Between Sisters (13 page)

What the hell. I’m at the restaurant already. I may as well park and go in. Fifteen dollars for parking? I ought to make Harmony reimburse me for coming to this expensive-ass side of town.

When I arrived inside, I looked around for a familiar face. Finally, I saw Harmony walking towards me.

Wow, she’s glowing. She actually looks happy. She must have found her a man.

She embraced me when she got to me. I wasn’t too sure how to respond since I obviously knew her disappointment with my pregnancy, which showed on her face just as her eyes made contact with my bulging belly. I decided to hug her back.

“
Good, you made it. The rest of us are in the back,” Harmony said, motioning her arm in the direction for me to go.

“
You seem to be glowing. Is that
happy
I spied on your face?” I asked as we walked to the secluded area of the 5-star restaurant.

“
Well, I’d like to think I’m happy,” she answered.

I wasn’t too sure how to take that. Maybe I was just being paranoid, or maybe not. As we approached the table with all my sisters, minus Sandy, I could see the disdain on their faces as I approached. It was more obvious when they gave their half-ass waves as my greeting. I really wanted to cry and run out of there.

I don’t need this shit. They always seemed to look down on me before this pregnancy, but this takes the cake.

I hesitantly sat down at the table, feeling some verbal lashings coming on.

To my surprise, Kelly asked, “So, Charise, how are you and the little one coming along?”

My paranoia responded, “Is that a loaded question?”

“
Wow, aren’t we a bit defensive this evening,” Kelly stated, clearly put off by my response. “I was just simply asking a question, but never mind.”

“
Okay,” Harmony jumped in, “we’re getting off to the wrong start tonight. I would like for us to sit here and have a civilized dinner together, then I have some announcements to make, and then we will clear the air right before we probably get kicked out of the restaurant.”

“
Damn, do you think clearing the air would really get us put out of the restaurant?” Shawnee asked. “Why couldn’t we have just met at your house?”

“
Yeah,” I agreed, still annoyed about the cost of parking.

“
All in good time,” Harmony responded. “For now, just put your orders in and let’s eat.”

“
Sounds like a plan to me,” Elaine chimed in. “I’m starving.”

Through dinner, there wasn’t much conversation. Wow! I must’ve really been missing something. Everyone seemed to have some tension.

After our meals and very limited conversation, Harmony began with, “As I mentioned earlier, I have some announcements. Do understand that they are non-negotiable. I am not here to get anyone’s input or advice. Nor am I here to impart any advice.

“
I have taken the liberty of assigning each of you with your own personal therapist. Lord knows each of you desperately need one. I will no longer be any of your personal therapists.”

The look of horror was identical on each of our faces as we listened with open mouths, but speechless.

“
I love every one of you, but I’m so sick of all your foolish antics weighing down my life, which leads to announcement number two. I have a For Sale sign at my home, and I am leaving D.C. in two weeks. When I think you all have gotten your drama under control, I’ll send you a postcard with the address and phone number, but not a moment before then.”

Elaine literally started choking. She wanted to say something, but couldn’t speak.

Harmony sternly went on. “Good, the floor wasn’t open for discussions at this point anyway.”

I had never seen this side of Harmony. Heard about it from Shawnee and Sandy, but never saw it. She was absolutely cutthroat. I don’t think she so much as blinked as her eyes scanned each of us.

“
I will no longer keep any of your dirty little secrets, and if you have any, I suggest you either talk with your assigned therapist or God himself.” Harmony motioned her hand as she pointed to the heavens. “For those of you who do not know, Sandy will be back in D.C. in three weeks, and she is equally as pregnant as Charise. They are two days apart in due dates.” Harmony cut her eyes towards me, and all eyes followed. “I think it will be interesting to see who Lewis stands by when the time comes.” She paused as though she just had an epiphany. “Oops! I think he has already made that clear since he’s nowhere to be found.”

We all looked at her in confusion. I was boiling inside. Harmony was being very insensitive.

