NOT What I Was Expecting Read Free Page B

Just because it turned
out he was dribbling his ball in some other woman’s court doesn’t mean he was a
total loser.”
    CeCe looked at me
like she’d never seen me before in her life. 
    “Okay, he was a
total loser,” I conceded.  “But it’s not like every guy you’ve dated was a
loser.  They didn’t all cheat on you like Kenny.  What about Dan the Baker
Man?  I remember him as being pretty devoted to you.  He was a good guy wasn’t
he?”
    “He was a pretty
good guy,” CeCe agreed.  “His problem was his devotion to his mother.  The
woman was pure evil.  She didn’t like me, and he felt he was too close to his
‘family’ to be dating someone who didn’t click with them.  So no, he wasn’t a
cheater.  He was a ninny baby who couldn’t make a move without mommy’s
permission.  See this is why I’m so attracted to Deputy Ben.  He’s good
looking, considerate, has tons of integrity, and his mother’s dead.  We’d be
perfect together.”
    We finished our
food in silence.  Since CeCe was smiling and happy after her last remark, I
thought it best to leave it at that.
    Just as we placed
the tip on the table and stood to leave, CeCe’s purse started playing Pour
Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard.  She reached in to retrieve and answer her
cell phone while I smiled at the snickering couple at the next table.  We love
80's music, no apologies.  As we headed toward the door, I noticed CeCe
listening intently to whoever was speaking to her on the phone.  When we stepped
outside and were in the parking lot, CeCe was using her take charge voice as
she said, “It’s all right, Mother.  We’ll be right over.”
     
    As we pulled up to
the blue and white two-story colonial where we grew up, all the outside lights were
blazing, lighting up the whole yard.  I was sure Aunt Shirley was watching for
us from the front window.  According to CeCe, a friend of hers had died, and
she’d sounded pretty upset.
    Just then, Shirley
came fluttering through the front door talking very fast.  “Oh, thank you for
coming.  It’s just so sad, and Pearl’s not home yet.  I needed some company.”
    We followed her
inside, with CeCe and I both talking at once.
    “She’s in a better
place.”
    “Every thing is
going to be okay.”
    “I guess it was
her time.”
    “She’ll be missed,
but everyone was lucky just to have known her.”
    We hit pretty much
all the standards.  Shirley was wearing a pale pink, soft, flowing dress that
was classy and tasteful, just like the lady herself.  I’ve never known her not
to match her earrings, dress, purse, and shoes.  Shirley is actually a little
taller than her sister, my mother Pearl, but she’s always seemed smaller.  She
is smaller than Pearl in diameter and demeanor.  Everything about Shirley is
quick and somewhat emotional, whereas my mother’s whole approach to life is
more along the lines of take charge, get the job done, and deal with the
fallout later.  I’d be surprised if you can find one pastel colored item in all
of my mother’s belongings.  She is bold and so are her clothes, but she manages
to keep it tasteful.  As a teenager, I appreciated that she never crossed the
line to clown town like some of my friends’ mothers.
    Shirley and Pearl
are both meticulous about getting their hair colored before anyone can see any
roots.  Pearl likes a soft red, whereas Shirley goes for a very light blonde
color.  CeCe and I think they just like being regulars at the beauty parlor and
all the privileges that go along with it.  They get and give all the latest
gossip, there’s always someone there to tell them how wonderful they look, and
politics or the hot topics of the day are energetically discussed.  They deny
it, of course.  They always give some sort of “taking pride in their personal
appearance” speech as their reason.  Uh-huh.
    I was really
hoping my mother would get home from her City Council meeting soon and help us
out with the