Today was Monday, and since Curtis and Charlotte’s longtime housekeeper, Agnes, had the day off, Charlotte was preparing breakfast. This was also Curtis’s only weekday off from the church, and Charlotte enjoyed the time they spent together on Monday mornings.
Charlotte turned off the oatmeal and the scrambled eggs with shredded cheddar cheese, and removed the chicken sausage links that were slow-cooking in a nonstick saucepan. She’d already removed four pieces of seven-grain bread from the toaster, so now she pulled a large glass pitcher of apple juice from the refrigerator and set it on the granite island. Next, she placed four black cast-iron trivets near the apple juice and set the food on them.
Good Morning America was playing in the background, and Curtis was sitting and reading his newspaper. So much of what he read each morning had already been reported on the Mitchell Tribune’s web site or Facebook page, but Curtis still loved having his morning paper delivered. Reading the news articles, obituary pages, and sports section was a daily ritual for him, and Charlotte couldn’t imagine him not doing it.
“Wow,” he said. “For the first time in a long time, the obituary column hit home for me.”
Charlotte pulled three glasses from the cupboard. “I’m sure. And understandably so.”
“I mean, she’s only fifty-seven. Just two years younger than me.”
“I know. I was thinking that same thing yesterday when we were driving to Chicago.”
“From the day we’re born, our time to leave this earth is already set. Regardless of how old we are. But it’s still hard to accept losing my sister at such a young age. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m not giving up on my faith in God, because I know God’s will has to be done—whatever that will is going to be. But I’m also going to continue believing Him for a miraculous turnaround.”
Charlotte sat down next to Curtis. “Exactly. We have to keep our faith strong. For Trina, Jason, their children, and us.”
“And hey,” he said, turning toward Charlotte, “I hope you don’t mind my driving back over this morning to see her. I know we usually spend every Monday together, but for a while, I just want to spend as much time as I can with Trina.”
“Of course. I’m glad you’re going, and I have to say, it felt so good seeing how happy the two of you were yesterday. It’s such a blessing.”
“Yes, it is.”
Charlotte saw the bittersweet look on Curtis’s face, and while she’d sort of made up her mind a couple of hours ago to tell him about her church sabbatical, now she couldn’t. He was so focused on his sister’s illness, and it just wouldn’t be good to give him something else to worry about. There was also the chance that he might consider her decision to be a selfish one, something that would certainly cause problems in their marriage. And she didn’t want that. They were in a great place, and she wanted them to stay there, so it was best to keep her feelings about being a first lady to herself. At least for now.
Curtis glanced at his watch. “Have you even seen Curtina this morning? She knows we like her to be down here when we say grace.”
“Before I came down to start breakfast, I went in her room to make sure she was getting ready for school. And as usual, she was already texting someone on that phone of hers.”
Curtis looked toward the back staircase, the one leading upstairs from the family room. “Curtina!”
Their home wasn’t small, not by anyone’s definition, yet with the volume and tone of voice Curtis had just used, Charlotte knew Curtina had heard him. Still, she didn’t respond.
But instead of yelling out to her again, Curtis picked up his phone and texted her, and Charlotte shook her head.
“What did you tell her?”
“That she had two minutes to get down here or else.”
Interestingly enough, almost exactly two minutes later, Curtina walked into the kitchen, texting and ignoring them. Even as she sat down in one of the three seats across from them, she still didn’t look up from her phone.
Curtis leaned back, folded his arms, and squinted his eyes. “Put it down. Now. And leave it down until I tell you to pick it back up.”
Curtina blew a loud sigh and dropped her phone on the island in a huff. Then she slumped back in her chair and folded her arms the same as Curtis had, except instead of looking at either of her parents, she gazed at Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Michael Strahan, and the rest of the GMA anchors. She completely ignored Charlotte and Curtis, and Charlotte was glad this wasn’t her week to carpool Curtina and her two friends. Actually, since Charlotte took turns with Taylor’s mom, Jackie, and Lauren’s mom, Alice, transporting the girls for two weeks at a time, both to and from school, it gave all three mothers the much-needed break they enjoyed. And right now, with Curtina acting out the way she was, Charlotte was glad to know that it would be another four weeks before it was her turn again. She’d just finished her two-week stint on Friday, and she couldn’t be happier.
