Chapter 36

I walked into my house, reeling from the brief conversation that followed Susan’s words, “He’s both, he’s all of their fathers.” My understanding of right and wrong had taken one to the nuts. “They don’t have the same mother, my mom and dad don’t,” Susan added as if that made it better. Aunt Jane was Mrs. Davis’s sister. That’s why the day we were talking about the fight, Susan had referred to Aunt Jane as her mother’s sister. I had assumed sister-in-law. Was that really worse? I had known Mr. Davis was doing his sister, and that was alright with me. What’s the difference now, I wondered? Was it because he married his sister or was it the kids? Isn’t that bad? Then again, who did Noah’s kids have kids with?

Susan was only willing to speak about the whole thing for a minute. She seemed upset, but not as much as I might have expected. I wasn’t sure if she really didn’t know too many details, or if she was trying to minimize the whole thing. I was too shocked to push the issue. She kissed me and told me she loved me.

My mother was in the kitchen, prepping for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving feast. With an image of Susan’s expression fresh in my mind, I asked, “Would it be okay if we had someone else for dinner tomorrow?”

Her questioning stare made me plow ahead. “That’s if she can come. It’s really important to me. She wants to have a normal family dinner, and they’re going to a restaurant. It upset her.”

“Of course, but only if it’s okay with her parents, and it’s not going to get you out of doing your part.”

“I know, I promise I’ll help out, and spend time with my cousins.” I knew she would cave in. My mother loved having as many people as she could for Thanksgiving.

I didn’t know if Susan would even be able to spend the day, but I had invited her and I hoped so. I needed some time with her in my environment. I needed to be with her without any of the other stuff associated with her. If I really loved Susan, I’d put her parent’s issues aside. Wouldn’t I?

I went to bed that night, as I had many times since I met my neighbors, with my head spinning with thoughts. Susan, Jasmine, sisters, Jeremy and his sister, Mr. and Mrs. Davis are brother and sister. How could Susan have not told me all this before now?

The next morning, my mother woke me from a dream that was more absurd than the one about me being married to Mrs. Davis. “Okay, I’ll get up. Tell her I’ll call back in a few minutes.”

After a piss, I called Susan. She answered on the first ring and asked, “Are you sure you want me to come?”

Suddenly, I realized Susan might have been as tormented with thoughts as I had been the night before. Maybe more so? She might have been wondering if I would still love her. Her heart could have been broken because I hadn’t called her this morning, and I was only worried about myself. This love thing is very difficult. I promised myself I wouldn’t try and make her talk about anything uncomfortable. I should either love her or not, but her parents’ choices shouldn’t affect that.

“Of course I want you to come. I’m excited about it. You want me to ask your mother for you?” I would, but I hoped I didn’t have to.

“No, I’ll ask,” Susan said. “I wanted to make sure it was alright, for real. You did ask your mother, right?”

“I did, and she was thrilled,” I lied. “Did I tell you my cousins are gonna be here?”

“No. You didn’t even tell me you had cousins. How many, and how old are they?”

“Um, thirteen, sixteen, and two are like five, six or maybe seven. I haven’t seen them for a while.”

“That’s four, five with you,” Susan said, “You sure there will be room for me?”

“It’s fine. There’s plenty of room, and my mother always cooks for an army. She did say you’ll have to wash all the dishes.”

“Yeah, I hardly know your mother and I know that’s a lie.”

“You will have to help me,” I said. “Now go ask. You think she’ll let you?”

“I convinced her I needed help with math,” Susan said. “I think I can handle this.”

“Well go do it and call me back.” I had totally bought that failing math thing, too. Should that scare me?

For thirty minutes, I waited by the phone, nothing. Then my mother told me to put “actual” clothes on. I was halfway to my room and it rang. My mother answered, and I waited for her to call me. She started talking to someone, so I continued on.

When I presented myself for inspection, my mother nodded her approval and said, “Good news lover boy, your girlfriend is coming over and staying for dinner.”

I tried not to show my excitement. “That’s good.”

“Yes, but how come Chris seems to think Jasmine is your girlfriend?”

Chris, I thought, who is Chris? Shit, the blood drained from my face. That’s Mrs. Davis. As far as I knew, my mother never talked to her? The last thing I needed was my mother talking to Mrs. Davis. That’s like the earth getting too close to the sun. I needed their worlds to stay far apart. “You, ah, she called? You talked to Mrs. Davis?”

“Joe, we live next door to them, you’re friends with her daughters, of course we talk.”