Ashonté

Ashontè

Cordella "Cody" Marie Baxter

"Cordella! Get down here, your brother just came in from Louisiana!"

Cody got up from her bed and threw on a plain white shirt, some gray sweats and tall NIKE socks. Shaun, one of Cody's brothers, came back from visiting some family in Louisiana. Cody didn't go because they don't appreciate her sexuality nor her bodily decisions. They think that her choices aren't wise and pure. Your family should love you for who are you, but in some situations, that quote doesn't fall to far. 

"Watch out lil' dyke!" Marshall, Cody's little brother, said while running out his room. 

"This lil' dyke finna beat your ass you keep on." Cody said while pushing Marshall into the wall. Marshall may be fourteen, but he could be disrespectful. 

The two bickered around until they go near the dining room area. Shaun and ma were hugging and shedding small tears of joy. "I'm so glad you're back baby! We missed you so much." mama said. Cody told Marshall to get some tissue from out the bathroom while she went to greet Shaun. Shaun was one of Cody's biggest supporters. He was the first one Cody "came out" to. 

Marshall came back with a big wad of toilet tissue in his hand "Here ma. You don't look to good when you cry." Shaun and Cody started snickering to themselves as mama snatched the tissue out of Marshall's hand. "Thank you man-man, but that wasn't really a compliment." 

"It wasn't an insult neither mama."

Mama smacked Marshall upside his head. Marshall was a little clown. He just doesn't know when to cool it down. Around last year, they were at a funeral when Marshall moved Grandpa Sand's hand around in the casket like he was a ventriloquist doll. 

"Cordella baby, why don't you let Marshall and Shaun catch up? Come help me finish dinner."

Cody walked off with mama into the kitchen. "You finish rinsing off the cabbage, I'll do the neckbones." mama said while stirring the meat in the pot. Cody put the rest of the cabbage in the sink and rinsed them with water, checking for any bad spots or dirt. 

"You know your dad wanted to see you.."

"So?"

"When are you going to forgive him? Cody I'm pretty sure he didn't mean what he said."

"I'm not forgiving that man. He meant what he said and I did to. He left us for another woman, had a family, and had the nerve to blow off at me when I told him I'm a lesbian? Oh nah, he could sit right where the hell he's at." Cody said "Imagine what he'd do if he saw me. You see how I am ma. I dress like a boy. I don't have a set of breast and I most definitely don't have a lot of rump to go by. He'd probably try to fight me like a damn nigga on the streets."

Mama closed the top on the meat moved closer to Cody "One, you not gone be in hea' cussin'. Especially not while talking to me. Two, God says forgive baby. You should at least try to see where he's coming from."

"What? See where he's coming from? Nah ma, I can't do that. If he don't like what he sees then that's a personal problem. I, Cody Baxter, am a stud. I dress like a boy, I date girls and I like who am I. I will NOT change for a man who can't fucking understand left from right."

"Watch your mouth child! Your name is Cordella and it will stay that way! I don't know where you developed all this sin anyway."

"Sin? A sin? Fuck you ma'. Fuck you. No sin is greater than another so I don't see how in the hell being gay is the biggest one yet. Out of all the sin YOU do as well as everybody else, you will always think that being gay is the worse thing in the world. If that's the case fucking send me to hell and I'll see you and dad there." Cody said. Mama looked at Cody with a shocked facial expression. She raised her hand and smacked Cody. A loud sound spread throughout the house. Shaun and Marshall ran in the kitchen to see what was going on. Cody balled her fist, but soon let it go.

"I'm glad you feel that way." 

Shaun stopped Cody in her tracks "Come on Cody, you know ma ain't meant no harm."

"I don't care. She said what she said. Words were exchanged, it's over. I'm bout to leave out bro. I'll be back later." Cody said while putting on her NIKE slides that were by the door. She grabbed her car keys off the key rack and slammed the house door shut. 

She didn't know where she was going, but it had to be better than home.

**

Did you guys enjoy this chapter? You got a little bit of background information on Cody, or Cordella, and her family. What do you think about Mama and what she said? Do you think she was in the wrong, or was she right?

Was Cody overreacting?

I will be on the lookout for another picture of Cody. Let me know what y'all think!

Comment, like and share.

Thanks for reading! ❤ -Brittney