“She’s a straight-A student. I bet she’ll be the valedictorian of her class. She does charitable work in Eden. Every Saturday she is at the retirement home. The guests there just love her and is she so creative,” Littie declared loving to sing Keegan’s praises when James or his mother was around. “That child can act. She can write the most beautiful poems. I just don’t know what I’m going to do without her around.”
“Where is she going?” Belle asked suspiciously.
Littie looked at Belle as if she were the stupidest person on the planet. “To NYU,” she declared.
“She hasn’t been accepted.” This came from James.
“She will be,” I declared angrily.
“I hope so,” James replied.
“I bet you do,” Littie said.
“What does that mean?” Belle asked barely controlling her anger.
“Keegan and James don’t get along although I can’t imagine anyone not getting along with my girl,” Littie declared. “I’m sure he hopes she gets accepted to a college that is on the east coast so she won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
My eyes were wide with shock at Littie’s deliberate antagonizing of James.
“My son wouldn’t have to deal with her,” Belle said emphasizing the words deal with her, “If her mother could control her.”
“Her mother does just fine at controlling her. Perhaps you should learn to control your adult son,” Littie responded nastily.
“Littie enough,” Virgil snapped.
Littie rose from the chair she was sitting on. She glared at Belle Ellerton and if looks could kill Belle would be dead. “Time to go home Virgil.”
“You can say that again,” her husband agreed which brought a look of daggers directed toward him from his wife.
Littie hugged me at the door harder than was necessary but she wanted me to understand how much she loved both Keegan and I. She whispered sadly, “It’s time to go.”
At first I didn’t understand her meaning. She squeezed my arms gently and kissed my cheek. “Call me tomorrow,” she said.
“I will.” Then I understood what she had meant. It was time for Keegan and me to leave James, time for us to go home permanently to Hell.
Closing the door behind the older couple I turned and was faced with James and Belle.
“Mother, I just don’t understand Littie. Virgil is such a nice man but his wife…”
“Is a wonderful human being who treats people the way she is treated,” I butted in before James could put Littie down.
Belle glared at me. She no longer enjoyed my new found independence. I could tell she preferred the silent Gabrielle who endured her bitchiness.
“Don’t worry dear. I understand women like her.” She said staring directly at me making a point that I was a woman like Littie.
#
Belle left for Memphis the next morning kissing her son goodbye and waving to Kat and me with a dismissive wave of her perfectly manicured hand.
“Be careful,” I called out to her.
“Mom, do you think she’ll fall off her broomstick?” Keegan whispered in my ear. I tried hard not to laugh out loud as James was standing only a few feet away. I was hoping he hadn’t heard Keegan.
“Mother, call me when you get home,” James said with concern.
Yes Mommy call your baby when you get home. Now that was just mean and bitchy. Oh well.
“Yes, Belle call