CHAPTER 58

“Where do you think I should hang the banners?” Gina asked, holding a six-foot-long banner reading, “Happy Fortieth Anniversary!” in big, bold red letters.

“I don’t care.”

“I think it should go over the fireplace, but then it might clash with the balloons. Maybe I should put it by the stairs? What’cha think?”

“It’s just a stupid banner, Gina! Hang it anywhere, it doesn’t manner.”

“What’s wrong with you, Yolanda? You’ve been in a pissy mood all day! I just asked you a simple question. Mama and Daddy will be here any minute, so where should I hang this?”

Yolanda snatched the banner from Gina, tore off a piece of double-stick tape, and stuck the banner on her sister’s forehead.

“There! You happy? You’re always the first thing everybody has to see so…SURPRISE!” she yelled, storming out of the family room into the kitchen, ignoring the strange glances coming from their guests.

Gripping the edge of the oyster-grey granite countertop, she watched drops of water fall into the stainless-steel sink. An $800,000 house with a leaky faucet? How ironic.

Drip…

Maxwell is ashamed of me.

Drop…

His father hates me.

Drip…

Maxwell doesn’t want to be seen with me.

Drop…

I’m a fool.

“Hey, Six!” her Uncle Jeff said loudly, barging into the kitchen, his bear-like frame swaggering from the brandy he had been sipping all evening.

“Why you treatin’ yo sister like that? We all tryin’ to get along here,” he said. His dark skin shone like freshly polished mahogany; his voice boomed with humor-laced authority.

“I’m not in the mood for your stupid jokes, Jeff,” Yolanda said, busying herself by getting a vegetable tray out of the refrigerator.

“Hey, Six, remember this?” he asked, placing his wide, thick-fingered hand against the wall, and making an up-and-down motion. He laughed long and hard when he saw Yolanda’s face and realized she knew exactly what he was talking about.

It was an old joke that her father and her uncle dreamed up years ago. They would put their hands on a wall, or table, and rub on it, insinuating that Yolanda was just like whatever surface they were rubbing: flat. Normally, she would tolerate the jokes and would shrug them off. But today was different. After all the ridicule she had suffered yesterday at Maxwell’s family reunion, she had no more tolerance for bad jokes at her expense. She was full.

“How’s Vivian doing?” Yolanda asked, knowing that questions about his ex-wife set him on edge.

In a flash, his smile was gone.

“Um, I don’t know. Haven’t seen her in a while.”

“I heard she is dating a younger man,” Yolanda lied, loving the effect her words were having on him. “Mama showed me a picture of them from a trip they took together. To Hawaii,” she added. His eyes glistened; he’d always wanted to go to Hawaii, but could never afford it.

“They make such a cute couple! He’s so handsome! Did I forget to mention that he’s white?”

Yolanda watched his hand tremble. His brandy glass fell and shattered, the pieces flying all over Gina’s kitchen floor.

“Oh, no! Did you hurt yourself?” Yolanda asked, smiling, and walking over to check his hand. I knew pulling out the race card would get you. You racist pig…

“Vivian done got herself a white man?” he asked, his hands still shaking.

“Yep. Although he could hardly qualify as a man, considering he’s more like twenty-two.”

“Girl, why you tell me some stuff like that? You used to be my favorite niece, but now I don’t know…” he said, his eyes glossy from unshed tears.

Yolanda knew that in bringing up Vivian she might have gone too far, but why did she have to be the one who took all the jokes? What’s wrong, Uncle Jeff? Can’t take a little teasing?

“If you can’t take the heat, Uncle Jeff, then stay out of the kitchen,” Yolanda said, watching a tear finally escape and roll down his cheek.

“Come on everybody! They’re walking up the driveway!” Gina called from the family room.

Yolanda brushed past her pitiful uncle and went into the family room. Over fifty of her parents’ family and friends were gathered in the dark, waiting.

Yolanda went to stand next to Gina, but she moved toward the front of the room, closer to the door.

Well, forget you, too, Gina.

Her mother’s high-pitched laughter signaled everyone to stay quiet.

Her parents opened the door, Trevor flicked the lights on, and everyone yelled, “Surprise!”

Her mother clutched her chest, her mouth agape, while her father just looked around the room beaming.

“Oh, no! I don’t believe this!” her mother said, her face lit by the flashing cameras all around her.

Don’t mention blood pressure. Don’t mention blood pressure…

“Y’all got my blood pressure all up!” she said, laughing as she went around the room giving everyone hugs.

“Gina? Baby girl, I knew you were planning something! Come here and give yo daddy a hug!” her father said, walking over to Gina.

“Y’all give it up for my daughter Gina! She planned this party all by herself!”

They hugged and everyone clapped.

Furious, Yolanda pushed through to where Gina and her father were standing and started clapping insanely.

Soon she was the only one clapping.

“Well, isn’t this just peachy!” she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

“A father and daughter embracing with so much love…When you look at them, you almost forget he has another daughter. Hello, Daddy! My name is Yolanda, in case you’ve forgotten!” she said, waving to him as though meeting him for the first time.

“Six, what is wrong with you?”

“My name is not Six O’Clock! It’s Yolanda! Not Yoranda or Veranda, but YOLANDA!”

“Yolanda, stop all this!” her mother hissed. “You’ve had too much too drink…”

“I haven’t had anything to drink. Not one drop of alcohol! I am totally sober. Sober enough to tell my father that I’m sick and tired of you giving Gina all the credit. I helped with this party, too, but noooo, all you see is Gina. Gina, Gina, Gina! You have two daughters! Twoooo!” She pushed Gina’s cake to the floor.

“Noooo!” Gina cried instinctively, running to catch the cake before it hit the floor, but it was too late. She ended up slipping in cream cheese icing and falling in a heap atop the cake.

“Six hours! It took me six hours! Amaretto cream is mama’s favorite, and now it is ruined!” Gina sat on the floor, her body wracked by deep, heavy sobs.

Without a word, Trevor took his wife’s hand and led her upstairs to change her clothes. You could hear Gina’s sobs throughout the house.

Yolanda looked around and saw a roomful of disapproving stares and shocked expressions.

Mortified, horrified, and emotionally spent, she lowered her head and walked out the front door.