I sprung from my seat and shoved my chair under the table. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh yeah? Then why are you so upset?”
“Because I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“What? That you’re not being honest about something?” she questioned.
“Look, let’s not make this conversation about me. At the end of the day, you know that Reggie is trash. He’s sneaky and controlling.”
“No one controls me, Law. I’ve been doing shit on my own for a long time. No man is going to come into my life and change the way I do things.”
“Oh yeah? Do you still hang out with friends after work like you used to? Do you still do your little staycations once a month to unwind after working long ass shifts for days at a time? Hell, do you even do shit by yourself anymore?”
Waving me off, she said, “I haven’t had time for all of that.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’ve been busy.”
“Yeah, busy doing shit that Reggie wants you to do because it freaks him out for you to do anything without him. And you know why that is? Because of the foul shit that he’s done.”
“You know what? I don’t have time for this. What I do or don’t do in my free time shouldn’t bother you so much.”
“Well, it does. Tokyo, I remember when you first decided to start doing the weekly outing with friends and the monthly vacations by yourself. You were so stressed from being a single parent and you just wanted some time to yourself. I thought the shit sounded crazy, but then I saw what it did for you. Your entire mood changed. You were happier. You became a better woman and most importantly, you became a better mother. You were more aware of your own needs and Keyon’s needs. I just don’t want to see you give all of that up for a man like Reggie.”
She paused for a moment and nibbled on the corner of her bottom lip. “Law, I know you've seen me in the darkest of places and you never want to see me there again. But I promise you that I'm not going to allow that to happen. Yes, Reggie has his ways and he's done some bad things, but I know that he loves me. Spending the rest of my life with him is my choice and I'm okay with that. Will we have to make some adjustments? Of course. But that's how relationships work.”
“I understand that. But it shouldn’t be you that has to make all of the adjustments. Even though you're telling me that you're not doing all of the things that you used to do because you don't have time, I know that it's because you're trying to avoid confrontation. Don't let him control you on the low. That's all I'm saying.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “I hear what you’re saying, and I promise to start taking care of myself again. But first, I’ve got to start planning this wedding,” she said, completely changing the direction of the conversation. “I really wish that someone would talk Mama into helping me.”
I scoffed. “Shit, she’s not even coming. What makes you think she’s actually going to help.”
“She might if she knows that you’re finally on board.”
“I’m not on board though.”
“Wow, so you’re just going to leave me hanging?”
“Look, I’m not getting in the middle of what you and Mama got going on. You need to figure that out yourself.”
“Come on, Law,” she pleaded. “She’ll listen if you actually talk to her.”
“Tokyo, Mama’s not happy about your decision to marry Reggie. You know how she is. She’s not going to change her mind.”
She placed her hands on my shoulders. “You’re a charmer. She will listen to anything you say. That’s why she believes all of that nonsense about you quitting the force just because you got injured and decided that it wasn’t for you.”
Biting the inside of my jaw, I quickly removed her hands from my shoulders. “This conversation is over. You’re on that bullshit.”
“My bad, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Not if you’re actually trying to get my help,” I said, walking towards the door.
“I’m sorry. Look, just talk to Mama for me. I really don’t want to have a wedding without my own mother there. I talked to Daddy, and he’s agreed to put his differences with Reggie aside and be there for me. I want everyone to do that.”
“That’s kind of hard, seeing as he’s mistreated you and we’re pretty sure that he’s going to continue to do so.”
Sighing, she slammed her hands against her thighs. “Law, please. Just do it for me.”
