well, juneteenth has come and gone, but the OCs are still here. here is a moment of silence for my nappy-haired queen doing her mother's hair for her. Please excuse how rude and grouchy Dorine is, she's not exactly a heroine
âI havenât been able to do my hair in 10 days because of you girls,â she mutters on the verge of tears as I hand her the spoon. âMy scalp hurts, and my curls are all tangled up like a steel wool. That bratty sister of yours doesnât even have the decency to say sheâs not coming and youâre always too busy with whatever romance, âHoneyâŚButterâ hogwash youâre working on.â
I should say something sympathetic.
I turn and put the soy cheese in the fridge.
âNo doubt sheâs out somewhere with that good-for-nothing dad of hers, spoiling her into a good-for-nothing princess who thinks sheâs too pretty and grown up to have time for her own ma...â
I start setting out her combs and lay the towel across her shoulders so I can wet and section out her hair before I wash it.
â...and she leaves me stuck with you of all the cold-blooded, stone-hearted creatures on Godâs green earth,â she shakes her head as her frown lengthens again and deepens the creases on either side of her mouth. âOne daughter wonât show any love to her ma whatsoever, and the other acts like she doesnât know what the word means. How I birthed two such unnatural, ungrateful little heathens Iâll never know. I was born under a curse. Pearl and the rest of âem like to talk and tell me that Heaven is always fair. Is this fair?! That bunch of stuck-up floppy-hat-wearing lady peacocks think I earned this? Essence, youâre pulling my hair.â
âIâm sorry,â I say quickly, and I try to move more carefully without sacrificing speed, but all the while she rants, I'm mouthing the rest of today's to-do list to myself.