She settled into the passenger�s seat as her mother started the car. It was her pride and joy, her black Mercedes. Her mother�s life was about the perception of perfection. From her body, her life, her children, cars and home. She didn�t live in just any neighborhood; she lived in Buckhead. After the divorce from Gary, he moved out but he stayed in the neighborhood because he wanted to make sure he was near Lance.
Now, he was remarried and he and his new wife already had their first child together. Her mother and Gary had a very nice relationship. It wasn�t one where it became the modern version of War of the Roses. They didn�t hate each other. No one caught the other cheating; the relationship had run its course and it was time to move on; that�s how they seemed to go about it.
�Maleeyah, I have a spot near me up at the booth for you. I�ll have you doing a few things so my friends will see how smart and beautiful you are up close.�
�Ok, that�s a good idea.� Remember pick your battles.
When she found out she wasn�t going to sit at home on Thanksgiving Day she came to terms with going to the parade. She decided she was going to make the most of being outside amongst a throng of people. Now, she had to readjust her mindset and get ready to play gopher and trained monkey.
**
The door opened that evening and Lance came running inside,
�Mom, dad wants to talk to you.�
Their mother left the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel and tossing it on the counter before heading outside. She had just finished some kind
�Did you have fun?�
�Yeah, a lot of food and football. What could be better?�
�Well, the parade of course.�
He laughed. �That bad huh?�
She shook her head, �No, worse.�
**
�Darling, are you sure you can�t stay?�
�I�m sure mom. I have to get back to work tomorrow. I was lucky to get the day after Thanksgiving off.�
Although, the more she thought about it the more she realized no one had a problem with her not being there. The day after Thanksgiving was the shopping day of the year. She had no worries though she would make it up.
�That�s why you need something different. A real job.�
�I�ll look into it mom.�
Lance carried her bag out to the car and they all piled in, headed for the airport.
**
�So how was Atlanta, the queen and the little prince?�
Monica always called her mom the queen. She had the misguided notion that everyone in Africa lived under the rule of kings and queens; something out of Tarzan and Coming to America.
�They�re great. How was your Thanksgiving?�
Monica�s family lived about an hour and a half from her. They were close but not so close that they were able to help her in her time of need. It wasn�t really their fault. She didn�t confide in them.
�It was the family thing. You know how it goes. The food was great. I brought you back some.�
Every now and then she definitely loved the soul food. It wasn�t something she could eat only a regular basis. She reserved pig out days for the 4th of July and anytime Monica went home and brought back a gift for her. She didn�t have to worry about pigging out when she was at her mom�s house; her mother wasn�t the type.
�Great. I can�t wait. That�s my dinner tonight.�
Afterwards she would run because she didn�t the two days she was in Atlanta.
�Andre was at my family�s for Thanksgiving.�
�What? You invited him?�
�No, of course not. My mother did.�
Her mother knew Monica and Andre weren�t together anymore.
�Why would she do that?�
�You know she likes Andre. She thinks we�re just going through some simple problem. Not to mention she thinks I�m the problem.�
�She said that?�
�In so many words.�
�Why don�t you tell her why you left Andre?�
�I don�t want to tell them. Besides, it doesn�t matter how much they like him or anything of that because he and I are through.�
�Well, I�m glad about that.�
�Do you work tomorrow?�
�Yeah.�
�Let�s go out for dinner Sunday?�
�I work Sunday too. I switched so I didn�t have three days off but we can go out afterwards. Somewhere close as soon as I get off from work. I won�t even change.�
�Great, I want to go out. I haven�t been out in a while.�
For the most part, Maleeyah was the only person Monica went out with. She shared Andre�s friends but like him, they weren�t going anywhere in life.
**
She flipped open her phone,
It was an Atlanta number but she didn�t recognize it, �Hello?�
�Hi Maleeyah. I wanted to make sure you made it home safe.�
It was her friend Felicia. She was the only friend she kept from Atlanta. She believed in purging old friends when they were no longer good for where you were headed in life.
�Hi Felicia. Yeah, I�m safe and sound.�
�You should come back up soon and hang out. We miss you.�
It was precisely what she was talking about. She was moving on with her life; she didn�t want to look back.
�I only come up a couple of times a year. Why don�t you come down here? You can stay with me and I can introduce you to the big mouse.�
�Maybe; I�ve never been to Disney World.�
�You�ll like it. Its something everyone should do at least once.�
�The gang is all coming over later tonight. Steve, Lindsey, Kit, Will and Danny. I�ll call you back when they get here.�
�Actually, don�t do that. I�m going to bed soon. I�m already feeling a headache coming on. I�ve been up for a long time today. I need some serious sleep because I have to work in the morning. I�ll hook up with you in a couple of days.�
�Oh, ok. Well, feel better. Bye, I love you.�
�I love you too. Bye.�
She hung up the phone and turned it off just in case Felicia thought about calling her back.
013 | No Ordinary Girl