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"Bubba, Mommy's acting weird," Kolina spoke as soon as Knox walked up the steps to his childhood home. She had sat in the window as she had waited for his car to pull in the driveway, behind Loretta's truck. When she finally saw Knox's blue convertible, Koco ran to the door to wait for him.
Knox was instantly concerned. Shutting the door, he grabbed her hand and led her to the sofa, where he took a seat and sat her in his lap. "Acting weird how? She didn't hit you or...touch you? Did she?"
Kolina shook her curls. "No. She won't come out her room."
"What?" Knox frowned. "Why not?"
"I don't know," Kolina told him while shrugging her shoulders, "This morning, she let me dress myself for school. But when I came downstairs, she dropped the keys and ran to her room. I asked her what's wrong, but she didn't say nothing. And now she won't come out." She hung her head and fiddled with her small fingers. "I think she's mad at me."
Knox sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you didn't go to school?"
She shook her head again.
"And she's been in there all day?"
"Yes."
"She didn't feed you or anything?"
"I helped myself to some cookies."
"That's all? Aren't you hungry?"
"Yes, very."
"Come on, Kolina." He grabbed her hand and walked with her to the kitchen, where he proceeded to fix her a bowl of cinnamon and raisin oatmeal with green apple slices. Koco stood by him while he prepared her lunch. She rocked back and forth on her silver ballet flats and swayed in a denim apron dress.
After the scorching oatmeal cooled down some and the apples were sliced, Knox carried her food and a juice box to the dining table. He made sure she was seated comfortably before rushing up the stairs to see what was up with Loretta. He remembered her having weird moments, where she would go hours just staring at walls and walking throughout the house in a daze, but he never knew of her to lock herself in a room or in confinement. He thought it truly was, as Koco had said, weird, since Loretta hated constriction and limits.
He made it to her room and was ready to barge in, but was stopped by the lock on the door. He pressed his ear to the cool wood. There was no sound. He knocked and called to her.
"Loretta!" His call was met with silence. He knocked again. "Ma?"
"Go away!" He heard her groan. Becoming more concerned, he scrunched his eyebrows.
"Mama, it's me, Knox," he said, "Open the door."
He stood there for a bit, still hearing nothing. He was preparing to go back downstairs when the lock clicked, and the door cracked open. Loretta stood there with puffy eyes, her hair pulled back, and she was wearing nothing but a blue silk robe. Unexpectedly, she walked into Knox's chest and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Did you see her?" She whispered before pulling back and looking into his eyes. "Did you see her, Knox?"
"See who, Mama?" He asked, his voice laced with confusion. "Are you playing games? What's wrong with you?"
Tears welled in her eyes and her bottom lip trembled."She's just like me."
"Ma-"
"We have to stop it." She pulled away and walked into her room. Knox followed behind, watching her as she looked around the room for something. She looked under the bed, behind her pillows, under the blanket, and in the drawers, but her search was unsuccessful.
"What are you looking for?"
"My phone!" She wiped her hands down her face and let out a shaky breath. "I just had it. I know it. When I went to sleep, I sat it on the nightstand. No, I put it... Ugh! Where is it?!"
While she went on a tirade, Knox noticed something heavy in the right pocket on her robe. Releasing a somber sigh, he walked over to her and turned her around. He stuck his hand into the pocket and slowly drew out her cell phone. Loretta looked at it in surprise before snatching it and going to the contact list. She tapped to call button and placed the phone to her ear.
"Who you callin', Mama?" Knox wondered.
"The pastor." She told him, tapping her foot and nibbling on her finger nails.
"Why?"
"She needs prayer..."
"Who needs prayer?"
Loretta didn't answer. She began mumbling to herself as the phone rang. Knox snatched the device out of her hands and held it behind his back as she tried to get it back.
"No, Knox!" Loretta shouted, desperately reaching for her phone. "He needs to help her! She needs help!"
"Who needs help? Tell me, and I'll give it back." Knox insisted. Loretta seemed prepared to respond when Kolina appeared in the doorway.
"I'm finished!" she announced, looking at her mom and brother. Loretta froze and stared at her before rushing towards the little girl. Kolina squealed and ran back down the hall while Knox snatched Loretta back, the phone dropping out of his hand and onto the carpeted floor. Loretta sobbed as Knox slammed her onto the bed and pinned her down by her wrist. She writhed and wiggled in his hold with tears streaming down her eyes. Memories of her mother yelling obscenities and of being held in a similar position while her mother assaulted her with a Bible raced through Loretta's mind.
"Demon!" Loretta cried. "She's a demon!"
•••
"What about...this one?" Jenna asked Aiden, who shook her head.
After leaving the gallery, Aiden had raced home to tell her sisters about her date. She hadn't told them who Knox was because they didn't know that she was still pursuing her dreams as an artist. She only told them when and where, and her sisters immediately started looking for something that Aiden could wear.
"I think this one is pretty," Everett commented, pulling out a floral print dress. Aiden's faced balled up.
