As Real As It Gets | Volume 1 | Chapter 3: Nana's Wisdon & True Lies

CHAPTER THREE

Nana's Wisdom

Amy knows better than to just open the door, and walk in on her grandmother. Upon invite, she opens the door, and enters the bedroom. Nana was sitting in her favorite spot, on the plush recliner by the window. She was always quite content sitting there watching DVD's all day while checking out the busy neighbors from the window.

“Hi baby.”

Nana says, without turning away from the tv program.

Amy was bothered, and had wanted to speak with her Nana for some time now. She knew that this would not be a good time either. Nana's shows were always more important to her than any conversation that Amy could conjure up. On many occasions, when she’d be upset, and want to talk, Nana would beat her down verbally about how disappointed she was with Amy's life choices. This always meant that the subject would change, and Amy would go on the defense about her actions. This was also true when Amy would speak up about the happier topics as well, like getting a new client. Nana would insist that although she believed in Amy, so she says, she thinks that Amy needed to get her life in better order.

“Stop dreaming. You ain't getting any younger girl!”

She’d say, in her raspy slow tone. By this, she meant, Amy needed to get a real job, and stop fumbling around with all the starting a business nonsense. Non-the-less, Amy kicked off her shoes, and laid across the bed facing her grandmother.

“So, what brings you by here? You need something?”

Nana said, as she paused her DVD.

“I need your advice on something, Nana.”

Amy knew before asking what her Nana was going to say but she asked anyway. She just wanted justifications for her actions, and needed to get some of it off her chest.

“Ok,”

She sighed.

“What can I tell you dat you don't know already? Well go ahead. What's up?”

She said, not bothering to look in Amy's direction.

“What's eat'n at ya?”

“Well, Nana, I'm sick of Aishame. You know, Wilma's aunt!”

“Why? I thought ya'll went to school together, and were good friends. Hell, I remember when she was your shadow. Ya'll done everything up each other's asses.”

One would think that her language would improve after she stopped drinking, and started attending Sunday services. Not Nana. She'd curse every chance she got, even at church. When her pastor visits, he tries to ignore her rudeness but, anyone with eyes can see how uncomfortable he becomes when she damns God for everything.

“God damit this, and God damit that.”

The pastor's wife came with her husband on one visit. Amy was sure the vulgarity is why she refused to come back.

“Nana! That's just it, Aishame isn’t a friend.”

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Amy raises her voice as she spills out one word on top of the other,

“She just acts like she is a friend so that she can get what she wants from me.”

Amy showed her anger, biting down on her lips as she spoke, trying not to curse. Nana started shaking her head in disapproval, and ignorance.

“What da hell you talkin bout, she wants some ‘tin from ya? Ya'll two ain't got so close ya'll bumpin uglies are ya?”

She turned up her face with disgust.

“Long story short, she gets what she wants by lying, and manipulating people. She uses me as her going out partner, and as Wilma's ear to get things out of me that I don't tell Wilma.”

“Then why ya go n tell Aishame anything bout Wilma. You know how family do! Hell, I'd tell too!”

Nana's tone was a scolding one with the finger pointing to go along with it.

“She's always askin' me what's up at home. I mean, even when I talk to her about other things, she brings it up. Just lookin' for somethin', ya know? They know I don't wana be there! There ain't nothin’ left to say after that! Nana, Aishame asks just to go back, and tell Wilma, I'm sure of it. It's like she expects me to dawg my friend.”

“If that's the case den leave her the hell alone. Dat's as simple as it gets. Go bout your business, and just leave that girl alone. Only deal with Wilma. Then your ass won't go through shit like dis. After all, you do live with Wilma, and ya'll need to keep dem lines of communication open.”

“No Nana, I need to stop talking to Aishame yes, but it's hard cause, I don't have any solid reason to stop talkin' to her yet. I knew for some time now that she's only using me, and I'm through. But being that I also go to her family's events, it's hard not talking to her. I know what I'll do!”

A now excited Amy sits up, and gives her grand mom a sinister smile, and a wink.

