When I Lie in Bed at Night PT 4

   Part Four

    “What did you say?” her mother, Beatrix, asked with a thick southern accent as she stepped into the living room.
     She stood with her hands on her hips frowning. “I have her frown.” Alana thought sadly. To Alana her mother was pretty, but recently Alana had only been able to see her bad features. Twenty two years was a long time to build up resentment. After that long, her resentment was turning to hate and that hate was driving her farther and farther away. It was a hate felt for being put in a figurative box for so long. It was a box where, she herself, was the one hated and nothing in her life was true unless her mother told her it was. Alana was tired of being told what to believe.

     “Twenty two years is too long.” she boldly told her mother.

     “What are you talking about?” Beatrix asked, looking confused.

     “Who is my dad?” asked Alana. 
     Her mother froze every time the question came up. Alana knew she was hiding something, but what? It couldn't just be that he didn't want kids. If that were the case, Alana would accept it and move on with her life, even if her father weren't there. Her mother knew this.

     “Don't start this again.” she said and tried to walk away.

     “If you don't tell me, I'll just figure it out on my own.” Alana threatened.

     “And how are you going to do that?” Beatrix asked, challenging her daughter. 
     Alana put on the biggest, most believable smile she could and told her mother her plans.

     “Well, I was thinking about taking out an ad in the newspaper.” she said still grinning.
     Her mother's frown grew even more intense and fear spread across her face. She knew Alana was mean enough to do it.
     ”You know what that article is going to say?” Alana continued. “It's going to say in big, bold letters, 'Who fucked my mother in April during the early 90's?' " she told her mother.
     Beatrix' eyes nearly popped out of her head and Alana grinned even harder. 
     "Your beautiful, smiling face is going to be right above it.” said Alana. "Oh and don't worry. I'll pay the extra to have it printed in color." 
     The mouth of Alana's sister hung open in shock. Her mother looked as if she were going to explode.If she could have torn across the room and snapped Alana's neck she would have.

     “You wouldn't. You're not crazy!” she said nearly crying with anger and fear.

     “I would gladly do it!” Alana threatened. 
     "You ungrateful little bi..." Beatrix started.
     "Don't poke the bear mom." Alana warned.  “Just give me a name and I won't do it.” she bargained.
      Her mother exhaled heavily as if trying to blow out the anger that was heavy in her chest. Alana knew pushing her over the edge would get her to confess. She would rather just tell then be humiliated in their small town in Georgia. It was only home to about two thousand people. Two thousand people that would laugh, point and gossip every chance they got. They would sit on the porches of their trailer and double-wide homes and come up with every story they could think of. They had ran people out of town before, they could do it again.

     “His name is Antonio Grant.” Beatrix confessed.

(To Be Continued)

Copyright © 2012 by April Thompson

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