Janet
Our bathroom shenanigans lasted longer than I'd hoped, but I was enjoying reminiscing with Shawn. There were so many other stories we could've talked about, but I at this pace I was definitely going to be late for lunch with my sisters. It had been almost a year since we'd seen each other. I knew it wasn't a good idea to bring Shawn, so we agreed to meet at her place for dinner later, just incase lunch ran long.
The Restaurant
Walking inside, I was immediately greeted by the smiling faces of my sisters. Rebbie couldn't get to me fast enough. She didn't even wait for me to reach the table. She always meets me halfway. Always.
She stopped in front me, smiled and opened her arms. I fell right into them. As far back as I can remember, her and Mother have always worn the same perfume. She smelled like home, forcing me to almost come undone. I shut my eyes tight fighting back the tears. She let me go and held my face in her hands.
"Hey baby sis." She said and smiled. "Every time I see you, it blows my mind how beautiful you are."
"Hi." I just gazed at her with a silly grin on my face. "I've missed you so much." I said and hugged her again.
"Well if you would call or come see me more often you wouldn't have to miss me." She said swaying slightly.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Don't be, my pay back was bringing this one with me today. She said and tilted her head in the direction of LaToya. She stood up and walked over to us.
"I heard that." She said and gave a cheesy smile. "Hey DJ." She said and gave me a side hug. She was the only one who ever called me that. She tugged at my shirt. "You're looking kind of skinny girl. Are you not eating?"
"You know I eat. In fact can we sit down and order." I said. "I'm starving."
The waiter came out with the menus and I finally glanced around the room. "They don't get very many customers here do they?"
Rebbie looked over her menu and laughed.
"I rented it out. I wanted us to be able to enjoy ourselves without other people around." LaToya
"Who's paying for it?" I asked. Rebbie looked at LaToya.
"Well, I figured we could split the cost." She said with a sweet smile.
"Of course you did." I said shook my head and Rebbie laughed. The waiter approached us and took our orders.
Lunch with my sisters turned out to be exactly what I needed. With our schedules it was definitely hard to do this all the time but a year was way too long. I laughed, looking back and forth between them as they told old stories from our childhood.
Things quieted down after the food was brought to the table. I couldn't take my eyes off Rebbie. We'd occasionally glanced in each other's direction and smile. She was who I wanted to be growing up and the type of woman I still aspire to be today.
Things were always so rocky between LaToya but she had also gone against our family dynamic many times. Our family is not perfect. We've never claimed to be, but Mother and Joseph had very simple rules... What goes on in our house, stays in our house. She never seemed to grasp that concept and it put a strain on her relationship with most of us.
She gave me a look.
"What is that look for?" I asked.
She finished her bite of food and wiped her mouth. " I need to talk to you about something." She said. Rebbie looked at her.
"Toya not today."' She said.
"No Rebbie, I am really concerned for my friend right now and I need to address it."
I sat up in my chair, eyes squinted at her. "What friend are you referring to?" I was already feeling irritated.
"Rene called me yesterday. He is not doing so good." She said.
"Toya, I told you to drop this." Rebbie said. "Why do you always feel the need to stir up nonsense?"
"Janet stepping out on her husband is hardly nonsense don't you agree?"
I glared at her, feeling angry and embarrassed. "Fuck you." Throwing down my napkin I stood up and stormed out of the restaurant.
Rebbie walked out soon after. I glanced back at her. "I don't need you coming out here with your judgment okay?" I searched through my purse and pulled out a pack of Cigarettes that Rene had left. Rebbie slapped them out of my hand and onto the ground.
"Are you kidding me with this?" She said pointing to the cigarettes. "You don't even smoke."
"They're Rene's and I thought it might make me feel better." I explained
"We'll find another outlet." She shook her head. "You know better than this. What would Mother think?" She made me feel horrible for even considering it. "Janet please tell me what is going on with you."
"Nothing Rebbie." I lied. We both look towards the door to see LaToya coming out. I was over her. "Goddah Toya, will you just go away already." I said in frustration. I bent over to pick the cigarettes up and put them back in my purse, only to have Rebbie slap them from my hand again.
"Oh can I have one of those?" LaToya picked them up, took one out and lit it.
"Oh so she can but I can't?"
"You catch on fast. Beauty and brains." Rebbie said trying to make me smile. It didn't work.
"Look Janet, all I'm saying is give the man a chance to explain himself." LaToya said.
"He's not the same man I fell in love with." I said.
"Or maybe he just lost his way." Rebbie explained. "Do you remember what Mother went through with Joseph. She stuck by him, and loved him past all of that. He is a better man for it today. Now I don't what Rene has done and I'm not telling you what to do, but at least consider hearing him out, after all, we all make mistakes... isn't that right?"
I nodded. They had a point. "I don't know that we can come back from this." I shook my head. "I don't know that I even want to fix it."
"Well now is the time to figure it out." LaToya said and pointed towards the street. Rene was walking towards us, flowers in hand. I'd been avoiding him since what happened at our home. What the fuck was I going to do now...
