Bad Blood (5 page)

Chapter 8

Rachel

I
ALREADY KNEW THAT
M
AMA THOUGHT
I
HAD MADE A LOT OF STUPID
decisions, so when she told me what a fool I was for moving Uncle Albert in with me and Seth, I was not surprised.

“Girl, you are a straight-up fool! Do you want to lose Seth? How long do you think he's going tolerate having Albert in that apartment with you and him?” Mama yelled. I had waited until Uncle Albert had been with us for two weeks before I'd even told her about his dilemma. “As long as he's been out there, don't he have friends he could move in with?”

“Mama, he's got a lot of friends, and I'm sure he'll probably go stay with one of them as soon as he can. He just needs a place to stay in the meantime.”

“What if one of his friends don't take him in? What if he's still there when you and Seth get married?”

“Mama, I am not sure when Seth and I are going to get married. Uh, we've changed the date twice.”

“Uh-huh. And with Albert in the mix, you might have to change it again.”

“If we change the date again, I'm sure it won't be because of Uncle Albert, Mama. Uncle Albert has already been here a couple of weeks, and Seth has not complained about him one time.”

“Well, like I been telling you all your life, you sure make a lot of dumb decisions.”

“I know I do, Mama.”

Unfortunately, my meddlesome girlfriends felt the same way. Right after my conversation with Mama last night, I called up Lucille “Lucy” Foster, my best friend and coworker, and told her about my new living arrangement.

“What's wrong with you, girl? And what's wrong with Seth for letting you move Albert in?”

“In case you forgot, it's
my
apartment. My name is the only one on the lease. Seth has no right to tell me who I can move in here and who I can't,” I snapped. “And for your information, Seth agreed to this arrangement.”

“I'm just afraid you bit off more than you can chew. You have enough stress in your life. I mean, you're busier than ever at work. You have a wedding coming up. Now you've moved your hard-partying, hard-drinking gay uncle into your apartment. I honestly don't see how it's going to work out.”

“Uncle Albert is going to stay only a little while, and Seth and I will be at work during the day, every day.”

“All right now. You know I'm here for you, so if you need somebody to talk to, just give me a call.”

“Thanks, Lucy.”

An hour after my conversation with Lucy, my other two close friends, Paulette and Patrice, stormed my apartment. I was glad I had dropped Uncle Albert off at the salon around the corner to get his nails done.

“Girl, Lucy told us you've moved Albert in with you and Seth. Have you lost your mind?” Patrice hollered before I could even close the door behind them.

“You are not responsible for your uncle. He's a grown man,” Paulette added, already heading for the portable bar.

Since neither one allowed me enough time to respond, I just stood in the middle of the floor with my arms folded.

“How long do you think Seth is going to put up with Albert's antics?” Patrice asked, joining Paulette at the bar.

“It's going to be for only a few more weeks,” I finally said.

“Then what?” they asked at the same time.

“Then Uncle Albert will move out.”

“Baby girl, once he's able to get around without those crutches, he'll have to go out and look for another place. That could take some time. It took me almost three months to find the place I just moved into,” Paulette said, rubbing the side of her cute heart-shaped face. A knitted cap covered her thick brown hair.

“I'm going to start looking for a new place for him myself tomorrow. That way he'll already have a place to go to when his leg heals,” I replied.

“Who is going to be responsible for his moving expenses?” Patrice asked.

“I will take care of that if I have to. I've already agreed to keep up his car payment and insurance.”

My two friends gulped at the same time.

“You can both stop looking so stunned. It's no big deal. Seth doesn't have a problem with me doing that. It's all coming out of
my
savings. Besides, I know my uncle would do the same for me.”

“Seth must be a saint,” Patrice continued. “Speaking of the saint, I noticed he's not with you as much lately. You must be slacking up on your job. . . .”

“What's that supposed to mean?” I asked.

