Let Me Just Say This (11 page)

“I don't want to go besides he is you friend, not mine. He probably is ugly anyway.” she said with a smile.

Angel pushed Cheryl towards the bathroom and told her to hurry up since they would be there in less than an hour.

They arrived at the restaurant and Kevin didn't bother to acknowledge her at all until her Angel whispered something that made him smile. Cheryl thought that Kevin could probably have had anyone. He was a tall man with the looks of a model. He was a little conceited but she figured he had to be since he was trying to open his own business. Besides, weren't all men conceited when they belonged to a fraternity?

“So your sister tells me you broke up with your boyfriend.”

Cheryl laughed to hide her nervousness and then simply answered yes.”

“Guess you are on the market now, huh?” he said as he
picked up his soda and took a sip from the glass.

“I guess that's what you would call it.”

“So, what kind of guy do you like?” he said.

Cheryl thought she noticed him roll his eyes to the top of his head a few times but she was trying to enjoy the date. After explaining that she really didn't like the jock types but liked them more smart than cute, she got his attention.

“So you would date the brothers that no other women would.” He said with a hearty laugh.

“I don't think that is funny. Besides my mother said that if you date a man that is cute, he will probably be a jerk or worse, gay. So I guess that means I couldn't date you.” she said with a hint of a smile.

“Look, I aint all that cute and I don't think I like…”

Angel cleared her throat and pulled Cheryl's sweater and told her to go to the bathroom with her.

“I don't need to go.” Cheryl said. “I hear that girls can't use the bathroom by themselves, they always have to go two by two.” Kevin said as he laughed so loud he shook the table.

Cheryl was fuming and couldn't wait to get up from the table, bumping it on purpose causing his glass of water to spill but he had quick hands and pulled the tablecloth up so it didn't get on him. She rolled her eyes as her sister pulled her away from the table.

They walked into the ladies room and Angel was all over her.

“What are you doing, good lord; you are going to make him leave.”

“Good, I don't like him anyway.”

“Girl, you better get a grip. I am trying to help you out and you are being rude.” Angel said as she applied another layer of lip gloss to her already shiny lips.

“Look, I was happy being at home. You dragged me out here with this jerk. God if he flexes his damn arms one more time, I am going to ask him if he has to do that to make sure they don't go flat.”

“Look, just be nice and the date will be over soon. God, this is what I get for trying to help you out.”

Cheryl went into the stall and said, “I don't need your help…wait…can you get me some tissue from the other stall…dang, I would pick the one without tissue in it.”

Angel went into the next stall and pulled the tissue from the roll and tossed it over the wall to her sister.

“Thanks, and I promise to be nice when we go back out but I am getting tired and ready to go.”

“Just another hour and then you can go back home and curl up in your damn den of loneliness.”

Cheryl stepped out of the stall and washed her hands and looked at her sister in the mirror.

“Look, I'm sorry. Thanks for getting me out of the house. I do appreciate it but next time can I at least pick the guy.”

“Deal.” Her sister said as she held the door open for Cheryl.

Kevin and Cheryl started dating and immediately she saw things that she didn't like but her sister told her to stop being so picky or she would never find anyone. Cheryl didn't like the way he always seemed to talk down to her when they had a conversation and she didn't like the way he made her feel stupid if she knew the answer to things. The thing that stood out the most was that he never wanted her to have a ‘real' opinion about anything. He wanted her to agree with whatever he said and if she didn't; well an argument would ensue and the night would be ruined.

Sure Kevin took her out to eat and unlike her previous boyfriends, they didn't go to any place that had a drive thru window. They were seated and after placing their order, there was the dreaded awkward silence.

“So what do you plan on doing now that you are officially an adult.”

“Umm, I have always wanted to move to New York and become an executive assistant to someone famous.”

“See that right there. You should always be ready to
answer a question like that.”

“Well, you didn't let me finish.”

“Well finish then.” He said with annoyance in his voice.

“I would make that person's day flow effortlessly. Making sure that I had everything lined up so he/she could move throughout their day like a breath, without a thought.”

“Oh, so I guess you do have some kind of sense.” He said and looked behind him as the waitress walked to the next table.

Their food arrived and not another word was said until he paid for dinner and they headed out, only to be met by Brenda. She tried to keep it moving but she insisted on calling out Cheryl's name. Cheryl tried to grab Kevin by the hand but he didn't want any parts of it. Instead he went up to Brenda and started talking. When Brenda moved on he turned to Cheryl.

“Why were you so rude?”

“Whatever.”

“Well, she told me that you used to date her man, but I guess that's in the past, since you are now my boo. Right?”

He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her in close for a kiss.

“So you wanna be my boo, huh?”

She didn't see what the harm could be even though her gut was telling her it was wrong but something in the way he had just kissed her made her feel special. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug and told him that she would be his ‘boo'.

Cheryl pushed herself up from the bed and limped into the bathroom. She turned on the water and as she applied the cocoa butter to the scratches on her arms she tried not to look into the mirror. She stepped into the shower and gingerly used the sponge to slide across her sore body. She let the hot water sooth her aches and pains and hoped that she didn't stiffen up when her muscles relaxed. She stepped from the shower, grabbing the thick brown towel from the rack and tried wrapping it around herself but when
she brought her arm up and around her, the sharp pain sucked the breath from her. She decided to pat herself dry and then would use the baby oil and concealing powder. She walked back into her bedroom and sat at her vanity. As she leaned over to apply the concealing power, she noticed just how many bruises she had. The bruises were deep and many. They ran up her legs, arms and finally rested at her neck. She needed to apply more than she was used to but when she was satisfied she went in and woke up Donnell and Kayla for school.

