Lebanon, Kansas – Thursday
Night, March 9, 1989
Relaxed in the bucket seat of the orange Charger, Jessie’s
mom, Tammy, blew a ring of smoke that clouded the windshield. She tipped her
glass for the remains of her drink.
“See you tomorrow, Barrett?”
“What time do you get off?”
“Seven. What time’s your shift?”
“Noon.”
“Wanna wake up to some nookie?”
Barrett reached over the stick shift to caress
her thigh.
“Mmmm. See you tomorrow,” Tammy said and opened
the door then closed it and reached in to hand him the empty tumbler. Barrett’s
eyes rested on her cleavage. “Hehe, you horny boy.”
She swayed as she walked to the porch. Mammie,
dressed in her moo-moo, filled the doorway.
“No church meetin’ t’night?” Tammy asked as she braced
her hand on the post to find her balance.
“Drinkin’,” Mammie accused. “You’ve been
carousin’ all day while I’ve been frettin’ over Jessie. She didn’t come home
from school. And you . . . look at you . . . dressed as a harlot—”
“Enough, Ma,” Tammy said as she slid past her.
“You’re fumin’ with alcohol. Don’t you work
tonight?” Mammie followed her into the kitchen.
“Yeah. I gotta couple hours to clean up. Just
need some coffee.”
“Jessie. Don’t you care none for Jessie?” Mammie
said with a glare, hands on her hips.
“She’s a big girl. Can take care of ‘erself.”
“Oh, like you? Shackin’ up with that man,” she
chastised with her head bobbing with the words.
“She’s prolly makin’ new friends, Ma. Give ‘er a
break. Makin’ ’er wear them long dresses ’n blousy shirts— ”
“Settin’ a good example, Tamara. That’s what you should be doin’. She sees you like
this, she’ll be doin’ the same.”
v v v
The blue Camaro cruised slowly down Elm.
“Thanks, Bobby. You have an eye for picking out
some really sexy lingerie, and I just love this new outfit.”
“That was a first. You’re hot, babe. What’s
next?”
“You wanna see more?”
His eyes widened in anticipation.
“So how’s Lauren?” Jessie interjected.
“We had a spat after she saw me talking to you
in the parking lot.”
“Oh. So sorry. Are you gonna make up?”
“Rather make out with you.”
“Oh, how sweet, Bobby . . . It’s right up— ”
She leaned forward. “Oh, crap, all the lights are on. Mammie’s supposed to be
at a church meeting. Drive on past. I’ve got to think of something.”
“What’s up?”
“Don’t want to get into it, Bobby. Just drive
around the block. Next street over. I’ll have to sneak in somehow.”
“Really? You went shopping at the mall. What’s
wrong with that?”
“You don’t know Mammie. She’d whip me if she saw
what you bought me. Oh, no . . . I forgot to change.” She glanced to the
backseat and grabbed her book bag. A look of defiance came over her. “Screw it.
Bout time I stood up for myself.”
“What’s the tiz about? You dress hot all the
time.”
“Just pull over here. I’ve gotta go.” She
gripped the door handle as he pulled to the curb. Flinging the door open she
grabbed the Victoria’s Secret bags between her legs and slung her backpack over
her shoulder. Leaving the door open, she ran into the dark between the houses.
v v v
Tammy sipped from her coffee cup. Mammie came
out of her bedroom holding a bag.
“This is what I’m talkin’ about, Tamara.” She
dumped the bag onto the kitchen table.
Tammy picked up a handful of cut up pieces of
satin and lace. “What’s this?”
“You don’t know? I found these in the laundry.”
“Hmmm. I wonder where she got ‘em?”
“You don’t now? Tamara! She’s your daughter. If someone doesn’t raise
her right, she’ll turn out a floozy.”
“Like me, Ma, is that what you’re sayin’?” She
slammed the cup breaking the saucer and coffee splattered across Mammie’s moo-moo.
“I didn’t raise you this way— ”
“You beat the crap out of me with that switch of
yours— ”
“Obviously, not enough! You’re a drunk and a
whore, and Jessie’s not gonna be like you. Not in my house.”
Jessie crept from the kitchen window and kept in
the shadow to the back of Mammie’s house. She quickly dressed into the plain
skirt and blouse and then stuffed the Victoria’s Secret bags into her book bag.
She snuck out to the sidewalk and walked up to the porch.
“Hi! I’m home.” She tossed her bag on the couch and walked
into the kitchen. Mammie and Mom stared at her. “Been studying with Kendra for
the biology exam tomorrow. Would have called, but I thought you had a church
meeting tonight.” She went about cleaning up the kitchen table, taking the
scraps of cloth and broken saucer and tossed them in the trash container. “No
more need of these. The boys are smitten by my look as Laura from Little House
on the Prairie. Well . . . ” She presented a big-toothed smile to her grandma
and then to her mom. “It’s off to bed for me. Need to get my rest before the
big exam.” She turned at the threshold to the living room. “Y’all have a
wonderful evening. Good night.”
She grabbed her secret lying on the couch and
headed for her bedroom.
v v v
Copyright 2017 © Jeff Cambridge
Excerpt from
PURSUIT, a novel by Jeff Cambridge, a writer of transformational fiction with
characters that tell life-changing stories.
This is a
pre-published scene.
To read the
scenes sequentially, begin with
“PURSUIT: A
Novel – Prologue”
Your comments
are welcomed and appreciated. Simply check one of the reaction boxes below,
write a comment, or email me at bycambridge@gmail.com.
This novel is a
work of fiction. Any references to real events, businesses, organizations, and
locales are intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and
authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
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