Patrice often made remarks that made me bristle. She was the least attractive of the four of us, and she had the hardest time attracting and keeping men. She blamed it on the fact that she was almost six feet tall. She also had plain features and a head full of coarse black hair, which she usually wore in braids. But when the four of us got together, her bitterness always seemed to be aimed at me.

“What it means is you're probably not as hot as you think, after all. The last three times I called over here and the last five times I visited, Seth was nowhere around. Is everything all right? I can never tell when you're stressed, because you always look so calm. Giving up your privacy and your quality time alone with Seth must be taking a toll on you.”

Paulette always came to my rescue in a tense situation. “Honey, Rachel is so on top of her game, she could teach classes on it. If anything is wrong, it's with Seth,” she said, giving me a conspiratorial nod.

“Everything is fine. Seth's just spending more time at his parents' house these days. His mother has had some minor health issues, so he needs to help look after her. And he's using his old bedroom as an off-site office,” I reported.

I didn't like the fact that I saw less of Seth now. As a matter of fact, he had spent the last two nights at his parents' house, to get some extra work done, he had claimed. I had noticed the exasperated looks on his face when he saw my uncle stretched out on our couch, with a drink in his hand, for hours at a time. In a way I was glad Seth spent a lot of time away so he wouldn't have to look at Uncle Albert and I wouldn't have to look at him. I kept telling myself that since he and I would be spending the next forty or fifty years together, a little time apart wouldn't hurt us.

I found out the following week that Seth felt the same way.

We always had our discussions about my uncle in our bedroom if he was somewhere close enough to overhear us. We had left him in the living room, with a drink in his hand, his feet propped up on the hassock, watching a
Cheers
rerun.

“I think I'm going to move back home for a while,” Seth told me less than a minute after we'd entered the bedroom.

I whirled around to face him with my mouth hanging open. “What? For how long?”

“Uh, maybe just until Albert leaves. I think it would be easier on everybody involved.” This was the second time in two days that Seth had come home and discovered that Uncle Albert had drunk up the last of his scotch. A few days ago, he had come home and found Uncle Albert in his favorite bathrobe.

“My uncle will be back on his own soon,” I defended with a whisper. Having to whisper in our own bedroom was another thing that bothered Seth.

This time he didn't care, I guessed, because he spoke in a very loud voice. “I can't spend another week living with that man!” he roared.

My jaw dropped. I ran to the door and cracked it open. I waited for a few seconds, and when I heard my uncle snoring in the living room, I knew he had not heard Seth's outburst.

“Are you trying to tell me something?” I demanded.

“Baby, all I'm trying to tell you is that I can't spend much more time with your uncle in this apartment.” Seth pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my lips. “My feelings for you are still the same, so everything else will remain the same.”

I blinked. “Seth, your mama called me at work today and asked me when I was going to send out the wedding announcements. I told her we'd moved the date back again.”

“Uh, let me think a little more about setting a date.”

“Okay. If we don't do it this year, how about early January? That'll give us several more months to complete our plans.”

“That might work. I'll let you know when I make up my mind. Give me a few more weeks. . . .”

“If we wait until January, that'll give me enough time to get rid of all the weight I've gained since Uncle Albert's started cooking all that fattening food.” I gave Seth a thoughtful look. “I'm going to join a gym and start working out in the evenings, after work. You want me to be in good shape when we take the plunge, don't you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then November or early January it is. And it's about time! I was beginning to think you didn't really want to marry me at all.” I laughed. Seth didn't.

Chapter 9

Seth

I
HATED LIVING UNDER THE SAME ROOF WITH
A
LBERT!
I
HAD KNOWN
before he moved in that the arrangement was not going to be a walk in the park, but since it was Rachel's apartment, I really had had no say in her decision, even though she'd asked for my approval.

The arrangement had begun to get on my last nerve after Darla complained one time too many about not being able to see me more often.

“I know you still have feelings for that woman and you don't want to move out of her place, because she might hurt herself, but seeing you every now and then is not working for me,” Darla told me one night, as we lay in bed in her cute loft on Alcatraz Avenue.

