Ch. 27: Dinner Date

Myra convinces her mom to let David come for dinner, but what waits for them at the end of the night is totally brutal.

"Not tonight," Mom told me as she walked to her bedroom.

 

"He just wants to meet you," I said in hopes that she would change her mind.

 

"It's not a good time. The state is watching me like a hawk. One wrong move and it's over, Myra. They'll put you into a group home!" Mom said while she headed for her bathroom and closed the door.

 

The rain was falling hard against the roof and I could hear thunder in the background.

 

"It's not fair! I can't have a life because some stupid b*****s had to spread lies about me?" I said as I fell into mom's vanity chair, not caring that the bathroom door was closed.

 

"I don't like that kind of language," mom said coming out of the bathroom with her hair in a tight ponytail.

 

"Well it's true," I spat while mom removed embroidered pillows from the head of her bed..

 

"What is his name again?" mom asked as she laid down on her king sized bed with cotton white sheets.

 

"David," I said with the excitement inside me building.

 

"How old is he?" she asked as she picked up her remote and began flipping through the channels.

 

"Nineteen, but he's very respectful and mature," I said getting up from the chair with nervous energy trumping my excitement.

 

"As long as he's gone by ten P.M. he can come over, but leave your room door open," mom conceded with a conspiratorial grin on her face.

 

"Thanks! He'll be here any minute," I said jumping up, leaving her bedroom, and running for the front door.

 

I ran up the stairs quickly to get dressed. It was only six thirty PM, but David told me that Joker was letting him off early from work and that he'd see me before he had to go home. Once in my room a powerful clash of thunder shook me to the core. I realized my window was opened and I went to close it. I looked out to see the street empty. The protesters were coming by fewer and farther between. Slowly the sensationalism of this mess was dying down. Mom told me that the attorney had let her know this was the best possible thing that could've happened especially if this went to trial which he doubted.

 

The ground was soaked and the trees stood still despite this storm blowing through. I moved away from the window and went to my closet. I had nothing new to wear since I'd been restricted to the house. Mom said it wasn't a good idea to leave since everybody out there had something negative to say about me. I decided on a gray t-shirt and some dark blue jeans. I pulled out some rainbow colored toe socks and put them on.

 

I went into the bathroom to fix my hair and put some make up on. After what transpired between Langston and I mom had a locksmith come in and install a dead bolt on my bathroom door. I thought that was taking it too far, but I never said anything.

 

Just as I was finishing up my eyeliner the doorbell rang. I took one good look in the mirror and dashed out. However before I could answer it Kevin was there opening the door. I flew down the stairs as the porch light shone through the house to reveal a soaked David carrying another teddy bear for me.

 

"Who are you?" Kevin asked with a look of disdain clearly marked on his face.

 

"Does Myra live here?" I could hear David asking Kevin.

 

"Yea," Kevin said still looking visibly upset.

 

"David!" I screamed as I jumped into his arms.

 

"Hey, I thought I had the wrong house for a minute," David said as he kissed me on my forehead.

 

"No this is my brother, Kevin," I said turning and facing Kevin's purely even glare.

 

"Hey, man," David said as he extended his hand to Kevin.

 

"What's going on? Who is this?" Kevin asked me ignoring David's obvious display of hospitality.

 

"Don't be rude move and out the way David's soaked," I said ignoring his questioning.

 

"Hello," Mom called from the living room.

 

"Mom, Kevin won't move out the way so that David can come in," I complained to mom who looked stunning in the all purple sun dress she had slipped on since the time I'd left her room and now.

 

"Kevin, this is Myra's guest," Mom said pointedly as she came to the door.

 

"Oh, not this s**t again," Kevin said leaving the door and heading upstairs.

 

"You must be David, I'm Clara Freedmon, Myra's mother. Come in," Mom said smiling at him.

 

David was amused, but he walked in hand in hand with me.

 

"Nice house," David commented as he walked in.

 

"Yes I bought this when the market crashed a few years back at a steal. I was able to remodel and make it into my dream home," Mom explained as she led us to the kitchen.

 

"Do you want to see my room?" I asked David and I wanted to just die when mom responded with, "No, let's all go into the kitchen. I'm sure David is hungry and I'd love to hear more about him."

 

Suddenly I didn't like where this was headed.

 

"Oh I don't want to drip all over your floor," David said and I could see his shirt was truly soaked to the bone.

 

"Myra go upstairs to the hallway closet and get David a fresh T-shirt," Mom ordered me and I looked up with another brilliant idea in my head.

 

"Alright, come on David you can change in my bathroom," I said smirking and dragging him to the steps that led to the linen closet.

 

"Come right back down, Myra," Mom hissed behind us and then proceeded into the kitchen shaking her head.

 

David and I were still holding hands as I led him upstairs and explained all the artwork on the wall.

 

"I've never been to anyones house where they had spare clothes for guests," David remarked as we reached the top step.

 

"Well all my brothers' friends are always over needing something so mom took it upon herself to provide emergency clothing for our guests. It comes in handy," I said as I grabbed a one size fits all white t-shirt out the closet.

 

"Thanks," David said setting his brown eyes on me.

