At 2:30 we pulled up to the old house. To our surprise our mom's car was parked out front. The only question now was 'was she inside.'
We got out of our respective cars and headed up the front steps. Mya knocked. We were greeted by our mom. "Hey y'all," she said holding the door open for us. We filed into the living room, one behind the other and sat down. After locking the door our mom walked past me then stopped in her tracks. She turned back around and looked down at me.
"No Kevin today," she snarled.
I looked up at her. "He decided to sit this one out," I said dryly.
"Hm. He's backing out already? Smart man."
I tried to hold my tongue. I made a face at Mya. From across the room she motioned for me to calm down. My mom smirked at me and then walked away.
She sat down in a chair facing us and began. "I'm really glad that you all want to hear my side of this. It means a great deal to me." I tried not to roll my eyes or kiss my teeth. She started telling them the story. To my surprise she didn't deviate from what she told me. My siblings listened intently.
"I know that it will take some time to digest all of this, but I hope that you all will eventually find it in your heart to forgive me so that we can move on as a family." Tears were standing in her eyes. Everyone took their time to dissect what she had just admitted to them.
"Have you told dad yet," I blurted out. She quickly looked over at me in a state of surprise and sadness. "No. He's still recovering. I just need a little more time, but trust me when he's a bit more stable I'll talk to him."
I gave a quiet okay.
She perked up. "That's it? No smart remark? No judgemental glare? You're not going to debate me on this," she said in surprise.
"I'm sorry. I don't feel quite argumentative at the moment. I'll save that for my next visit."
"What a relief, because quite frankly I was getting tired of your snarky attitude."
"Is that right," I said dryly just before turning away from her.
"Okay. What is going on," she said sitting up. "Am I being pranked?" She looked around the room at everyone. "I miss that lovely banter of yours," she said sarcastically. "Have you given it up so soon?"
"Will you give it a rest ma?"
Her face stiffened in response to me and she raised her brow. "Who paid for your silence?"
I scoffed. "I can't be bought ma. Don't you know that by now?"
"Seeing as you're living in the apartment that your father and I paid for, no," she said with a smug look.
I opened my mouth, then closed it before pursing my lips and turning to face her. My hands were placed together as I held them up against my chin. "I've been trying to hold my tongue since I've gotten here, but you insist on provoking me. Why?"
My mother sat stunned. "I---uh---I'm just surprised that you don't have anything impertinent to say."
"Oh I do. I'm just making the conscious decision not to. Looks like you could learn a thing or two from me. Don't you agree?"
She stared at me for what seemed like a long time. "I will not be made to feel inferior in my home. You are my child and that's why I say what I want to say to you. You don't get to make smart remarks back. Twenty-two is hardly an adult and until you start making some grown up decisions there ain't a damn thing you can say to me although your entitled ass will try. So when I don't hear a smart alecky comment from you I'm surprised, because like damn, maybe my daughter is trying to be respectful for a change. I'm not wrong to question that."