“I know dat look Amy. What da fuck you got goin on in dat head of yours?”

Nana said, impatiently waiting to rebuttal.

“I'll tell her everything, Nana, everything! She won't even see it coming. Then, after she snakes to her niece, I'll go scorpion on her butt. She wouldn't see it coming, or even think that I would set her up...It's perfect.”

Amy laughs.

“Yes. Perfect.”

Happy with her newfound trap, and torture method, Amy got up, fixed her clothes then put her shoes on.

“Thanks Nana. You always know what to say. ”

Amy said, as she walked over to her grandmother.

“No need to be like that. Just cut her off.”

Nana said, as she took her last chance to change Amy's mind.

“I wish I could, Nana. I wish I could.”

Amy said shaking her head as she knelt down to kiss her grandmother, and end her visit.

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True Lies

On that Saturday, before Mother's Day, Aishame invited Amy to go out to two different clubs in the same night. Since Amy had no money, Aishame gladly agreed to pay for her. Aishame knew that she couldn't buy Amy's affection, and time but she tried to anyway.

They went to the first club that was located a town over from where Amy lived. There they enjoyed themselves dancing, and flirting with the guys.

After that, they headed over to meet Fred who was to lend Aishame some more money so the two of them could enjoy the rest of their evening. Amy didn't like that either. She felt that if you didn't have the money for what you wanted then you just can't have it. Aishame was just the opposite. One of those women who used what they got to get what they want, and then some. She even went as far as to marry her true love's brother. Her husband worshiped her, and she constantly cheated on him. She got another man's name tattooed across her left butt cheek. What a shame to fat women everywhere.

"She's such a whore,"

Amy thought. Her husband was the lucky one in the end. She’d have taken him for every dime he had. However, when he got wind of her secret lover tattoo, he shocked the shit out of her divorcing her ass quick as he did. She wasn't expecting that, and didn't see it coming. It took him almost 6 months to find that tattoo, due to it being a small piece of art placed on such an extra massive canvas.

While riding in the car, Aishame decides that this would be a perfect time to drill Amy for some more information.

"I hope you know where we're going Amy, cause I only know one way to get there. Fred's gonna be there soon."

"Yes, I told you. All you gotta do is stay straight on this road then turn right at the light. You'll know where you are once we get there. Besides, I've traveled these roads many times, and I know where I'm going."

Amy said mockingly.

"So, how’s things going with you? Did ya find out when you're moving?"

"Oh, I'm good. I'll be moving shortly. Gilbert just has to sign the contract that I wrote then I'll be good to leave. You know that I already started cleaning out the house, right?"

"That's good. How's that going?"

Aishame said, reaching for her phone.

"Well, you know it's a fuck'in pig pen over there with all da animals included! He's not even supposed to have any freak'in animals in there. Now, it smells like animal pee, and wet dogs in every corner of the house! Everything in their smells like that too. I have to throw everything, and I do mean everything away. It's awful. Plus, I just found out there's no water either. Don't know how I'll get rid of that smell. It is going to take some serious shampooing, and scrubbing to get rid of that animal funk. It smells disgusting."

"Ewe! That's gross, I'm glad to hear you'll have your own space again. You need it. Did you tell Wilma when you are planning on moving?"

"No."

Amy said quickly.

"I'm going to wait until Gilbert signs the agreement then show it to them. They're going to be as happy as I’m. You know, them getting their house back to themselves, and all, finally."

"Amy, you know that they'll miss you. I mean you do a lot for them, and they will miss that."

"No, I don't think that's true. You just don't know how upset they got at me the other night. Oh, and by the way,"

Amy added,

"I don't need you telling Wilma anything for me."

She looked at Aishame with scolding eyes.

"I was going to tell them that I quit but they didn't give me the chance because they already knew thanks to you."

"It was not like that."

She whined quickly.

"I was telling her that you were upset, and it just came out as to the reason why. I mean, she was sitting right there when you called, and told me."

"Yeah, right,"

Amy replied sarcastically.

