| |
As the night winded down, Verdie allowed herself to remember a good past, filled with marvelous memories of great people, memories of zany moments and loving times.
People were yelling back as they left, telling Verdie they have had a great time. She proudly waved them away.
She carried two glasses of Egg Nog into the living room. She hands one to her mother. She oversees her family. Everybody was relaxing.
Bebe, her feet up on the coffee table, said, “See, it turned out just fine. Everybody’s having a good time.”
“True. It was nice.”
“Well, almost everybody. There’s some white folks that won’t be looking forward to next year’s party.
“That’s true. And too bad for them.”
Verdie heard her youngest was seeing out a few stragglers.
“Now that was what I call a party!”
“What y’all niggers doing for New Year’s Eve?”
“Not a damn thing, so don’t come by here and good night!”
“David!” Verdie scolded.
Verdie moved on and as she hit the living room her eyes did a quick scan.
LaQuan is in and out of a drunken sleep. Bebe has a glass of wine with the bottle between her legs. Grandmomma sips Egg Nog. Marc and Patricia were close, in separate chairs, whispering.
Grandmomma said, “It ain’t enough rum in this. That’s why nobody drank any.”
Verdie sat in her favorite chair and allowed relaxation to seep in. Right then, for the first time that night, she missed her husband so.
And then she thought soon it would be just her. All of a sudden she felt alone. Her mind went through the nightmarish images of her children all getting married and living their lives, with her growing old alone. Alone was how she felt all of a sudden; and all alone in the world after always being in a full house all her life. She was raised with six brothers and sisters, and after she married Teddy they had lived with her sister and her four kids in a three-bedroom ranch house for two long years.
Oh how Teddy would have been pissed about how the party went. But he would have liked how it ended.
She then felt bad that she had fought since Thanksgiving to not have this party, an event she so enjoyed.
The sensation hurt. She coughed out a cry and fought away sobs. Still a soft smile curved Verdie’s face. She wiped her face, praying no one noticed.
She wanted everyone to stay the night, sleep wherever, or not to sleep, and she would cook breakfast.
“You okay, V?” BeBe asked after a sip of her wine, her feet up on the coffee table. “What’s so funny? I thought you were crying.”
David came back in as the last few people file out. The core family is all that remains. Adam, BeBe, Patricia, Grandmomma, Mardessa, Marc and Verdie were seated around the living room.
David plopped down next to his boy; no one else dared to sit next to LaQuan. “Ooooh we. We done.”
Patricia got up. “Well, I am going to start on the kitchen.”
“No,” Verdie protested. “Sit a spell.”
“I don’t know how much longer we are going to stay.”
On that note, Marc rose up, “I’ll help you,” and followed behind her.
Adam was thinking about it all.
“I have to say something,” he snapped the soft quiet of the tired folks.
Mardessa had a worried look.
“Please don’t, congressman.”
“No. I want to apologize for screwing up the party.”
Mardessa cringed; dreading all eyes zooming to her.
“No, no,” Verdie said. “it ended well. It was a nice night.”
Adam sat forward in the chair. “Yeah, but it was me that got the food and just had to have the other side of the family here. I ruined the party.”
“No you didn’t.”
David said, “He begging for a hug.”
“Shut up, Dave. I am just saying, sorry. That’s it.”
“And I am telling you that there is no need to be apologizing,” Verdie corrected.
LaQuan sat up.
“The dumb has arisen,” Grandmomma said.
“Dude. I am not right,” LaQuan said.
“You always wrong.”
LaQuan turned and vomited loud over the side of the sofa’s arm.
David sat up. “Aw man,”
“Lordie,” Verdie exclaimed.
Adam laughed. “Chris Christ, yikes. That don’t sound good, and it smells worst.”
Mardessa got up and rushed to the bathroom.
Adam looked closer and came to alert. He sees his shoebox was under LaQuan. “No! My shoes. No, man, no!”
David stood up and saw the damage. “Damn, dog. Them shoes is messed up. They special, right? I hope you got the receipt.”
Adam was furious but he didn’t go too close.
David helped LaQuan up. He tried not to laugh.
“The receipt! You bum! They custom made!”
“Oh no,” Verdie said. “The boy threw up on your new shoes?”
LaQuan is drowsy. He said, “I’m okay man. Sorry, Adam, aw, homie. I’m messed up.
“He must have eaten some of food from earlier.”
“I tried to tell him not to, but he smarter. And he was mixing drinks all night.”
“David, take him to your room and lay him down.”
“Okay. Come on champ, the fight is over. You was tough, you just got your ass whipped.”
“Shit,” Adam now got a look at his shoes. “He can’t even afford to pay me for them.”
David shook his head while he led LaQuan away. “Why you bring them in here? You should have left them in my room. Show off.”
Adam just shook his head.