 

Even though I was tall I still had to stand on my tippy toes to kiss him. His lips were soft like pillows and I was just getting lost in them when Mike's bedroom door opened.

 

"What in the hell?" Mike asked as he stepped into the hallway.

 

"Oh, my bad," David said backing away from me.

 

"Mike this is David. David this is Mike my brother," I said introducing them to each other under the worst circumstances ever.

 

Mike and David just stared at each other. They were the same height, but Mike was leaner and he could probably snap David in half.

 

"What's up?" David asked Mike who was still just standing there probably trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

 

"Nothing, does mom know what's going on up here?" Mike asked me with confusion still written on his face.

 

"MYRA!" Mom screamed from the bottom of the stairs.

 

"David, my bathroom is down there. Come to the kitchen when you're done," I said leaving the two of them where they were.

 

Mom looked angry when I met her at the bottom of the stairs.

 

"What were you two doing up there?" she demanded to know even before Mike and David were out of my eyesight.

 

"Talking to Mike," I said which was partly true.

 

"I threw on some spaghetti right before David got here. Please help me to drain the spaghetti the pot and add the meat and sauce," Mom ordered as I followed her into the kitchen.

 

Mom and I almost never cooked together. This was something different. Last year she purchased a new stove and dishwasher for the kitchen and yet she rarely used it. Mike was the chef in the house and sometime when mom was away on "business trips" and we were tired of take out he'd fix us up a feast to remember.

 

I was draining the spaghetti when David walked in.

 

"Oh just take a seat anywhere," I told David who chose to sit at the head of the table.

 

"I hope you like Italian food, David," Mom said smiling at him as she made a big bowl of salad.

 

"That's my favorite," David added with a smile as he sat down.

 

I took the strainer back to the stove just as mom was finishing with the ground beef.

 

"So where do you live, David?" Mom asked taking plates, spoons, and forks to the table.

 

"At the edge of the city with my mom and younger siblings," David answered with a hint of pride under his voice.

 

"Oh, so are you in school?" Mom asked as she brought the bowl to the table and took a seat.

 

"No I just work at a garage to earn money," David said, but I couldn't see his face because I was busy with the food.

 

"A man with a job. I like that," Mom said in a flirtatious tone.

 

"Yea I have to earn the income since my mom hurt herself at work three years," David explained with sadness soaked in his words.

 

"That's awful. How is she doing?" Mom asked with deep sincerity.

 

"Some days are worse than others," David answered.

 

I added the sauce to the pot and threw in the meatball. The only thing left to do was stir.

 

"So, are you and my daughter dating?" Mom asked.

 

I almost dropped the spoon.

 

"I want us to, but she says it's not the time," David said and I turned to see him grinning at me widely.

 

"Yes, Myra is in a bit of trouble right now" Mom went on to explain and I could tell this conversation was going nowhere good.

 

"It's ready," I interrupted as I set the pot on the counter.

 

"Bring the pot here, Myra, I already have the table set," Mom said.

 

"She is in trouble," David agreed with mom and stuck my tongue out at him playfully.

 

"Yes and it's imperative that she stays out of it for now so this whole thing can blow over," Mom said and I knew she was hoping David would back off a little.

 

"Well maybe she can just change schools," David suggested as I took my seat beside mom.

 

"I was considering that," Mom said frowning and looking at me with suspicion.

 

My stomach was doing flip flops. I knew she thought that I was trying to have David push her in a certain direction.

 

"I meant that Myra could finish up somewhere else or just go on independent studies," David said explaining what he had just said to mom.

 

"What an excellent idea. When I was younger I did independent studies because I modeled" Mom said liking the sound of that.

 

"Oh really?" David asked obviously intrigued.

 

"Oh yes," Mom said serving David his plate.

 

"Since she's going to be a junior she won't have it that bad," David said without realizing what he'd just said.

 

"What?" Mom asked confused.

 

"Mom is there French bread?" I asked getting up too fast and knocking my cup of soda on the table cloth.

 

"Oh Jesus!" Mom said flying up and wiping up the spill.

 

"I'm sorry!" I said as I picked the cup up.

 

"This table cloth cost me three hundred dollars!" Mom whined as I went to the kitchen sink to wet some of the cleaning up cloths mom had around the kitchen.

 

I looked at David who had his eyes narrowed glaring at me. I broke his gaze and ran to the sink to get a cloth.

 

"It will come out," I yelled at the sink.

 

"I'm sorry I must look silly to you," Mom said to David who was still sitting there in awe.

 

"No not at all," David responded as I brought the damp cloth to table.

 

"You wipe it up," mom said to me as she sat down.

 

"I'm sorry what were we talking about?" Mom asked David who looked very contemplative.

 

"I forgot, but this is a nice kitchen," David complimented and mom fell for it and the topic of my schooling faded with the sound of raindrops plummeting to earth.

 

Dinner went smoothly. David had charmed mom enough for her to allow him in my bedroom with the door closed. Once inside things took an unexpected turn.

 

"I love this teddy bear," I said to David who was still looking around my room.

 

"So how old are you?" David asked as he finally to a seat at my desk.

