Page 169 of Tainted

“What’s it like to live in that fantasy world of yours?” Misa asked.

“Excuse me?”

“You act like your decisions only affect you! Robert died because you got mixed up with the wrong people.”

“Misa, that’s enough!” Banana Girl tried to interject, but it was obvious that this conversation was long overdue.

“It’s okay, let her get it off her chest,” Mom replied.

“They came here looking for you. They killed him right in front of me as a message for you. I had to carry that! So, I don’t want to hear shit about what I did and didn’t do when you were gone!” Misa yelled, forgetting that her Banana Girl was in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry about your little boyfriend, but that’s not my fault! That’s always been your problem. Everything is somebody else’s fault. Tell me, who’s to blame for you walking in here and ignoring your own daughter?”

Misa’s eyes found Brandy but knew Mom was right, so all she could say was, “Worry about your children!”

“I plan to, and Brandy too, since you don’t.”

“I didn’t come here for this!” Misa was headed for the exit because the heat in the kitchen was too hot to endure.

“Alright! All the children out of the kitchen now,” Banana Girl ordered. Brandy was the first to exit, and Sasha was next while I remained planted. “Little girl, didn’t you hear me!”

“I’m a mom now, so I can stay.”

“Get out!” All three of them yelled in unison.

Tossing the towel on the counter, I left out of the same door and almost bumped into Brandy and Sasha. They were positioned on the side of the wall, ready to eavesdrop. Banana Girl did most of the talking. Occasionally, one would try to interject, but she shot them down.

“You think they’re gonna fight?” Brandy whispered.

“Maybe,” I whispered back.

We stayed as still as possible, trying to make out the conversation from where we were. I couldn’t hear every word, but it sounded like she was asking them to hash things out, to stop dancing around the issue.

My breath caught in my throat when I finally heard my mom speak.

“Just watch your mouth when it comes to me, and I won’t say a word to you.”

I strained to hear more, but a hand clamped down on my shoulder, causing me to jump. I whirled around to see Kenyon standing there, his face split into a grin like he’d caught us red-handed. Next to him was my dad, holding grocery bags in each hand.

“What are y’all doing?” Dad asked, his voice low but teasing. “Eavesdropping on grown folks’ business?”

Sasha stood up quickly, dusting off her jeans, her eyes wide and guilty. “We’re just waiting.”

“For what?” Dad asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kenyon shot me a look like he wasn’t buying it at all, but I could tell he wasn’t going to call me out in front of my dad. Instead, he shifted his focus to Sasha, his teasing smile back in place.

“They’re being a bad influence on you, Sasha?” he joked, nudging her lightly with his elbow.

Sasha giggled nervously, “Nope. We’re waiting on Banana Girl so she can finish teaching me how to cook.”

“Misa and Mom are in the kitchen,” I said.

“Oh hell,” Dad sighed, moving around us to the kitchen.

A moment later, Banana Girl ordered us back to the kitchen to finish cooking. She refused to let their drama ruin dinner. She’d been looking forward to it all week.

“So, Sasha,” Nana said, her voice loud and bright as she clapped flour off her hands. “You’re doing good. Just a little more elbow grease.”

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