Page 52 of Quiet as Kept

“Auntie Bobbie, I’m hungry,” Yahirah announced. “Is it okay if I get some food?”

“Yes. Help yourself.” Once Yahirah was on her way to the tables, Aunt Bobbie turned back to me. “Let me guess.” She gave me a slow once-over. “I’m gonna say that you’re either working in California or Florida. You have a tan, and your skin is perfectly sun-kissed.”

I smiled. “It’s a secret. I haven’t told anybody.”

“I don’t blame you. The Simpsons are dysfunctional as hell. Have you been in therapy to heal from everything you’ve experienced at their hands?”

I stared at her. “I never even thought of that. You think I need therapy?”

“Xari, you’ve been through a lot of trauma, baby—your daddy dying so unexpectedly, your mother abandoning you, being raised by your granny. Lord knows that alone will send you into therapy. It sent me to a therapist?—”

“You see a therapist?” I cut in.

“Yes, baby. Having a mother like Glenda makes a lasting impact.”

“Why is she like that? All distant and unemotional?”

“For years, your grandmother dealt with undiagnosed depression.”

“What?”

“Yep, atypical depression.”

“Wow.” I let that sink in.

“Uh, Bobbie,” Cassandra’s voice rang out as she made her way over to us.

I sighed heavily.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said when her eyes fell on me.

I didn’t even bother responding.

“What’s up, Cassandra?” Aunt Bobbie questioned.

“All the drinks at the bar are nonalcoholic. If you couldn’t afford liquor, you should’ve cut back on some of this food.”

Auntie Bobbie twisted up her face. “I can afford liquor, Cassandra, but it’s illegal to serve liquor to minors. These kids are in high school.”

“Some of us are grown, grown.”

“Well, take your grown, grown ass to the liquor store and get whatever you want to sip on. Get the hell outta my face.”

Cassandra looked me up and down, and I could feel that she was about to start with me. Before she could get any words out, Yahirah returned with a plate filled with food.

“Xari and I just said we wanted someSweet Potato Soul, and you had them cater this party. Great minds think alike.” She bent down and playfully bumped my aunt’s shoulder with her own.

Aunt Bobbie chuckled.

Cassandra scowled.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have time for this. Yahirah, let me find my grandmother, give Nay’Tron his envelope, and we can be out.”

“Aww, niecy pooh, don’t leave. Stay and spend some time.”

I wrapped my arm around her neck. “I’ve already seen and spent time with the only person I wanted to see and spend time with unless I missed Nisha.”

“Nisha’s at work. She’ll be through here later.”