"Ok. Well, they didn't like it, and they made me cry."

"What happened? What did they say?"

Aishame requested, with sorrow in her voice.

"Nothing that they shouldn't have said, and some things that they should've said they didn't."

"What do you mean? How did they make you cry?"

Aishame pleaded for an answer.

"It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it."

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"You know Amy, I love. The only reason why I ask you to talk about things is because I know, like we all know, you don't like living there. It'll be all over soon but I just want to help you threw things right now. It isn't good keeping things bottled up, and I'm here if you want to talk about it. You know, I won't say anything to hurt you, and you need to vent too."

Aishame tried to convince Amy to speak her mind.

"Yeah, I may need to vent but I don't think that anything is worth talking about because I'll be leaving soon, and it'll be done, and over with. Let's just leave it at that. Ok?"

Amy insisted.

"Awe, come on. I’m here for you...blah, blah, blah..."

Amy's mind drifted off. She remembered what she'd told her grandmother, and thought that this could be her last chance to get back at Aishame. If Aishame vowed to keep silent about all the things that she'd tell her then, when she told, Amy would have every right to curse Aishame out as the vixen she really was. So, she gave in.

"Ok. Aishame, you wanna know. Well, they didn't kick me out...just to let you know."

"...and they will not."

She added.

"Yeah, but I know they want me to leave because Clyde, and Wilma just don't act the same towards me anymore. They used to thank me for this, and thank me for that but now, they act as if I just can't do enough. Clyde even said that I practically stayed there for free. Now, you know, I've helped them renovate their four rooms, and it's like what I do just isn't enough. I even gave Wilma food stamps to compensate for the money that I wasn't making as a carrier, and she didn't even want to include that as rent. I feel that she just wants to take everything that I've got, and keep me down. Not intentionally to keep me down but, to take all that I have just isn't exactly helping me get out of their house. So, last night they were telling me, they're not kicking me out but, I must come to them, and be more open about my finances. Still, they say that I'm no child but, they'd like to know everything because they don't know when they'll get any money from me. Aishame, you know that I’m always broke, right?"

"Yeah, and Wilma knows this too."

"So, whenever I get money, I give them money. I told Wilma that I'll pay her whatever I made in tips, and cash every other day I work. This is the only thing that I could do. So, when the phone bill came about, I was still doing the same thing. Wilma got upset because I didn't hand her all of the money for the bill all at once. I told her that it was up to her to save what I gave her for the phone bill, and she disagreed, saying that I should've told her that. I didn't think to tell her any different because I didn't feel anything had changed. In the end, I understood where she was coming from, on that, though; it still hurt being so mistrusted."

A still curious Aishame continued to inquire.

"So, how did this make you cry?"

"I started to cry because they were coming down on me like I'm a bum that had only made their lives harder."

Amy cried out, still emotional over the situation.

"You know that’s a fucking lie because Clyde was bringing in so much money that they were going out shopping, and all sorts of stuff when he was selling, and now that it is all over, they want to look at me like I'm the cause of their money problems. He told me that I should feel like shit. The same way he did when they had to live with their parents. He said that being 32 years old. I should want better for myself. Like I don't, and shit!"

Amy squealed louder.

"That's the shit that pisses me off the most. I've done a lot of things to better myself, all by myself, and all people see is the present."

"They know all you've done for them, and so, why now, are they starting to sound like they don't appreciate you?"

"I never said that they don't appreciate me but, they do look at me like I'm a bum, and I know that it's not true. Hell, I would've taken them into my home in a heartbeat. I've got no problem with that. You started this shit when you told them about the job thing. Yeah,"

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Amy said, shaking her head.

"You got them started up."

Two beeps from Aishame's cell phone interrupted the conversation.

"Hold on Amy."

Aishame began to fumble with the phone that had been on her lap the whole time she was driving. She picked it up, pressed a couple of buttons, and placed it back on her lap.

"Ok. Sorry about that. Please continue."

"No,"

Amy stated.