"Everett, no. That is hideous. I only wear it to church." Sighing, Aiden stood and pushed her sisters away from her closet. They scowled and watched as she passed dress after dress in search for the right look. With a delighted gasp, she pulled out a long, orange, form-fitting gown, with a slit that stopped above the middle of her thigh. She squealed in excitement as she rushed to her full-length mirror, placing the dress over her torso.
"Didn't you say that the two of you were going to a seafood restaurant?" Everett asked with uncertainty. Jenna nodded as a way of asking the same thing.
"Yeeessss," Aiden dragged, "but a date is a date. Besides, it's not a stinky crab shack. It's more of an upscale seafood place."
"Like Red Lobster?" Jenna threw in.
Aiden shrugged. "I guess."
Walking off, Aiden tossed her dress onto the bed and began to tie her hair up.
"What are you about to do now?" Everett asked, taking a seat on Aiden's bed.
"What does it look like?" Aiden said, grabbing a towel and a matching bra and panty set. She started to walk out but paused, looking back at her sisters. "Aren't y'all gonna get out?" She didn't see why they would stay in her room if she wasn't in there. With a roll of her eyes, Jenna brushed by Aiden with Everett following behind her. Then, after shutting her door, Aiden headed to the bathroom.
•••
"Loretta, calm down."
Knox watched as the woman kept sobbing and muttering nonsense.
"Ma... Calm. Down." Slowly but surely, Loretta hushed and looked up at her son. He let go of her wrist. They stared at one another for a while.
Loretta reached up to caress the sharp form of Knox's cheekbone. He flinched but didn't move away.
"You're such a good boy, Knox." She whispered. Tears swelled in her eyes once again and her bottom lip trembled. "I'm so sorry for everything. I just love you so much."
"I love to you too, Loretta." He sighed as he started to go comfort Kolina. With a quickness, Loretta sat up and clutched at his arm.
"No, Knox! I really love you! I would do anything for you! You're the only thing that keeps me breathing." She rose on her knees to grab his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "I'll kill myself if you ever leave me, baby. I mean it. I'm nothing without you."
Knox couldn't lie to himself. The thought of Loretta ending her life sent a chill down his spine; it shook him to his core. Between all the shouting she'd done earlier, trying to attack Koco, and now this, Knox no longer knew what to think of his mother. He wondered what was bothering her. She'd never acted out like this before.
He peered at her through squinted eyes. "You on that stuff? Huh? You sniffin' somethin'?"
"Wha--?"
"Loretta, is you doin' drugs?" He didn't give her a chance to answer, yanking her to him by her robe. "Have you lost yo' damn mind?! Doin' that shit around my little sister!"
It was all making sense to him now. Loretta had to be on something. She wasn't being like herself. Her eyes were crazed, she was forgetting things too often, and she was always tired. Everytime Knox called to check on Koco, he was told that Loretta was sleeping-- "napping", as Koco would say. What if she had locked herself up for a quick fix?, he wondered. And to think that he was starting to feel sorry for her. Everytime she got in his good graces she ended up messing it up.
"I am not on drugs!" Loretta responded, slapping his hand away from her robe. The knot had become undone at some point and the robe was opened, slightly showing her naked body. But neither of them paid any attention to it.
"Then, why the hell are you talking about killing yourself?"
"Because, Knox!" She stepped off the bed and onto the floor completely. Collecting her thoughts, she huffed and swiped a stray piece of hair from her face. "You never come to see me. The only time you're here is when you come to see that damned little demon seed, and even then, you don't say a word to me!" Tears came to get eyes once again as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'm losing you!"
"And who's fault is that?" Knox jeered sarcastically.
"Hers," Loretta spat while Knox also said, "Yours."
"If she's such a problem, then let me have her."
"And lose you completely? Do you think I'm fucking stupid?"
"You'ont want me to answer that."
She exhaled harshly, shifting her weight to one leg and resting a hand on her hip. "I am your mother--"
He waved her off before she could even get started. "I'ont wanna hear that shit. You always try to pull that when you don't get your way. You never acted like a mother, so don't start now."
Her shoulders slumped. "Knox, is it so hard to believe that I love you? Maybe I didn't act like a proper mother. But I took care of you! And in more ways then one." She wrapped arms around his waist. "If you don't believe me when I tell you, then let me show you."
She reached to unzipped his pants, but Knox smack her hand before shoving her down onto the bed.
He shook his head and headed towards the door. "You need help."
Loretta sobbed and slid down to the floor in a heap. Knox shut the door on her crying. He found Kolina in her room sitting on her bed. She jumped under the covers when he walked in. "Stop that," Knox told her, gently pulling the covers away from her. "I'll never let her hurt you."
Believing him, Kolina stood and climbed into his arms. The age of seven didn't stop him from holding her. He walked to her dresser and started taking out clothes for her to stay with him. He didn't trust Loretta around her right now. Kolina's well-being was the first thing on his mind. And his date with Aiden, was the last.
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