Bad Blood Read Free Page A

real-life family had problems, but they had problems most people can relate to. You can’t hide things from Seth before y’all even get married!”
    â€œMama, you are overreacting. I didn’t try to hide anything from Seth.”
    â€œOh, yes you did! You hid something important from him about the family he’s going to marry into. By not telling him, that’s the same as hiding it! Oh, Lord! How come you didn’t tell Seth about your brother and your sister before now?” Mama hissed. She placed her hands on her hips.
    â€œUh . . . uh . . . it never came up,” I said, fumbling.
    â€œWhat do you mean, ‘it never came up’? How could you not bring it up? The problems we got ain’t the kind you can hide for too long.”
    â€œI was waiting for the right time to tell him,” I said, sitting down hard on the bed, wringing my hands some more. They had begun to sweat, and so had my armpits. “But I’m sure it won’t be a problem. Seth is a very understanding man. And he’s in the church.”
    Mama looked at me and shook her head. “Lord knows how his family is going to react when they hear. All the stuff you told me about how uppity they are . . . lawyers and such. And with him having a mama that don’t do nothing but play bridge, suck up daiquiris, and socialize, I can tell you now she ain’t going to ease into this.”
    â€œMama, why are you so concerned about what Seth and his family will think about Ernest and Janet? They won’t have to deal with them.”
    â€œRachel, I didn’t raise you to be no fool. You know how folks around here have always looked at our family like we was all crazy,” Mama said gently.
    â€œCrazy? Nobody in our family is crazy, Mama,” I protested.
    â€œYou can call it whatever you want, but when it comes to most of the folks in this town, crazy is the first word out of their mouth when they talk about the McNeal family.” Mama snorted and shook her head. “Speaking of crazy, how is that baby brother of mine doing out there in California?”
    â€œUncle Albert is doing just fine.” I saw no need to say more, but Mama wanted to know more.
    â€œIs he still fornicating with men?”
    â€œHe is still dating men, Mama. He lives with one, and he’s very happy. He said that he hopes to get married someday.”
    Mama looked elated, but not for long. “Say what? Do you mean to tell me the boy is going to come to his senses and marry a woman someday? See there! I knew if I prayed long and hard enough, Albert would straighten hisself out!”
    â€œUh, yes, he wants to get married. But . . . to a man. The politicians keep talking about making same-sex marriages legal in California, and he’s real excited about it.”
    Mama stared at me with her mouth hanging open, as if I had just turned purple. “I thought I had heard everything, but I never thought I’d hear something as ungodly as men marrying men, and women marrying women. Lord, have mercy! What is this world coming to? Lord knows what my friends will say when and if Albert ups and marries a man!”
    I shook my head. “Mama, stop worrying about what people will say. These narrow-minded, ignorant, countrified folks in Coffeeville don’t know any better. I’m sure our family is not the only one you know with a few simpleminded people.”
    Mama shot me a hot look. “There’s a lot more to it than a ‘few simpleminded people’ in this family, girl.”
    â€œWhat I meant was—”
    Mama silenced me by waving her finger in my face. “I don’t care what you meant. Hush up and let me talk! You can stand here in them white sandals if you want to and act like you don’t know no better, but I know you do. The problem in our family goes waaay back. I can remember your great-granddaddy doing some of the same outlandish stuff your sister and brother do.