Part 11 (1/2)
Serenity walked out of the kitchen as Tia tried to maintain a calm demeanor. ”Why, Lorenzo?”
”Don't start, Tia,” he warned her. ”You know why.”
”I know what you say,” she continued, ignoring the tone in his voice. ”And I know you used to always come with us.”
”And you also know why I don't anymore, don't you?” he insinuated.
She looked at him hunched over in front of the refrigerator. He still hadn't turned around to face her.
”Don't you?” he repeated himself. The tone of his voice grew harsh.
”Your back?” she said putting her hands on her hips. ”For two years?” She shook her head and walked out of the kitchen. ”Same old excuse,” she mumbled.
”What did you say?” he asked loudly as he followed behind her.
”I said it's the same old excuse!”
”How many times do I have to tell you?” he said. His agitation was escalating. ”It's too uncomfortable to sit in one spot for an hour and a half!”
”But you can sit in front of the TV for hours at a time, right?” Tia's voice was laced with hostility.
”Yeah, but I'm in a recliner,” he yelled. ”That's a big difference!”
”You weren't in a recliner a few minutes ago when we came in!”
”Stop yelling!” Serenity intervened.
”Serenity,” Lorenzo said, breathing heavily, ”this is between grown folks.”
”Okay, but can you stop yelling at Mama?”
”What about me?” His sleepy eyes suddenly grew wide. ”You didn't hear her yelling at me?”
Serenity stared at him coldly.
”Oh, I guess not,” he said. ”You too busy talking to boys on the computer. You don't know what you talking about, little girl. You need to stay in your place.”
She kept her gaze fixed on his pinpoint pupils. ”I might not know what I'm talking about,” she said as he turned and shuffled back to the living room, ”but I know an addict when I see one.”
Lorenzo turned around quickly.
”Serenity, be quiet!” Tia said.
”Is that what you're telling her?” Lorenzo asked.
”Go get in the car,” Tia said to Serenity.
Serenity walked defiantly past both of them to the garage.
”I didn't tell her anything,” Tia said to Lorenzo.
”Then what made her say that, Tia?”
”She's not stupid. Half the time you're gone. And even when you're here . . . you're gone,” she said pointing to her forehead. ”All you do is lie on that couch. Then you get up and stagger to the kitchen or the bathroom, and you think she can't put two and two together?”
He dropped down on the couch with a thud. ”Y'all have a good trip,” he said without looking at her.
She slammed the door behind her without responding.
Tia was still fuming as she merged onto I-94 West toward Milwaukee. Serenity sat beside her preoccupied with her iPod. Although her daughter had placed both earplugs in her ears, the distorted sound of music still filtered through.
Tia tapped Serenity firmly on her thigh. ”Turn that down,” she said.
Even though it took approximately an hour and a half to get to Milwaukee, Tia was thankful that she was still able to visit her mother and grandmother once a month.
When they'd first started taking the drive, Tia would point out to Serenity the cows and occasional horses they pa.s.sed. The animals stood grazing in the various fields off the highway without a care in the world.
In two years, things had changed. The endless miles of land had been eradicated by new developers eager to make their presence known, and new subdivisions had been constructed one or two miles apart from each other. The few farmhouses that remained looked out of place among the upscale houses for sale, and the visibility of cows and horses had decreased significantly.
Tia tapped Serenity's thigh again and pointed to her ears. She waited while her daughter removed the earplugs from her ears.
”Why did you say that?” Tia asked her.
”Say what?”
”That your daddy is an addict.”
”Because.”
”Because what?”
Serenity looked down into her lap. ”Because he acts like one,” she said.
”And how would you know how an addict acts, Serenity?”
”Well, let's see.” She raised her head and looked up toward the car ceiling. ”He's always sleeping on the couch, and sometimes when he talks it's all mumbled.”
Tia sighed. ”Just don't call him that again, understand?”
Serenity turned to look at her. ”Why do you stay with him?”
”I'm trying to give him time, Serenity.”
”Time for what?”
”I don't want to talk about that now.” Tia exhaled deeply. ”And what did he mean about you talking to boys on the computer?”