“Call my Grandma, please”

“Girl, ain’t nobody stunting you, you do what I tell you to and if you would’ve listened you wouldn’t be crying now.”

“She said, I could call her anytime, you were there when she said it, please?”

Shoving the phone towards me, with a look of disgust my Mom motioned towards it

“You know the number go ahead I need a break anyway, I have to go to work and you’ve been here a week straight.”

As I grabbed the phone I began to say the numbers out loud because that was easier for me to remember.  I waited impatiently for the spinner on the phone to get back in place so that I could dial the next number.  Finally dialing the last number, the phone rang once, when Hawk my Mom’s Pimp/boyfriend burst through the door….
“What the hell,” my Mom screamed as we both jumped from the sound of the door flinging open.

“What you mean, what the hell” he said through clenched teeth. “I been calling and coming by, what the fuck is going on, where you been?”

“Nigga I don’t even know who my daddy is, but I know ain’t you.” As she stood up and edged closer towards the back door.

With what seemed like one step of his long legs he was in my Mom’s face, grabbing her by her shirt,

Dropping the phone, I spun around searching for something to protect her with; I ran to the kitchen opened the first drawer I saw and grabbed a butter knife.

Holding the knife safely away from my body like my kindergarten teacher told me to I charged into the living room as it shook in my hands I yelled “Get back, get away from my Mother!”

What was once a serious and tense moment between the two immediately turned into laughter and Joy as Hawk let go of my Mom’s shirt and grabbed her by the waist pulling her into his arms.  As my Mom let him they both through their heads back and burst into gut wrenching laughter.

Moving the toothpick from one side to the other Hawk calmly said “Girl ain’t nobody gonna hurt your Momma, I just missed her that’s all.”  Moving to kiss my mom on the lips she turned her head towards me giving him her cheek. 

Looking at me her eyes gave pride and love “put the knife down before you hurt yourself Joy.”

I stared at her, then I stared at him, back and forth I went wondering who I should stab first, for playing with my emotions.  Slowly I walked back to the kitchen and reluctantly the knife released from my sweaty palms onto the kitchen counter as Hawk pointed to the phone off the hook where I had left it.  “Who’s on the phone?”  “Dammit,” my Mom said as she walked to the phone and picked it up. 

Turning from where I could see her she said “hello.” I could see her body shift from relaxed to tense as she said “I will have her ready, yes she will be ready.” She said as she hung up the phone.

Turning back towards me she said “Girl go get your clothes, your Grandma is coming just like you wanted, and hurry up.” She added with agitation.

Smiling, I turned around and headed towards my room, knowing my Grandma had heard the whole thing, and I would probably get to stay a month straight this time….