"I don't know what I was saying but I do know that I'm leaving sooner than later. No one but Little Jack will miss me, and with his teenage life about to take off, he won't worry for too long neither."

"Wilma will miss you, if you don’t come around."

Aishame tried to sound sincere.

"Oh, no, I think you got it twisted my dear. Wilma doesn't even talk to me now, I'm sure that when I’m gone, she won't have too much to say to me than either."

"Yes, she will Amy. We'll all miss you if you're not around."

Amy, shaking her head left, and right said,

"Whatever. Wilma only speaks to me when she wants money. Although, I've tried to talk to her, she says very few words, never invites me out anymore, and goes about her business. It's like moving closer together, we've moved further apart. Hell she....never mind!"

"What?"

Aishame was dying to know.

"This whole thing's got me hatin' myself. I told Wilma ages ago, no more money between us, but here we’re again. Now I'm the one payin' up. Last time she borrowed from me, took a whole damn year to pay back. Had to get it from Clyde in the end. Don't get why it took so long - they had two incomes, I only had one. Even with her college loan money, she couldn't pay me back? I bet she don't even know Clyde gave me the cash. After that, I said no more money business. Now she's on my case 'bout the phone bill, but suddenly she's got cash to buy her sister a Wii? Makes you wonder, don't it?"

By now, Amy was yelling slightly.

"I gave her the money that night, had to borrow it from my grandma. Now I'm in debt when I didn't even promise Wilma the full amount. She coulda saved what I gave her for the phone, but no, she's out there buyin' expensive gifts, actin' broke. Me? I ain't bought new clothes in a year! Don't know why I'm even tellin' you this. You'll just run back, and tell her anyway."

"No. I think that the two of you should sit down, and really talk about things. I'll be there with you if you want me to."

Aishame said, trying to sound concerned.

"No!"

Amy griped.

"Ain't nothin' to talk about. I'm leavin' soon, and all the shit's been said already. Movin' out'll fix everything. I know you're gonna tell her anyway. Just know you ain't helpin' - there's nothin' left to say. Our problems? They ain't even real problems. Yeah, I'm feelin' some type of way about all this bullshit, but I still love 'em. Always will. You'll just mess it all up if you say anything."

"I won't say a word. But I know that you're upset, and talking about it always helps."

"Listen up, I'll talk if I damn well please. Don't need you, or nobody else speakin' for me. Why the hell am I even tellin' you this? I know you're gonna blab to her anyway."

Amy glared at Aishame.

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Audio Commentary: The Master’s Outro

"As we have come to the end of chapter 1, I want to say thank you for staying to listen. Thank you for stepping into my world and sitting with me in that damp, leaky basement. It’s not a pretty place to be, and it’s definitely not where I belonged, but you being here to listen means more than the words on the page can say. You’ve seen the struggle, the frustration of the 'Couch Confrontation,' and the weight of being surrounded by people who’d rather buy a 52-inch TV than fix the floor beneath their feet.

But listen... you didn’t think the story ended in a corner under a kitchen, did you?

We’re about to move away from the mold and the buckets catching water. We are moving into a space where the truth gets a lot louder and the secrets get a lot older. You heard Dwaine’s voice in my head—you heard him tell me that time is the only thing he owns. Well, he’s not the only one. I’m taking my time back, too.

In Chapter 2, I’m taking you back to where the 'Good, the Bad, and the Ugly' actually started. We’re heading to Nowhere, Delaware. And let me tell you, 'Nowhere' is a place filled with people you’ll never forget—starting with a man named Oscar. You think you know what family looks like? You think you know how a ready-made life can be snatched away in a single afternoon?

You haven't seen anything yet.

Before you click over to the next chapter, ask yourself: How far back do the roots of your own story go? Because mine go deep into the Delaware soil, and some of those roots are tangled in things I’m still trying to unearth.

Stay tuned. Don't go anywhere. Chapter 2 is where the mask really starts to slip, and I promise you, the 'Ugly' is just as captivating as the 'Good.' I’ll see you in over there in Nowhere."