Welcome to Hell: Rediscovering First Love

“You make no sense. What is the other favor?” I asked rubbing my forehead.

“Please talk to Adin about birth control. She simply refuses to listen to me and I don’t need another unwed pregnant daughter to deal with in this family, Two has been plenty,” she said with such exasperation that I almost laughed out loud. “Thank Jesus Gemma is married now.”

“Yes thank Jesus and Yancy. Adin is twenty-eight years old. She isn’t a virgin. She has protected herself from pregnancy for a good thirteen years now. I don’t think she needs for me to discuss birth control with her but if it will make you feel better I’ll mention it.”

“Thank you dear. I feel so much better having gotten that off my plate. I can’t wait to see you both. By the way dear what color is Keegan’s hair this time?” She asked in a whispered voice as if Keegan could hear her. “Maybe if I’m prepared my response won’t be so pronounced which seems to put her on the defensive. I really do mean well and love her with all my heart. ”

“I know you do. I’m sorry but her hair is half purple and half green Yancy,” I replied seriously. Keegan’s hair was a normal shade of dark brown, which Yancy hadn’t seen for some time.

“Oh good God,” she replied. “I can’t wait to see this mess. Thanks for preparing me. I will do my best to not react and say something foolish.”

Yeah and I will watch your head explode while you try to not say anything. “Yancy, why were you having tea every Friday with Esther McCoy until she became so sick?” I asked suddenly remembering what Kerry had told me.

“What?” My mother sounded suspiciously guilty. Caught in the act.

“You heard me. Don’t act innocent. Why? Spill it. You’ve been ratted out.”

“Because we have a granddaughter in common. One whose welfare means a great deal to both of us.”

“What did you talk about?” I asked suspiciously.

My mother hesitated before answering. Finally, she replied, “Keegan, what else?”

“Kerry and I were never mentioned?”

“Gabrielle of course you were mentioned. You are an important part of Keegan’s life as mother and father of the child. Goodbye dear,” she said flippantly but effectively ending the conversation.

“I’m not done with you.”

My mother sighed heavily into the phone. “What else do you want dear?”

“I want to know what you are up to that is what I want.”

“Gabrielle what are you talking about?”

“You and Esther weren’t just discussing Keegan. I’m not ignorant.”

I sighed into the phone. She was a meddler from way back and I was fairly certain she had been up to her meddling ways. She had better spill it and quic

kly. I was tired of her shit right now.

“Good God Gabrielle what do you want me to say? Do you want to hear that we were both worried about our children who have never been truly happy without each other? Do you want to hear that she put me in my place? She did you know.” My mother’s voice was shrill.

“She showed me how shallow I was in how I thought of Kerry. She let me know that he left because of me. She shamed me. We had a coming to Jesus discussion. One of many I might add. We had hoped that when you came home this last time you would realize how much you still loved him and not go home.”

I gasped. She had struck a chord in my gut in my heart in my soul. Damn her meddling. I expected this of her but of Esther?

“You need to stop playing with people’s lives. It is a dangerous game Yancy. Why have you not learned your lesson?”

“Goodbye Gabrielle.”

She had no answer for me. Knowing Yancy she didn’t feel she owed me an answer.

“Goodbye Yancy. I’ll see you shortly.”

I should have felt guilty for lying about Kat’s hair color but didn’t. The woman drove me bat shit crazy. She and Esther had been talking about only Kerry and me. They were plotting to get Kerry and me together. Damn meddlers. I owed them a big thank you.

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