I didn't want to lose her, so it was time for me to bring out the “big gun” and move to the next level. “Baby, let's get married,” I said, sitting up in bed.

She gasped, and I felt her body stiffen. And I was not surprised. We had known each other only since last April. “What? Do you mean it?”

“I know we haven't known each other that long, but I know what I want, and I hope you do, too.”

“
I . . . I
didn't expect you to . . . I mean . . . what about that woman you still live with?”

“Rachel is still depressed about me wanting to end our relationship, but she's seeing a therapist now, so she's doing somewhat better. I'm sure it won't upset her too much when I tell her I'm moving back home. I'll stay there until you and I can get married. The house I want to buy won't be vacant for a while, anyway.”

“Do you think it's all right to leave her alone? You don't think she'll attempt suicide or something?”

“Uh, her gay uncle is living with us right now. He's a real pain in the ass, let me tell you! His Japanese boyfriend whupped his ass and broke his leg and kicked him out of his apartment. He's also depressed, so he and his niece are in the same boat. Since they have a similar problem, they can console each other. He loves her, and I know he'll make sure she doesn't do anything to hurt herself. When I see she's over me, I'll tell her the wedding is off.”

I was not sure when I was going to break up with Rachel. I needed more time to give my plan a little more thought. In the meantime, I used Albert's intrusion to my advantage. He was the perfect excuse for me to move back in with my parents. When I told Mother and Father how disruptive Albert's presence was, they insisted that I move back home until Rachel and I got married. And Rachel fell for it, too, hook, line, and sinker.

“I love you to death, baby, and I think it's a good idea for you to move back home for a while,” she said. “My apartment is kind of small, and Uncle Albert needs a whole lot of space. But even before he moved in, I felt cramped. We'll have so much more room after we get married and move into our dream house.”

I was so relieved! It looked like my plan was going to work better than I had thought it would. All I had to worry about now was the excuse I was going to use to call off the wedding. “You're right. And I've decided that I'll arrange to meet with Albert's real estate friend and tell him that we want to look at some properties just before we get married.”

“Thank you, honey. I really don't want you to move back home, but under the circumstances, it's not such a bad idea. Besides, once we get married, we'll be stuck with one another for the rest of our lives.”

We both laughed.

 

Albert stayed in Rachel's apartment several more
months.
In August he finally moved back in with the same lover who had kicked his ass and evicted him. Rather than having me move back into her apartment, Rachel and I agreed that I should stay on at my parents' house until we got married. One of the reasons was that our being apart made us want to see one another that much more when we found the time. Another reason was that her uncle might get his ass kicked again and might need to come back, which, I told her, I would not be so amenable to the next time.

Rachel called me at work on Monday afternoon during the first week in August. I could tell from the meek tone of her voice that something was very wrong. I braced myself and waited.

“What's the matter now?” I asked, forcing myself not to sound too annoyed.

“My aunt Hattie just called me,” Rachel began. The pause told me that there was something bad coming.

“Don't tell me
she
needs a place to stay now,” I said hotly, meaning it more as a joke than a concern.

“No, that's not why she called. Mama is sick. She's in the hospital. They're going to remove her gallbladder.”

“Oh? That's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that. What hospital is she in? I'll call her and send some flowers.”

“I'm going to go check on her. Aunt Hattie told me not to worry, but I still think I should go home and make sure everything is all right.”

“I'm sure everything will be all right,” I said firmly. “Your mama is a tough old broad.”

“Well, she is that for sure, but she won't be a tough old broad forever.”

I was not sure where this conversation was going, but I knew it was going in a direction I didn't want to go in. It was worse than I thought. If there was ever any doubt in my mind that what I was doing to Rachel was wrong, that doubt was removed when she dropped another bombshell: her taking in her mentally challenged siblings, and me moving back in with her to look after them.

“I know it'll be a big adjustment, but if Mama could take care of them all those years, we can, too.”

Just the thought of that made me cringe. I felt like I had become the victim of the worst kind of entrapment. It was a day that would haunt me for the rest of my life, because I knew I had to move forward with my plan to end my relationship with Rachel sooner than I had thought I would.