 

"What?" I asked him turning around from my nightstand.

 

"I'm thinking thirteen after looking at your room," David told me a in a matter-of-fact type voice.

 

"No I'm not," I sulked as I sat in my bed.

 

"Then how old are you?" he pressed looking a little angry as he did so.

 

"See I didn't even want this to be an issue" I pouted as I got out of my bed and went to my window.

 

"It is an issue. I can go to jail just like that dude you fucked," David roughly and I looked at him with disbelief.

 

"We're not having sex!" I screamed at him with all my fury.

 

"Not yet," David said as he now displayed a sly grin.

 

"It doesn't matter because I really like you," I said hoping that my statement made sense.

 

"Just tell me," David said getting up and coming toward me.

 

When he reached me he wrapped his arm around his waist and held me.

 

"Ok, but please don't get mad. I'm fourteen," I revealed and closed my eyes waiting for him to push me away.

 

To my surprise he didn't let go.

 

"My dad was twenty and my mom was fifteen when they fell in love," David said as he rocked me back and forth.

 

"So that's ok?" I asked still not clear on what he thought about the issue.

 

"No, but I can take just one lie from a girl as beautiful as you," David said as sweetly as he could and I melted in his arms.

 

"So you're not mad?" I asked softly not wanting to ruin the moment.

 

"No," David said in a low voice.

 

We stood there entangled together just listening to the sound of the storm that was now upon my house. After a few minutes he let go.

 

"I want to go on independent studies," I said going to my bed and taking off my shoes.

 

"How come?" David asked as he took his seat yet again at my desk.

 

"Everyone hates me. I won't get any rest at that school now, I just know it," I explained to David hoping that he wouldn't take pity on me.

 

"If that's the case what will you be doing all day?" David probed as I slid my pants off in front of him and went to my dresser to get some shorts.

 

"Homework and maybe I'll watch Buster," I said slipping into my shorts and going back to my bed.

 

"Who's Buster?" David asked obviously not aroused by the sight of my underwear.

 

"My mom's dog," I told him as I rested my head on my pillow.

 

"Well it's up to you, but if you're always in trouble I don't know," David said smiling and I knew he was teasing me.

 

"I'm not always in trouble," I whined playfully and threw one of my pillows at him.

 

"Oh, so you're a trouble maker?" David asked getting up and coming toward's my bed.

 

"Something like that," I answered just as there was a knock on my door before it burst wide open.

 

"What's going on in here?" Sonny asked looking madder than a bull who'd just seen red.

 

"Nothing," I said jumping up off my bed.

 

"You're that n***a from the garage that night, huh?" Sonny asked with steam coming out of both ears.

 

"Yea and what?" David asked stepping toward Sonny to show that he wasn't scared of him.

 

"You're up here in my house with my little sister. That's disrespectful, fool!" Sonny yelled and went toward David to stop him from getting in Sonny's face.

 

"I already met mom's so I can be here," David said in a condescending tone.

 

"Oh is that right?" Sonny asked filling the gap between he and David.

 

"It is, bruh," David answered just as I grabbed his arm to stop him.

 

"Don't you, bruh, me" Sonny said and I met his stare with all the bravery I could muster up.

 

"Oh, Sonny, cut the s**t and get the hell out of my room!" I screamed at him as David entwined his fingers with mine.

 

"What's going on?" Mike asked coming in behind Sonny.

 

"He's causing trouble with David," I rushed to explain before Sonny could get Mike on his side.

 

"Well maybe it's time he left," Mike said to me as he eyed David.

 

"No, David's my company and he can stay," I said putting my foot down as I spoke.

 

"I don't even know why mom's allowing this," Kevin said walking into my room and making everything worse.

 

"You all need to get out!" I yelled at them, but not one of them moved an inch.

 

"She gets us all into trouble and yet she still gets her way," Kevin remarked snidely with his blue eyes and fine lips pursed in a perpetual state of dismay.

 

"It ends here," Sonny said and I knew that he meant it.

 

"He needs to go," Mike chimed in even though I knew he wanted me to be happy no matter what.

 

"GET OUT!" I screamed at my brothers and backed up to grab my lamp to throw at them.

 

Before I could David caught my hand.

 

"It's not worth it," David said to me.

 

"Damn right it isn't!" Sonny said nodding his head yes.

 

"No, they can't do this," I said as David stepped toward them in defeat.

 

"No, it's time for me to get home to handle mines. Call you later, Myra," David said and he headed for the door.

 

"I'll walk you out," Mike said and I knew he'd keep Kevin from trying to pull a fast one.

 

"NO!" I yelled trying to leave with David, but Sonny pushed me back.

 

"Too much f*****g trouble," Sonny commented under his breath, but I ignored him.

 

 

Kevin walked out behind Mike and Sonny followed closing my door. I tried to open it, but the knob wouldn't turn.

 

"Let me out, GODDAMMIT!" I screamed, but to no avail.

 

I was relieved when I heard the front door closed and I went to my window to see David's car heading for the end of the block. At least he had made it out the house alive.

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

How awful for Myra. But we all have to face
the consequences of our actions.

Excellent chapter!