Curtis picked up the remote control and clicked off the television.
“Dang!” Curtina exclaimed.
“Dang, nothing,” Curtis said. “And what have I told you about using that word?”
“I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s not a cuss word.”
“Girl, I don’t care what it is. I’m telling you not to use it again. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yeah,” she mumbled.
“What? I didn’t hear you.”
“Yes,” she said, still looking at the television.
“And I’ll tell you something else,” he said. “From now on, when we have meals together, I want you present. No phone and no pretending like we’re not sitting right here in the room with you.”
For the next few minutes, Curtis and Charlotte ate their food and conversed about one thing or another, but Curtina still sat with her arms folded.
Finally, Curtis couldn’t take it anymore. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you so upset and rebellious all the time? And walking around with such an ugly attitude?”
“Because you and Mom treat me like a baby. You’re always trying to control me.”
“That’s because technically you are a baby,” he said matter-of-factly.
“I’m not. I’m twelve, remember? Or have you somehow forgotten that?”
Curtis scrunched his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
Charlotte saw the look of regret on her daughter’s face right away, but it was too late for her to take back her smart comment.
Curtis set his fork down. “Look, I don’t know who you think you are or what’s going on with you. But I’ll tell you this: You’d better fix whatever it is.”
Curtina looked down at her lap, still sitting with her arms folded.
“And eat your breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Fine. Starve if you want. That’s on you,” Curtis said, and then saw her eyeing her lit-up smartphone. She had an incoming text message, so Curtis reached across the island and picked it up. He typed in her four-digit code, but the phone wouldn’t open. So he typed it again. Still, nothing happened. “Didn’t I tell you not to change that passcode again? Did I or did I not tell you that your mom and I are to have access to your phone at all times?
“It was an accident.”
“What was an accident?”
“Changing my passcode. I didn’t mean to.”
“You must think we’re stupid. Now, what is it?”
“What’s what?”
“What’s the passcode, Curtina?”
She frowned and hesitated, but then told him. “Nine three two zero.”
Curtis typed it in and he and Charlotte saw a message from Taylor asking Curtina why she wasn’t responding.
But when Curtis tried to scroll up to read previous messages, he frowned again. “Why is this the only text on your phone when we clearly saw you typing when you walked in here?”
“I always delete my messages.”
“Why? Because you’re texting about things you shouldn’t?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“No reason. I just do.”
“Yeah, well if we keep having problems with you and you don’t start back bringing A’s in here, we’re taking this phone away. And then you really will feel like we make you sick,” he said, letting her know that he knew about that “Mom and Dad make me sick” comment Charlotte had told him about yesterday.
“What?” she said, finally unfolding her arms and casting a dirty look at Charlotte. Then she looked back at her father. “Why?”
“Because you have a nasty attitude, and using your phone is a privilege, not a necessity. Your mom and I have gone out of our way, giving you everything you need. And most of everything you want. But maybe that’s the problem. Maybe we’ve done way too much for you to begin with.”
Charlotte watched and listened but still didn’t say anything. Because to be honest, she wasn’t in the mood for any of Curtina’s drama this morning. What she was in the mood for was a relaxing glass of wine—even this early in the day. Something that would take her mind off her ungrateful daughter. But she knew taking a drink was a big risk that might cause a huge uproar in her marriage—that is, if Curtis found out about it. So maybe it was best to leave well enough alone. Maybe it was best to fight this terribly strong urge she had to drink again, the one she now found herself struggling with each waking hour of every day. Yes, that’s exactly what she would do. Forget about alcohol and focus on something more constructive. Something that wouldn’t bring unnecessary trouble into their household. Because if she didn’t, she could only imagine the fallout that would result from her actions. Especially since Curtis despised all things alcohol, thanks to the awful way his drunken father had treated him as a child.
So, no, she wouldn’t do this. To herself, to Curtis, or to their marriage. And most of all, she wouldn’t ruin things for their family.