Present Day:

"And I thought Eliza was a fat ass. Here you are buying all the food at the movie theatre. Didn't realize you had enough money for those expensive snacks. Mark and I take our own snacks for that reason. Learn to do that, babe."

Is that all Monica got from my explanation?

The fact that I was being a fat ass at a movie theatre, because of my loneliness, is all she got from my story. I just sigh and roll my eyes because there's meaning behind that story. Love my friends but, sometimes, talking to them is like talking to a brick wall.

Fixing my plaid pajamas, I catch sight of Eliza coming from the bathroom in her satin glory.

"Sorry, girls. Harrison was calling about my sister and you both know how I feel about my sister."

Eliza talks about her sister all the time but she never mentions a name. She's scared we'll look her up and judge her since that's all her sister's been through her entire life. Besides Eliza, her sister has a problem with the rest of the family. They shut her out so she can't see anybody but Eliza and she doesn't even let Eliza see her.

"It's been reported that she went missing so I had to tell my parents. Just pray for us, y'all. She's been going through a lot but won't tell anybody. She barely tells me anything anymore."

According to Eliza, her sister doesn't tell anybody anything just so people don't follow her. It's strange. I wonder why her sister doesn't say much.

Though her sister was bizarre, I still feel bad about the situation. What if that were my siblings? I wouldn't know what to do.

Monica and I come in for a big hug with Eliza as she cried in my chest. I'd be worried about my siblings as well. Hell, I'd be worried about my entire family if they were put into this position. My sister was somewhat in this situation. The church fired her from being a teacher because of it and that was wrong in my eyes.

Family is something we all need to value because, one day, you'll look up and they won't be there again. Always be grateful for the family that still loves you. Family can come in all shapes and sizes, from friends or strangers that treat you more like family than your original family to those family members that actually appreciate you.

No tea, no shade, no pink lemonade but somebody needed that.

Anyway, my family is a pretty unique family. When it comes to my family, we have this and more. I'm forever grateful for my family even if they get on my nerves sometimes. 

"Kassie! Come in da house, gurrr!"

My mom reached out for an embrace as I entered the house. Wrapping my arms around her was the best feeling in the world. If I were here and able to take care of her, I would.

I gave her a long kiss on the forehead as she called out "Granny! Kassie kiss me!"

She'd do that every time I gave her a kiss as a joke but here came Granny with "What you doing to my daughter, Kassie?"

"Not a thing. She loves my kisses but she wants to see me get hurt. I see you, Momma." I said, playfully, as I made myself comfortable on the couch.

This was about a week after the movie incident. When I have some tea to talk about, I'll talk to Monica and Eliza but Momma was always the first to know. We've had that kind of connection since I was in her womb.

"How doing, Kassie?" Momma struggled to say but still kept a smile on her face.

Her speech broke sometimes and while it scared me, she seemed happy every time she talked to me. When she first had her stroke, it was a struggle to get her mental health back up and to get her to speak. She was used to it at that point. When people couldn't understand her, she'd type it out on her phone. She was okay with that.

"I'm doing fine, Momma. What have you been running over in here? I know you broke something in here. Was it Trey's back you ran over with your Cadillac?"

Her laugh was more expressive than mine and I knew why but Granny didn't. Sometimes, I wish Momma never wanted to stay with Granny because she didn't know how to help her. Momma's little boyfriend didn't even know how to help her emotionally. Since Momma was in love with this man and wanted to stay with Granny, I had to let her.

The same way she laughed was the same way she cried, got angry, and became confused. All of these emotions happened in the matter of minutes with her and she didn't know how to control them. Granny and Momma's boyfriend just knew that she was loud with her emotions.

"Nooooo! I didn't." Momma let out in her toddler-like speech.

"How's your job going, Kassie? You find a man yet?" Granny asked as she fried up some delicious Tilapia that she used to make when I lived here. Her fish was so good that I never cared which kind she cooked. As long as she cooked it, it was fine with me.