“Donnell, wake up. After school I want you to catch the bus over to your grandparent's house.”

“Why?”

“I just need a few days alone while your dad is out of town. Plus I want to do some cleaning and take care of some things.”

“Or are you just waiting for the bruises to heal?” Donnell said as he swung his legs to the side of the bed. “Why can't you just tell us the truth?” he said as he stood at his full six foot height.

“Look Donnell, just do what I ask you to do without being such a smart-ass.” Donnell brushed past her.

“Excuse you.” she said as she caught him by the arm. “Look, you told me, so get out of my room.” he said as he yanked his arm from her grasp.

“I don't know who you think you are, but you better watch your tone!”

He continued to his bathroom and slammed the door. “Look, you better get your ass together before you come out of there,” she said as she turned and walked out of his room.

She walked down to Kayla's room and found her lying on the floor with her cell phone beside her “Sweetie, it's time to get up for school.” Kayla stretched, rolled over and got up.

“Mommy, are you ok?” She asked.

“Yes sweetie. Why?”

“Cause I heard you and daddy fighting again.”

Cheryl grabbed her and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “You know mommy loves you, right, and would never let anyone hurt you. Now go get dressed so you can have breakfast.”

She walked into her bedroom wondering just how much Kayla had heard from the night before.

Donnell walked up behind her and caused her to jump,

“See if you weren't so scared of him, you wouldn't be jumping every time someone walked into a room.”

“Donnell, don't.”

“Mom, I just came to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you earlier, but you have to stop letting him treat you like that. I get sick of hearing you saying you're sorry for him hitting you. It's getting a little old. But anyway, I just wanted to say, I love you.” he wrapped his arms around his mother and Cheryl held back tears.

“I love you too; now go get ready for school,” she said while pushing him towards the door, “hey, no matter what, make sure you always look out for your sister, ok?”

“You know I will,” he said and walked back to his room.

She walked downstairs and made them breakfast. She yelled up to them.

“Come on you two, you are gonna be late.” They came bouncing down the stairs with Donnell teasing Kayla.

“Look you two, come on, you act like you are two years old.” Kayla kicked Donnell in the back of the leg while he tried to hit her arm.

“That's enough. Now sit down and eat. I didn't make this food for you all to play with it.”

Donnell grabbed the syrup from Kayla's hand and the top fell off, causing half of the bottle to pour out on his plate. Kayla let out a loud laugh and Donnell threw the top at her, hitting her on her white shirt.

“Mom, he got syrup on my shirt!”

Cheryl got the towel and went to work on the shirt, “Now why would you do that?”

“Mom, she took the top of the syrup and now I can't eat
my food.”

She looked at the plate full of syrup and smiled. “Next time, maybe you should let your sister use it first.”

“See, I knew you were going to say that. That's why she going to school smelling like a waffle house.” This time it was Donnell's turn to let out a loud laugh.

“Look, grab another small plate and put another pancake on it and get some of that syrup and let's go. You are going to be late.” She said as she tossed the towel on the counter.

As they grabbed their lunches, she followed behind them and felt a twinge of pain in her chest. She brushed back the tear and got into the car. She backed out of the driveway and saw Donnell hooking up his IPod to the rear seat.

“Mom, I left my IPod in the house.” Kayla said.

“Sorry, we are already late.”

“But I don't have any music to listen to.” She whined.

“I have the radio on.”

“You aren't listening to what I want to listen to. I had already downloaded all my songs for today.”

“Well, I guess you will hear them tonight.”

“Here,” Donnell said, “plug in and listen with me.” He handed her the extra set of earplugs and they were off into their own little musical world for the next fifteen minutes.

Cheryl pulled in front of the school and had just turned around when Kayla jumped from the truck before it stopped moving.

“Bye ma!” she shouted as she was already moving towards the front of the school. Donnell took his time getting his books.

“Ma, promise me that no matter what, you won't let him do this anymore. I can't stand to see you trying to cover up bruises all the time. Besides you are not doing a very good job and I hope you fix that before going anywhere else,” He said while touching the side of his mother's neck.

“Have a good day honey,” she said while he got out and
leaned into the open window.

“You too ma,” he said and blew a kiss.

He caught up with Kayla and slapped the back of her neck as he passed her. She tried hitting him back, but he was too fast so she turned and waved before Cheryl pulled away from the curb. She smiled inwardly.

She set out to do her daily errands before she had to pick them up from school. She picked up some groceries and a couple bottles of wine. She went to the dry cleaners to drop off Kevin's suits and instinctively stuck her hand in the pockets and came out with two unused condoms. She dropped them in her purse without a second thought. Before she knew it, it was time to pick them up from school. Kayla was all excited about some trip that the step teams would be taking in the spring and Donnell was talking about shooting basketball with his friends at his grandparents' house. She arrived at her parents' house. After the usual greetings her mother pulled her to the side.

“What is that?” she asked Cheryl when the kids went in to talk to their grandfather. She was pointing at one of the more obvious bruises.

“Ma, you know how men can get in the heat of the moment.”

“Ok, child,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I don't need all of the details.”

Kayla quickly chimed in, “They were fighting again,” and walked back into her grandfather's room.

Cheryl's mom raised her eyebrows and said, “You aren't nagging that poor boy again are you? I thought he was going out of town.”

“How do you know that?”

“He called me a little earlier when he couldn't reach you on your cell and told me to tell you to call him.”

“Oh did he now?” she said as she continued to walk towards her parents' bedroom. She flopped down on the bed as her mother came in behind her and pulled her feet from the bed and swung them back towards the floor.

“Keep your feet off my bed.” She said as she walked
over and sat down on the right side of the bed.