Toxic

Pre and post Jesus

December 2018

The difference between Harrison's church and the one her parents used to go to on Christmas day was that she actually enjoyed this one.
Whilst the latter was long winded and sleep inducing, Harrison's was fun.

Fun.

Words she never thought she'd use in describing a church service.
The members danced more that they did at parties she went to.
The choir sang a good song that a ton of people in the congregation seemed to know.
The pastor was funny.  Funny and made sense in a way.

Love everyone.

God is love.

It didn't really make sense in her head but the people he was talking to seemed to get it.

At the end of the message she decided that she liked Jesus.

He seemed liked a cool guy.

"Mariah"

She turned around.

"What are you going to have?" Harrison asked her.

They were seated at a large table at the Home Kitchen. An upscale restuarant in the mainland of the town.

She saw that they were all waiting
Forget to say something. She looked at the menu that Harrison had slipped in front of her without her knowledge.

"Egusi and poundo" she said slowly.

Harrison's mother nodded and procedded to repeat what she had said to the waiter.

"Hey" Harrison said. He was smiling at her. She hated that.
She'd given Harrison so much grief over the past couple of weeks and he was still nice to her. He still treated her well. He smiled at her all the time.  She didn't like comparing him to JJ..but her subconscious mind did.

Mariah hadn't seen JJ since she woke up at the hospital. Her father threatened fire and brimstone on him and his family but the case was settled outside of court. Mariah hated that.
She wanted JJ to have a court ordered psychiatric evaluation, that had been one of the terms of the settlement, somehow she wasn't sure that part of the agreement would be carried out.

Harrison nudged her again. "what's going on in that head?" he asked

She shouldn't be ignoring Harrison. Why was she here with the family in Christmas day?  Because Harrison shared the same birthday with Jesus.

"I'm here." she mumbled.

Harrison chuckled.
"I can see that. Are you okay?"

Mariah nodded. "mmhmm" she hummed.

Aretha was seated on her father's lap on the opposite side of the table trying to eat banana slices that had been placed in a plate in front of her. Trying to. Somehow the slices kept getting stuck in between her fingers and falling back into the plate. Her dad helped and eventually she got about three slices in her mouth at the same time.
Her cheeks were puffed up and it made Mariah chuckle.

"mawiah bwing the ammama" she said her cheeks full.

Mariah didn't know how she had been able to decipher what the 2year old was saying because even her father had patted her back and asked her to finish chewing.

"The camera is in my bag. We'll take pictures later" Mariah said.

Aretha nodded turning around to face her father. She reached for his shirt and he shook his head. The banana juices would only end up leaving a stain on this shirt.

"Picture. Daddy. Picture"

"Yes 'Retha we'd  take pictures later." her father replied.

"I think your mother hates me" Mariah whispered