“You want us to take in two adults with special needs?” The words rang in my ears, giving me an instant headache.

“Seth, I promised Mama and all my other relatives that I would take care of my siblings if... uh . . . when she could no longer do it.” She told me in such a casual, nonchalant way, I choked on some air.

I thought my heart was going to stop right then and there. Being the father of kids with mental problems would be bad enough, but that wasn't going to happen. Being responsible for two adults with mental problems would be even worse!

“Rachel, that is a major responsibility.” I gulped.

“Honey, we've already agreed that we would move into a house with at least four bedrooms, so we'll have more than enough room to accommodate them. You and I make good money, so we'll be able to support them, too. Besides, they both receive financial and medical aid from Social Security. I am not going to let my brother or sister end up in one of those state homes, because that would kill Mama. Besides that, I just read some hellish news reports about those places—the staff neglecting and beating the patients, the orderlies raping the females, and so on. And if it comes to them having to move in with us, I'll make sure it won't be permanent, per se. One of the teachers I work with has a bipolar son who just moved into a closely supervised group home in Sacramento. That's something we can look into for the future.”

“What's wrong with them moving into one of those ‘closely supervised group homes' now?”

“For one thing, it's not that simple. Those places have long waiting lists, and in some cases, a doctor has to refer the patient. That could take some time. In the meantime, I need to step up to the plate. It's my responsibility, and I did promise my mama that I'd do it if I had to.”

“Uh, that's mighty noble of you, baby, but taking care of two mentally challenged adults could take a major toll on you and our relationship,” I warned.

“Seth, if it was your family in a crisis like this, I'd go out of my way to accommodate them.”

“I know you would, sweetie, and I appreciate you saying that. You go home to visit your family and do whatever you need to do. I . . . I'm with you one hundred percent.” This would have been the perfect opportunity for me to break up with Rachel. But I couldn't do that yet, because I still needed just a little more financial assistance from her. . . .

“Hmmm. I didn't know it was going to be this easy. After having to deal with Albert in the apartment all those months, I didn't think you would even consider having Ernest and Janet underfoot on a short-term basis, a long-term basis, or any other basis. Are you sure you don't have a problem with this? I mean, Mama could be back on her feet in no time, and we won't have to worry about taking care of my siblings. Hell, Mama just might outlive me and you both.”

I didn't hesitate to respond. “I don't have a problem with it, baby. Now, you do whatever you have to do.”

“I'll make my travel arrangements as soon as I get off the phone. Now, changing the subject, my folks and everybody else keep asking me about our wedding plans. . . .”

“Like I already told you, this coming November or January should be just fine.”

“Okay, baby. I love you.”

“I love you, too. I have to go now.”

I couldn't wait to get off the telephone. I had to make one of the most important telephone calls I would ever make. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the sweet voice on the other end of the line.

“Darla, it's me, baby. I don't want to wait. Let's get married in September,” I said. “This coming September.”

“Huh? That's
next
month! We haven't been together a year and a half, and I haven't even met your family yet! And what about that crazy ex of yours? Has she calmed down enough so we won't have to worry about her?”

“I'm taking you to meet my family next Sunday. And, yes, my crazy ex has calmed down enough for me to move forward with my life.”

“I hope she . . . Rachel's her name, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I hope I never run into her, and I hope you're right about her finally getting the message that you're through with her. I had no idea it would take this long, though. I've never been involved with an unmarried man
and
had to sneak around to be with him.”

“I know, sweetheart. I'm just glad you hung in there. I promise you won't regret it.”

“I'm sure I won't, either. And I can assure you that if you break up with me, I won't cause you the same problems she has caused you.”

“I know you won't, baby.”

“Did she honestly think you were still going to marry her and have children with her after you found out about her crazy family?”

“Apparently she did. Darla, I have to get off the phone. I don't think I can stand any more stress, so I need to let my family know what's going on. And I need to let them know
today.
”