“
Yep! Lewis has disappeared on Sandy,” Harmony continued. “He went to buy the proverbial pack of cigarettes, but not before clearing his clothes and important papers out. Just like the little bitch he is, he ran.”

Now we were all shocked.

Lewis left Sandy? And he hasn’t even contacted me? This can’t be right.

“
Oh, but have no fear for Sandy. She has another potential baby’s daddy to help her through,” Harmony said just before cutting her eyes toward Shawnee. Our eyes followed. “But, then again, he may not be available for Sandy either, because he was too pussy-whipped by the sister.”

Now Shawnee choked. “Harmony!” was all she could get out.

Elaine’s eyes bulged in horror. “NO! Not you, Shawnee?!”

“
Let’s not be hasty in passing judgment, Elaine, ‘cause we know Shawnee wasn’t the only one,” Harmony said in a scary-pleasant, motherly tone. “And particularly when you didn’t feel a need to inform your sister that your one and only trifling friend has been involved with her husband for months.”

We were back to being confused. Which friend and whose husband? The answer came quick when Harmony’s eyes went back to Shawnee.

Shawnee stuttered, “But, but, I don’t understand. Whose husband and whose friend?”

“
Elaine, should I do the honors, or would you like the floor right now?” Harmony asked Elaine.

“
Harmony, how could you? I confided in you,” Elaine rebutted.

“
Actually, no, you didn’t,” Harmony said, shaking her head. “You left that lengthy-ass voicemail for anyone to hear while I was away on my trip.”

“
But I don’t understand,” Shawnee repeated, still looking confused.

“
Damn, Shawnee, get a clue. She’s obviously talking about Renee and Robert,” Kelly sputtered. “That’s so very fucked up, Elaine. As if it wasn’t bad enough you were fucking Sandy’s boyfriend slash baby’s daddy, but you knew that trick-ass Renee has been fucking Robert and you didn’t feel the need to let us know so we could whoop that bitch’s ass?” Kelly shook her head furiously.

Shawnee finally found some words. “Okay, so would this have been before or after you felt the need to go tell Robert about my affair with Eric?” she asked, looking at Kelly.

“
Don’t be mad at me. I told you that punk was out there creeping. I was just trying to help you with that crazy-ass nigga you were creeping with. Let’s see, that would be YOUR sister’s man,” Kelly retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

My mouth was wide open with disbelief. No wonder there was so much tension amongst everyone. I wanted to say something to those hypocritical bitches for ragging on me, but I knew I had better keep my mouth closed.

“
And speaking of that crazy-ass nigga, Shawnee, Sandy was very unhappy to learn from him that you had already told him about Sandy’s baby. See, when I foolishly talked Sandy into telling him about the baby, my way to get him to back off of you, she took my advice only to learn you beat her to the punch. So, imagine her confusion when she tried to figure out how you two knew each other enough to tell him something like that. She eventually figured it all out, but decided not to be mad at you because you didn’t know initially about the two of them. However, that reasoning was short lived when she thought about your telling him about her baby. Matters were worsened when Eric professed his undying love for Shawnee to Sandy, but he said he will take care of the baby if it’s his. Therefore, Shawnee, Sandy’s going to kick your ass the first chance she gets,” Harmony said with a smile. “Me? I’ll be long gone from your madness.”

Shawnee had tears in her eyes. All she could do was shake her head.

Cutthroat Harmony continued. “But, Elaine, before you think you’re in the clear, Eric felt the need to confess his affair with you, as well. And as you already know, Sandy knows you knew about her and Eric’s relationship. So, she plans on kicking your ass, as well.”

I accidentally let out a brief laugh. Big mistake!

“
Glad you find this amusing, Miss Charise, ‘cause it was brought to Sandy’s attention from Kelly that you’re having a baby. Although Kelly kept secret your paternity, Sandy had me confirm her suspicions of Lewis fathering your child. Now she’s thinking Lewis left her pregnant to run and be with you. She said she’s going to fuck you up if she finds out he’s with you,” Harmony said to me with a raised eyebrow. “Needless to say, you have been completely disowned in her book. She wants nothing to do with you or the baby. She said you better pray she’s not carrying Lewis’ baby, as well.”