Damn, Granny. It's like you can see into my past or something.

If we're talking literally, hell yeah, I found a man...but we just bumped into each other. Nothing more, nothing less...so does that count?

"No, Granny. You'll be lucky if I have anybody in my life right now. My life is flashing before my eyes. Work is rough and I don't have enough alone time."

I couldn't lie to her. You know how grandmothers are, especially the ones that give you something for Christmas or whenever you need it. They can read you like a book and buy you chocolates for Valentines Day because they know you're still single.

Granny turned to me and looked me up and down before switching to her concerned face.

"It's okay, Kassie. Take time. We love you." Momma said slowly with broken English.

"Yeah, we do. She just needs a man so she can sit her ass down. She needs someone who can take care of her and lead so she can start a family for them."

I did not just hear Granny say 'ass'. Good thing we weren't in public because everybody knows her. She was the one church lady that cooks for everybody but was ruthless with her tongue. They never suspected her to cuss but she had just started doing it. It was awkward.

"Ma, you can't talk. You have no man either." Momma gained some sentence structure. It'd go in and out sometimes.

As they went back and forth, my brother came from his room with his tall self. Standing up at six feet with a high taper fade and his thin ass body, Trey gave me a tight hug.

"Aye, Kass! It's been a while since I seen you." Trey said with a deep voice. He bet not have no girlfriend.

The boy is growing up on me so fast. I will forever tell my brother that no girl will ever be good enough for him. He's a sweet boy and women can corrupt a man's mind in a minute.

"I know that's right, Trey. She stays away because she's working all the time. For once, she comes around the house but doesn't have a man. I thought that's why she came around."

"Granny, I can't just come over to see my family? I do love my family and I want them to know I'm alive."

Granny rolled her eyes and walked towards me slowly. "Your sister has a husband and a baby and she's younger than you. If she can do it, why can't you? She comes and sees your Momma all the time. Why? Because she has a man who cares about family. You can find one too."

Here we go again. This comparison, between my sister and I, continues. Thanks, Granny, for making me feel even more like a failure.

It was a never-ending cycle with this. Ever since Shania met her husband, Granny's pushed me to have the same thing and she wanted it right then and there. Since I didn't have it, I was pretty much a lost cause with her.

She said she'd never play favorites but Shania was her favorite and it was obvious. The rest of us didn't get as much mercy and she made that known.

"Kassie, you still my daughter no matter what. I will love you all the time. Take time. You don't need man." Momma tried to make me feel better.

"Yeah but, if you do meet a guy you like, he gotta pass my test. Just like you tell me, ain't no man good enough for my sis. You can't just date anybody." Trey said before his phone rang and he dashed to the room.

That better not be a girl.

"When you find him, I hope get married, have granbabies. I know I have already but I can't see her lot." Momma said as she rolled into the kitchen with her wheelchair.

"Exactly. You can't be working all the time. That's not what women are supposed to do. You need a man to help you fix stuff, pay your bills, give you babies, and all of that. A girl can't give you babies and that's also nasty. Nobody else can give you babies and do all that stuff for you.  So, find a man that can."

My sensitive ass wanted to cry but I just kept my mouth shut and chuckled lightly. Granny was born in the 50s so, of course, she wasn't hip to the way society is now.

I can help myself. I can fix my own things, I can pay my own bills, and hello? Adoption? I work in social work so I know a bit about the adoption process.

Plus, what if my soulmate was a girl? I wasn't ruling that out but what if I preferred a man just for the dick? A real, bulging penis with veins was better than a plastic one.

I just wanted a companion to love and to bang every other night. That's all.

****
Ayyyyyeeeeeeeee everybody!

Hope you all are having a great start to your weekend!

What's up with Kassie's family, putting the pressure on her about her relationship? Do you think what they said is true?

Do you think Kassie will find love?

Well, we may figure that out this weekend because I really want to post a little more often. Lol

If not, I'll see you on Wednesday!

Love ya and thanks for reading!