I’m so glad your father-in-law is doing well,” Trina said, making herself comfortable at the end of the sofa in the family room.
Curtis sat adjacent to her in a chair. “We are, too. He had us worried for a while, but God brought him through just fine, and he’s recovering well.”
“I know Charlotte and your mother-in-law must be so relieved.”
Curtis and Trina both turned their attention to a rerun of Good Times that was playing in the background. Trina actually seemed a little more energized today, which he was happy about, but he also couldn’t stop thinking about Charlotte and the way they’d argued. He couldn’t deny that there was a part of him that felt guilty about not being at the hospital with Joe today, but he also hadn’t wanted to miss another day of seeing his sister. He still didn’t know how long she had, so he’d decided last week that he was going to spend all the time he could with her. Plus, he wondered why Charlotte had seemed so agitated and angry. She was acting as though he’d done a lot more than drive over to Chicago, and he couldn’t understand it. Curtis knew she was stressed about her father, but it almost seemed as though something else was going on. Something she wasn’t telling him.
“Do you ever think about Daddy’s family?” Trina asked. “Because I sort of hate we never got a chance to meet any of them.”
“Sometimes. Especially our paternal grandparents.”
“I know. And we didn’t get to know Mom’s parents, either. Mom’s dad died when she was a child, and her mom died when I was still a baby. But I never stopped wishing we could’ve had them in our life.”
“I wished for that, too, and now that Charlotte and I have our first grandchild, I’m very much aware of what you and I missed. There’s nothing that compares to a grandparent-grandchild relationship. Nothing I can think of.”
Trina’s face turned sad. “I’ve heard that from so many people, and I’m sorry my grandchildren won’t ever get to know me.”
Curtis stared at her.
“And no, I still haven’t lost my faith in God—if that’s what you’re thinking. But I’m also being realistic. I know how sick I am, and so do you.”
“I know” was all Curtis said.
Trina smiled. “But hey. At least we got to meet Uncle Bradley and Aunt Samantha,” she said, referring to their mother’s brother and his wife.
“True, and we met Mom’s two first cousins from Ohio, too. Etta Mae and Rayzene.”
“That’s right. You met them at Mom’s funeral. I’d forgotten about that.”
“Yep. I’d first met them when we were kids, but I didn’t remember them all that well.”
“They’ve both gotten up in age, but I do still talk to them a few times a year,” Trina said.
“That’s really good. I’m glad you keep in touch with them.”
Trina smiled again. “Do you remember all those times Uncle Bradley and Aunt Samantha came over and brought us clothes for the summer? They always came right after the school year had ended. Usually the next day.”
“I do remember that. Wow.”
“I was always so excited and grateful.”
Curtis nodded. “I was, too. They bought us clothing every summer and again when school started back up, and those were the only two times we ever got to wear something new. Well, actually, they always got us a few pieces at Christmastime, too.”
“And they gave us money on our birthdays.”
“Yep. I remember, and it’s so hard to believe they’re gone now.”
Trina turned her attention back to Good Times, but Curtis thought more about Uncle Bradley and Aunt Samantha. He thought about one day in particular when they’d come over to bring some clothing—a day Curtis would never forget.
“Do you like your short sets?” Aunt Samantha asked Trina.
“I sure do,” she said, hugging her aunt and uncle. “Thank you so, so much.”
Aunt Samantha was a large happy woman with smooth, beautiful skin and an equally beautiful smile. “And two summer dresses and two pairs of sandals are in the bag, too.”
Trina pulled out the rest of her things, and so did Curtis.
“I picked out your stuff,” Uncle Bradley proudly announced. “I know what us men like to wear.”
Pauline and Aunt Samantha laughed, and so did Curtis.
“Thank you, Uncle Bradley. Thank you, Aunt Samantha,” he said, hugging both of them.
Uncle Bradley patted him on his head. “You’re quite welcome, son. We’re glad to do it.”
“You all didn’t have to do this,” Pauline said tearfully.
“We wanted to,” Aunt Samantha said. “We don’t mind at all.”
Pauline wiped her eyes. “Well, God bless you both.”
“And anyway,” Uncle Bradley said matter-of-factly, “somebody’s gotta do it. Because that lowlife you’re married to sure isn’t.”
Pauline looked mortified. “Bradley!”
“Well, you know I’m telling the truth, Pauline. He’s a worthless, good-for-nothin’ lunatic. And he’d better not be putting his hands on you,” Uncle Bradley said, and then looked at Curtis. “Is he putting his hands on your mama? Because if he is, I can put a stop to that. Just like I did before.”
Curtis shook his head. “No, sir, he doesn’t.”
Uncle Bradley looked at his niece. “Trina?”
She shook her head, too. “No, sir, he doesn’t.”
“And what about the two of you?”
Curtis and Trina immediately glanced over at their mother, who was standing slightly behind Uncle Bradley, and she subtly shook her head.
“No, sir,” Curtis told him.
“No, sir, he doesn’t,” Trina added.
“Well, he’d better not be, and I mean that. And if he ever does, I want you children to call me as soon as possible. You hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” they both answered.
Pauline seemed nervous and spoke quickly. “Bradley, you leave my babies alone. Curtis and Trina, don’t you pay your uncle any mind. Now, take your things and go to your rooms, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both said, gathering their clothing and shoes and leaving.
But as soon as they both entered Curtis’s room and shut the door, they heard their mom and Uncle Bradley arguing.
“I don’t know why you stay in this ol’ crazy situation,” he said. “No man is worth all the madness he puts you through. And he’s not doing a doggoned thing for these children, either. It’s a crying-out-loud shame, and for the life of me, I don’t know how you can live with yourself.”
“Bradley, please,” they heard Aunt Samantha say. “Please don’t do this. Just leave it alone.”
“Well, I can’t help it. This is my sister, and I want better for her. I want better for my niece and nephew.”
Curtis and Trina looked at each other, and as usual, tears fell from Trina’s eyes.
“Why does Mom take up for Daddy all the time, Curtis?”
“I don’t know, and now she’s making us lie about the way he treats us.”
Trina cried harder, and Curtis tried to console her. It was true that their dad never touched their mom, but he had definitely roughed up Trina a few times, and he flat-out beat Curtis whenever he felt like it. Their father did whatever he wanted, and there wasn’t a single thing they could do about it. It was the reason Curtis wished he were dead. Or that he would simply leave and never come back again.
Trina was still watching Good Times, but Curtis couldn’t stop thinking about his uncle Bradley and how angry he’d gotten with their mother. Until now, Curtis hadn’t thought about this particular day in years, and interestingly enough, he still wondered what his uncle had meant when he’d said, “Just like I did before.” Curtis had even asked his mom about it later that evening, but she’d told him that she had no idea what her brother had been talking about. Curtis hadn’t understood why she was lying about it, because he’d been able to tell from the look on her face that she was. But what hurt him more was the fact that she’d nonverbally told him and Trina to tell Uncle Bradley that their father wasn’t abusing them. Curtis hadn’t understood that, either, and this single incident had given him yet one more reason to resent his mother. Because even though she wouldn’t protect her own child, she seemed to have no problem protecting the monster she was married to. This was, of course, something Curtis had never been able to accept, and truth be told, he still hadn’t accepted it today. He likely never would.