CHAPTER 18

“Hello, passengers. This is the captain speaking. We’ll be back in Houston in two hours. Thanks for flying United Airlines.”

Theresa sat back in her first-class seat and closed her eyes. Dee Dee had her running around like a chicken with its head cut off, but she didn’t mind. It felt good to be coming back from a week-long business management conference. Dee Dee was unable to attend because of problems with the manufacturer for Behave’s new product line. Dee Dee didn’t like the smell, the design of the shampoo bottles wasn’t sleek enough, and on and on.

At least Sheila is not here.

Theresa burst out laughing, causing the other passengers to turn and look at her.

“What?” she said, daring anyone to say something.

I thought so. Y’all ain’t stupid.

All those years, all the arguments they had, all the times Sheila said she was trying to sabotage her, to take her job. All that mess is over, ’cause ding-dong, the witch is gone!

The good part was that it was all true. Sheila had been right all those years; she had been trying to take her job.

Well, I need it more than she does because she’s got a man and I don’t.

I’m out here on my own with no support system, so I need this job more than she does. Besides, it feels good to feel important like this. For a little while, anyway.

Dee Dee reminded her everyday that this was all temporary.

I know Jackie is gonna be creative director.

The thought made her sick to her stomach, but there was nothing she could do about it. Blood is thicker than water. Right now she would just have to ride the wave until it ended.

“Excuse me, attendant?” Theresa said, snapping her fingers.

The flight attendant ignored her, too busy smiling at one of the male passengers.

“Excuse me!”

“I’ll be with you in a minute, ma’am,” she said, her voice traced with irritation.

Isn’t this first class? What’s going on? Miss Thang think she’s cute with all that long blonde hair.

Theresa looked at her and sneered. She was tall and crazy thin, like all those actresses lately. Carol would’ve looked at her and twisted Theresa’s arm: “See, why couldn’t you look like that? That girl look decent and moral. You lookin’ like some harlot with those big ol’ breasts of yours. Ain’t you got no dignity, no shame?”

Theresa rubbed her arm, as if Carol were sitting right next to her and twisting her arm behind her back until she heard the familiar pop of a broken bone. Carol would have loved this attendant. This woman filled her standard of what beauty truly was. She and probably Yolanda, that girl from work.

Yolanda possessed no qualities that would distinguish her as a woman. Flat breasts, straight hips, and an even flatter butt. Oh, Carol would love Yolanda. Every time Theresa looked at Yolanda, pure, hot hatred filled her heart. Her whole life she had been told that having her voluptuous body made her look like a prostitute. Having a body type like Yolanda would’ve made Carol happier. “You see her?” Carol would say, pointing at a skinny woman in the street. “Now there’s a woman with real class. A woman with real style. Why did I have to give birth to you? A little Jezebel hussy?”

Theresa knew she was wrong for hating Yolanda; she shouldn’t have to pay for her painful past. But somebody did. And it felt good to be the one with the power for a change. The power to make somebody else hate herself and wish she had been born into a different body. So she made an effort to make Yolanda’s life miserable, as miserable as her own life had been.

Theresa watched the attendant pass her for the second time, not acknowledging her waving hand.

When she walked past a third time, Theresa stuck out her foot slightly, causing her to trip and fall, hitting her chin hard on the armrest of a passenger’s seat.

She sat up wailing, her mouth covered in blood, her front tooth chipped.

Looks like somebody won’t be smiling for a while.