Back to Me. Earl Sewell

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СКАЧАТЬ for your sake, I would hope that someday is pretty soon.” Aunt Raven gave my mom a brief hug.

      “Do you have anything to eat? Martin and I are starving,” my mother said.

      “Martin? Who is Martin?” asked Aunt Raven.

      “The love of my life.” My mom turned back to the truck and waved for Martin to step out.

      “How is everybody doing?” Martin asked as he got out of the truck. As he walked around to where we were, he had to jack his pants up in order to cover his butt crack.

      “Ew-wee,” I mumbled as he approached.

      My mom introduced them. “Raven, this is Martin. Martin, this is my sister, Raven.”

      “Nice to meet you.” Aunt Raven greeted him with a handshake.

      I glanced at Martin, noticing his bad eye, and had to immediately look away out of fear I’d go cross-eyed if I stared at him too long.

      “Is it all right if I leave the truck parked right here?” Martin asked.

      “Sure. It’s not a problem,” Aunt Raven answered.

      “So, are you going to invite us in?” my mom asked.

      “Yeah, sure. We were just finishing breakfast,” Aunt Raven said. As we walked back toward the house, Martin noticed the gas barbecue grill.

      “See, baby. That’s the kind of grill I want to get once we find a place to settle down. You know how important my food is to me, and I’ll barbecue at the drop of a hat,” Martin said jokingly.

      “I can’t wait for that day, baby,” said my mom. The fact that she was still with Martin made my stomach flip.

      When we walked back inside, Maya and Anna had cleared the table and placed the dishes in the dishwasher. I assumed they had gone back to their rooms and didn’t realize that my mom and Martin had arrived. We made our way to the family room.

      “This is a real nice place you’ve got here,” Martin said, admiring the decor.

      “Thank you. Why don’t you have a seat?” Aunt Raven said as she grabbed the remote control for the television. She turned it on for him and quickly showed him how to change the channels. “Would you like something to drink?” Aunt Raven offered.

      “A beer would be great,” said Martin as he got immediately comfortable.

      “It’s still very early in the morning, and you’re driving,” Aunt Raven pointed out. I guess she thought it would make a difference to Martin.

      “Honey, I can drink tequila and ride a motorcycle backward with my eyes closed. A beer isn’t going to do much to me.”

      I could tell by the way Aunt Raven threaded her eyebrows together that she didn’t like what he’d just said. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any beer or tequila.”

      “Don’t worry about it, baby. I’m sure I’ll find something for you. My sister always keeps something around the house,” said my mom, who was once again bending over backward to accommodate this jerk’s every wish.

      “Salena, we need to talk,” I heard Aunt Raven say.

      “Yes, we do,” my mother agreed, as if nothing about the situation seemed awkward. We went back upstairs and into the kitchen. I sat back down at the table with my mother and Aunt Raven.

      “Isn’t Martin wonderful?” my mom asked, glowing as if she were truly in love.

      “I don’t know. I haven’t really gotten to know the man, but first impressions make me think he has an alcoholism issue.”

      “There you go already, Raven. You’re about to start with the crap!” My mom had gotten offended.

      “What? I’ve never been around the type of man who drinks tequila and rides a motorcycle backward. Is he a stuntman or something?” asked Aunt Raven.

      “He’s a good man, and that’s all that matters,” my mother replied, defending her relationship with Martin.

      “Mom, where have you been?” I asked.

      “Yes. Why did you abandon your daughter?” Aunt Raven added.

      “What the hell are you talking about, Raven? I didn’t abandon her. I left her with Mom.”

      “You know our mother has health issues and can’t take care of Viviana.” I could tell by the pitch of Aunt Raven’s voice that she was getting irritated.

      “Don’t let that old woman fool you. She’s not as sickly as she pretends to be. I know that for a fact,” said my mom. “Besides, I’m back for her now.”

      “Really? Do you have a place for us to live?” I asked, even though the thought of Martin living with us was creepy.

      “Well, not exactly. Martin wants to drive back to his hometown in Louisiana. He said that we can get a mobile home at a really reasonable price. Once he finds work, that’s where we’ll live,” she said.

      “Where will you stay until he finds a job?” Aunt Raven asked.

      “We’ll stay at a hotel or sleep in the truck.” My mom spoke as if nothing was abnormal about that.

      My aunt raised her voice disapprovingly. “How are the three of you going to sleep in a pickup truck?”

      “Oh, it’s not so bad. We’ll just treat it like we’re on a camping trip,” said my mom.

      “Have you lost your mind?” Aunt Raven shrieked.

      “Hey! I’m doing the best that I can, okay!” my mom yelled.

      “Maybe it won’t be that bad,” I said, trying to show support for my mom, but in my heart I knew I could not make it sleeping in a pickup truck. I’m a tough Latina, but not that resilient.

      “My God, Salena. I swear, sometimes I have a hard time believing you’re my sister,” said Aunt Raven as she combed her fingers through her hair.

      “Everyone isn’t perfect like you, Raven. Mom and Dad loved you more. I never got all the things or the attention you got. You could never do wrong in their eyes!”

      “Why are you bringing up something that doesn’t even matter in this situation? I’m talking about providing a stable home for your daughter, and you’re bringing up crap from thirty years ago,” Aunt Raven snapped.

      “Because it is important, and you know it. Had I gotten just a little bit of the encouragement that you received, I’d be a better woman today.”

      “No. You’re the woman you are today because of the choices you’ve made.” Aunt Raven’s words made perfect sense to me, but my mother just didn’t want to hear the naked truth. Instead she twisted it into something she could use.

      “Choices,” said my mom and then paused. “You’re right. We all have choices to make. If you think I’m such a horrible mother, СКАЧАТЬ