelve. Although I'd grown my backbone much later than Aaliyah, when it came to my mother and father, mine is the strongest between the two of us. I'm not dealing with this.

Aaliyah looks exhausted as she attempts to reason with them and I don't blame her. She's pregnant and working. Everyday she runs a restaurant downtown, raises a child, acts as a wife, and steps in occasionally to make sure my house isn't on fire or that Eddie isn't homeless. She's the true mother of our family and that's not the way it should be.

"Mommy, we don't think it's fair for you to up and kick him out over something so minor."

Our mother shakes her head and says, "It is not about what you think, Aaliyah."

My father sits rather quietly as my mother does all of the talking. His insubstantiality gives me chills to the depths of my bones. I was a Daddy's Girl growing up but this isn't the man my daddy was. I guess that's another man in my life who'd died before my eyes after breaking my heart. He hasn't been quite the same since around the time Johnny came to life.

"Okay, Mom. Can we talk about Thanksgiving? You and Chanel almost killed each other."

She falls into a state of complete silence.

My fingers fiddle with my locket. Prince has given me a lot of things but this is the best item he's ever placed in my hands. This piece of jewelry has the calmest aura I've ever experienced attached to it. It was my life saver most of the time. I close my eyes, squeeze it between my fingers, and I can go home sooner than I think sometimes. It mellows me out. It centers me.

I decide to speak up. "Mommy... We need a professional. You need professional help. I'm not saying this as anyone but Chanel, this is your daughter speaking. I'be gone to a therapist for a long time. I know that none of this is healthy."

"None,"Aaliyah quietly echoes behind me. She's in clear agreement that this family needs a shrink.

It's been too long and the core of our union is now rotten. I don't know what happened to my family. It's disheartening to look back at the way we once were and then look at the way we are now. So many things habe changed and shifted. All five of us have experienced some traumatic things these last nine years and I think it's time to face it all at once. For the sake of our family, we had to do this... Especially my mother and I.

I know she resents me for what my father's done. I'm self aware enough to recognize that but that elephant will die in the room with us before she's woman enough to admit to it. This is why we need help.