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“To my love, Angelo Louis Strickland,” Mama began. Yep, I was named after him—Angela Louise. “Sweetheart, you have taken care of me, given me three beautiful daughters, and provided me with a life of luxury. Even when we first married forty years ago and had virtually nothing, you made me feel like a queen.”
Daddy smiled at her. “You are a queen, baby.”
She nodded her head a little. “I spent many lonely nights here in this house over the years, and it was hard sometimes, but I understood you were a driven, ambitious man, and I respected that. I respected that you were chasing a dream, but the cheating? The other women? Well…I’m sick of that shit.”
I gasped. Nicky’s mouth fell open. Renee clamped her hand over hers. I’d never heard my mom curse before. I was sure my sisters hadn’t either.
My father hopped up from his seat. “Lisa!”
“I’m so sick of that shit and of your little whores calling taunting me that I have packed your stuff, and I want your unfaithful ass out of this house now.” Her voice was so calm, it was almost eerie.
“Now, Lisa—”
“Now Lisa nothing! I love you, Angelo. And I unfortunately always will, but I’m done with your Viagra-taking ass! I’m over you and this marriage! I’m not spending another second sitting up in this big house alone.”
Daddy’s face screwed up in a confused frown. “I know you don’t think you’re moving another man in my house! You been cheating on me, Lisa?!”
“You can go to hell for asking me some shit like that!”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“And if I was seeing someone else, would it really be cheating? I’d have to have a real husband for that to be the case.”
Daddy stood there with a look of pure shock on his face that soon morphed into defiance. “I’m not going no-damn-where, Lisa.”
“I bet you are. There’s a lot of shit I can tell about you. You sure you want your girls to know about some of the mess you’ve pulled over the years? You really want our daughters and the world to know the whole truth?”
His face fell. “Baby…”
She crossed her arms over her chest, looking beautiful but unmoved in a stunning black cocktail dress.
“Fine. I’ll go, but this isn’t over. I-I love you, Lisa.”
“Mm-hmm, and you show it so well. Go get your shit and leave.”
I watched in silent awe as Daddy left the dining room and Mama reclaimed her seat. “Now this is a real party,” she said. “I’m glad that’s over with.”
She looked around at everyone at the table and smiled as she took a bite of ham. “Mm, this is so good.”
14
I ended up spending the night with Mama since Nicky left with Damon—not Warren. If he hadn’t been so funky, I might’ve felt sorry for him being dragged to a family gathering, having to witness my parents’ dramatic break-up, and then being left behind with strangers. But I was more concerned about my mother than anyone. I knew her. She wasn’t the strongest person, and she adored my father. For her to do what she did, she had to have gotten to a really dark place in her life, and I was afraid to leave her alone.
The next morning, she assured me she was fine, and after feeding me breakfast, basically shoved me out the door. By the time I coasted into my driveway, I was exhausted, having tossed and turned most of the night. So when I looked up and saw Ryan sitting on the steps in front of my place, I heaved an exhausted sigh. I didn’t have the wherewithal to deal with him or anyone else at that moment.
I climbed out of my car and approached the steps, stopping as he gazed up at me with those damn eyes that made my legs even weaker than they already were from fatigue. “Look,”
I began, “I had a horrible night, so you’re going to have to go off on me a little later. I need sleep.”
He stood and moved from the steps, allowing me to ascend them. “I’m not here to go off on you. I just want to talk to you for a moment.”
“Ryan…”
He raised his hands. “I just wanna talk. Won’t take but a couple of minutes.”
I stuck my key in the lock. “Don’t you have work?”
“Not today. It’s Saturday.”
