...a mini-soap opera that bubbles with Love & Drama
[Last time on Suds, Shantel managed to slide back into the arms of her boyfriend, Terrance, even after an attempt to hook her ex, Darien. Will Terrance’s love for Shantel be enough to stop her from slipping? Meanwhile, who is Leilah?]
A genuine smile inched across his face and reached into his eyes causing them to twinkle. He really does love me. Shantel beamed, revealing her deeply dimpled cheeks. I could grow to love him, she thought, and tippy-toed into his loving kiss. He poured all of his love into her, but when she closed her eyes, she could only see Darien.
~~~
Leilah trotted along the perimeter of the nursing home with the toddler sliding out of her grasp.
“I’m cold, Lily,” the little girl cried.
“I know, Tu Tu, we’re almost there.”
Leilah used her foot to press the handicap button. The heavy door slowly groaned open while Leilah impatiently forced it the rest of the way with her back, and rushed to open the other door. March in Chicago may as well be the heart of winter, she thought as she plucked her gloves off and stuffed them into her coat pocket.
The stale warm air reminded her of the mountain of dirty laundry she promised to wash before returning to school the next day. Tuilette wiggled her way out of Leilah’s grip.
“I wanna write, it’s my turn.”
“Tu Tu, you can write in your own book later.” Leilah finished signing the visitor log.
“But I want to write in that book,” Tuilette shouted, folding her tiny arms across her chest.
Leilah assessed the determination level of her youngest sister. Although the little monster grew out of her terrible twos, Leilah learned the hard way that the threes were no more pleasant. Of course she could win any battle against the pint, but some wars didn’t need to be waged. She handed her the pen and watched the youngster scribble Ts across the backside of the log.
Tuilette, what kind of a name is that? Leilah rolled her eyes remembering her mother’s unshakable decision to name the child after a toilet. ‘It’s not a toilet,’ her mother argued, ‘It’s a type of perfume.’ The poor girl didn’t even have the luxury of saying her mom was high at the time. Their mother was perfectly sober and insistent. She was even thinking straight enough to have her tubes tied, and Leilah was grateful. The last thing she needed was another mouth to feed, seven was more than enough.
~~~
The pleasant smile on Shantel’s lips hid the contempt she had in her heart for Terrance. Since he dropped the L-bomb on her, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. Shantel's last two days of schemes to get closer to Darien were all fruitless thanks to Terrance's annoying show of affection.
She leaned into Terrance’s one arm embrace at Midway Airport, staring at the metal ridges of the baggage claim belt. Darien was in the midst of the group they traveled with, huddled less than ten feet away. Shantel gritted her teeth. She had managed to waste time talking to each of the twelve people in their party, all except Darien. She clung to Terrance’s waist. He kissed her forehead, and she smiled appreciatively, all the while harboring ill feelings toward him.
Shantel hated the baggage claim. Not for fear that they might lose her bags, but because she hated waiting on the buzz and flashing lights. The belt alarm droned like it was about to die, and Shantel impatiently sprinted around the belt past the cluster of semi-friends.
“What time your train leave tomorrow, D?” someone asked Darien. Shantel slowed down with Terrance still a few feet behind.
“I’m on the morning train. I think it’s the 9:35,” he answered.
Shantel’s mischievous smile was hidden from Terrance as he trailed behind her. I can tell Terrance I have to get back to campus early… to study, she thought. Then, I’ll book a seat on Darien’s train. We’ll be back together by the time we get to Carbondale, and I’ll just let Terrance down easy tomorrow night.
“That’s my bag right there, Baby,” she said to Terrance, satisfied with her game plan.
~~~~
The elevator doors opened on the third floor, and the scent was far more intrusive than dirty laundry. Leilah waved at the uninterested nurses and walked down the hall in search of her grandmother. The stench grew stronger as they neared the source. Orderlies were turning the beds of the less mobile residents, bins of soiled bed clothing sat outside several rooms. Tu Tu pinched her nose and ran to Grandma’s room, pushing the unlocked door open.
“Hey Toilet Paper,” Grandma mused. “Come here let me wipe my behind.”
“I’m not a toilet paper,” Tuillette yelled with her hands propped on her hips. “My name is Tu Tu.”
“Whatever your name is chile, come give Mama a hug.” Grandma laughed out loud, lifting the chubby brown girl into her arms. Tu Tu giggled. “Where is your Auntie Lisa? She come see about Mama too?”
Grandma looked up at Leilah standing in the doorway. “You got some nerve coming here,” she growled in a low tone. She inched toward Leilah, roughly dropping Tuillette on her roommate’s twin size bed. Grandma’s eyes darkened as she approached Leilah. “Didn’t I tell you to leave that child with Lisa?”
“What are you talking about, Ma,” Leilah asked in shock.
Grandma’s voice thundered, “Sheila, I told you to stay away from them kids!”