Elaine stood up from the table. “Okay, I’m done here. I’ve heard enough. You can all kiss my ass.”

“
Ouch! That hurts, sis,” Harmony said, amused. “But, I have just one more announcement before you go.”

“
I don’t think I want to hear anymore. Particularly as you seem to be enjoying all of this,” Elaine said, still standing.

“
I’m sure you’ll love this next one. It has nothing to do with any of you,” Harmony said.

“
I’m with Elaine on this. I don’t think I want to hear anymore,” Kelly added.

Shawnee was still looking catatonic as if her whole world just fell apart. I was somewhat relieved that everything was out, and I didn’t have to feel like I needed to walk on eggshells around my holier than thou sisters.

“
This is regarding your one and only brother, Angelo,” Harmony put out there.

Oh Lord, what could Angelo have done and he’s almost 3,000 miles away at UCLA?
I was on the edge of my seat waiting to hear. From the looks of things, so were the others.

“
Of course, you all know that you perfect and judgmental sisters don’t make things easy for Angelo to talk about, so he has shared with me that he is gay. He doesn’t want to come around any of us because he doesn’t want any backlash of how he chooses to live his life. So, now I am telling you because I want whichever of you without blemish to cast a stone in Angelo’s direction,” Harmony dared.

Again, we were all shocked. Elaine fell back into her seat. Shawnee was at full attention with the news.

Kelly spoke. “Gay? But how? When? Oh my Lord! This can’t be.”

“
Believe it! It is!” Harmony answered. She stood up and then announced, “Ladies, dinner is on me, and I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. I’ll be in touch with each of your much-needed therapy contact information. And I’m out!”

With that, she walked off to pay the waiter and left the restaurant. The rest of us remained still trying to process it all.

I found something inside of me to finally speak up. I guess this must have been the “clear the air” portion that was about to get us thrown out the restaurant.

“
You bitches have got a lot of nerve. You practically jumped on me when I told you about my pregnancy. All the while, you knew you were fucking Sandy’s other dick on the side. Bitches!”

Elaine retorted, “First of all, I got your bitch, bitch. Secondly, I wasn’t fool enough to carry any man’s baby, especially one that my sister is currently married to. Thirdly, when I was fucking him WITH A CONDOM, I didn’t know Shawnee was fucking him, too, or that Sandy was still fucking him. Unlike your dumb ass, who fucked a man UNPROTECTED that she knew was fucking her sister every day, you dumb-ass bitch!”

“
Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute,” Kelly jumped in. “Don’t talk to Charise like that. You didn’t do everything with a damn condom, you ho. I guess you forgot who you told what to.”

Just then, Shawnee got up without saying a word and left the restaurant.

Kelly continued on Elaine. “Your skank ass knew when you first saw that bastard at the club that was Sandy’s dick, but it didn’t stop you. Oh, but speaking of the club, you brought that bitch Renee to the club around us, when you knew she was fucking your sister’s husband?” Kelly’s voice was getting loud, and the ghetto was coming out.

“
That’s what you know,” Elaine spat back. “I had no idea she was fucking Robert. I just learned that a few weeks ago. I tried to contact Harmony to figure out what to do.”

“
Bullshit!” Kelly yelled. “Why wouldn’t you come tell me? You have no problem telling me every other piece of dirt.” At this point, Kelly was standing as though she was ready to jump over the table and kick Elaine’s ass. “You had to have gotten something out of the shit, because you wouldn’t have kept that info to yourself. Why wouldn’t you go to Shawnee? You were probably fucking him, too.”

Elaine jumped up at Kelly, and there they were, fighting in the damn restaurant. I didn’t know what to do; I wasn’t going to jeopardize my baby to break them apart. It was probably my fault they were fighting. If I hadn’t attacked Elaine and Shawnee, Kelly probably wouldn’t have ended up involved.