[Stay tuned: Suds will be making more bubbles of Love & Drama on Monday]
[Last time on Suds, Shantel managed to slide back into the arms of her boyfriend, Terrance, even after an attempt to hook her ex, Darien. Will Terrance’s love for Shantel be enough to stop her from slipping? Meanwhile, who is Leilah?]
A genuine smile inched across his face and reached into his eyes causing them to twinkle. He really does love me. Shantel beamed, revealing her deeply dimpled cheeks. I could grow to love him, she thought, and tippy-toed into his loving kiss. He poured all of his love into her, but when she closed her eyes, she could only see Darien.
~~~
Leilah trotted along the perimeter of the nursing home with the toddler sliding out of her grasp.
“I’m cold, Lily,” the little girl cried.
“I know, Tu Tu, we’re almost there.”
Leilah used her foot to press the handicap button. The heavy door slowly groaned open while Leilah impatiently forced it the rest of the way with her back, and rushed to open the other door. March in Chicago may as well be the heart of winter, she thought as she plucked her gloves off and stuffed them into her coat pocket.
The stale warm air reminded her of the mountain of dirty laundry she promised to wash before returning to school the next day. Tuilette wiggled her way out of Leilah’s grip.
“I wanna write, it’s my turn.”
“Tu Tu, you can write in your own book later.” Leilah finished signing the visitor log.
“But I want to write in that book,” Tuilette shouted, folding her tiny arms across her chest.
Leilah assessed the determination level of her youngest sister. Although the little monster grew out of her terrible twos, Leilah learned the hard way that the threes were no more pleasant. Of course she could win any battle against the pint, but some wars didn’t need to be waged. She handed her the pen and watched the youngster scribble Ts across the backside of the log.
Tuilette, what kind of a name is that? Leilah rolled her eyes remembering her mother’s unshakable decision to name the child after a toilet. ‘It’s not a toilet,’ her mother argued, ‘It’s a type of perfume.’ The poor girl didn’t even have the luxury of saying her mom was high at the time. Their mother was perfectly sober and insistent. She was even thinking straight enough to have her tubes tied, and Leilah was grateful. The last thing she needed was another mouth to feed, seven was more than enough.
~~~
The pleasant smile on Shantel’s lips hid the contempt she had in her heart for Terrance. Since he dropped the L-bomb on her, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. Shantel's last two days of schemes to get closer to Darien were all fruitless thanks to Terrance's annoying show of affection.
She leaned into Terrance’s one arm embrace at Midway Airport, staring at the metal ridges of the baggage claim belt. Darien was in the midst of the group they traveled with, huddled less than ten feet away. Shantel gritted her teeth. She had managed to waste time talking to each of the twelve people in their party, all except Darien. She clung to Terrance’s waist. He kissed her forehead, and she smiled appreciatively, all the while harboring ill feelings toward him.
Shantel hated the baggage claim. Not for fear that they might lose her bags, but because she hated waiting on the buzz and flashing lights. The belt alarm droned like it was about to die, and Shantel impatiently sprinted around the belt past the cluster of semi-friends.
“What time your train leave tomorrow, D?” someone asked Darien. Shantel slowed down with Terrance still a few feet behind.
“I’m on the morning train. I think it’s the 9:35,” he answered.
Shantel’s mischievous smile was hidden from Terrance as he trailed behind her. I can tell Terrance I have to get back to campus early… to study, she thought. Then, I’ll book a seat on Darien’s train. We’ll be back together by the time we get to Carbondale, and I’ll just let Terrance down easy tomorrow night.
“That’s my bag right there, Baby,” she said to Terrance, satisfied with her game plan.
~~~~
The elevator doors opened on the third floor, and the scent was far more intrusive than dirty laundry. Leilah waved at the uninterested nurses and walked down the hall in search of her grandmother. The stench grew stronger as they neared the source. Orderlies were turning the beds of the less mobile residents, bins of soiled bed clothing sat outside several rooms. Tu Tu pinched her nose and ran to Grandma’s room, pushing the unlocked door open.
“Hey Toilet Paper,” Grandma mused. “Come here let me wipe my behind.”
“I’m not a toilet paper,” Tuillette yelled with her hands propped on her hips. “My name is Tu Tu.”
“Whatever your name is chile, come give Mama a hug.” Grandma laughed out loud, lifting the chubby brown girl into her arms. Tu Tu giggled. “Where is your Auntie Lisa? She come see about Mama too?”
Grandma looked up at Leilah standing in the doorway. “You got some nerve coming here,” she growled in a low tone. She inched toward Leilah, roughly dropping Tuillette on her roommate’s twin size bed. Grandma’s eyes darkened as she approached Leilah. “Didn’t I tell you to leave that child with Lisa?”
“What are you talking about, Ma,” Leilah asked in shock.
Grandma’s voice thundered, “Sheila, I told you to stay away from them kids!”
[Stay tuned: Suds will be making more bubbles of Love & Drama on Monday]
No comments:
Post a Comment