Choices by Skyy Page B

go, so I’m not gonna press you for the information until later.”
    They headed out the door to the funeral.
    The funeral was much more than they expected. Lena called her father to pull some strings; she ended up getting most of the funeral donated. Her father was a very important person, and businesses jumped at the chance to be involved with him in anyway.
    Carmen walked up to Denise. She could tell her friend was having a hard time, but she was holding herself together. They were all assembled in the family room of the church; Carmen noticed a strange look on her friend.
    â€œDee, are you okay?” she asked, putting her hand on her shoulder.
    â€œI’m cool now, but I know one of these fools is going to act crazy, and I don’t want to deal with that today.”
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    Denise’s family was completely different from her. Although they came from the most loving woman that Carmen knew, Denise’s family was cruel and mean. Mema had two children, Tammy, Denise’s mom, and Charles, who had one daughter that he claimed, Shemeka. Charles and Shemeka were always jealous of the way that Mema treated Denise.
    Charles and Tammy both got into drugs. Charles had straightened up from the drugs a few years ago, but was still a worthless man. Although there were seven other kids who he helped to make, he only claimed Shemeka. He never kept a job and enjoyed living off others.
    Mema gave him money all the time, and he wouldn’t even cut her grass. Carmen remembered Mema waiting on him to come and cut her grass, but he never showed up, giving all sorts of excuses why. Finally after two more weeks had passed, Cooley cut the grass for her. Carmen never understood how Mema’s own children could treat her the way they did. During one of Tammy’s drug fits she stole some of Mema’s jewelry and pawned it for crack money.
    Shemeka was Carmen’s least favorite of Denise’s relatives. She had seven kids by seven different men, but always put down Denise for being gay. Last year at Thanksgiving Carmen almost lost it with her when she made a comment about Denise bringing Cooley and Carmen to dinner.
    â€œI don’t understand why people want to push their lifestyles on people who don’t want to be around it,” Shemeka said, rubbing her pregnant belly.
    From the moment they’d walked in the house she had been making comments about homosexuality. Denise tried to ignore it, but she couldn’t take it anymore.
    â€œShemeka, why don’t you shut the fuck up?” Denise yelled. It wasn’t often that Denise got mad, but when she did, it wasn’t a pretty sight.
    â€œWhatever, Denise. Don’t curse at me. Didn’t no one tell you to bring them to our family dinner. It’s bad enough you go around dressing like a boy, but then you bring that girl here,” she snapped, pointing at Cooley. “I don’t need my kids around this perverted shit!”
    Carmen couldn’t take it. “Oh, and when did adultery stop being a sin?”
    â€œDidn’t nobody ask you anything, you fat-ass dyke!”
    â€œYo’, don’t be disrespecting my friends like that!” Denise said, getting all in Shemeka’s face.
    Before anything else could happen, Mema rolled her wheelchair into the room.
    â€œNow, both of y’all, stop this nonsense. Last time I checked, the only person who could judge anyone was God. So if one of you thinks that you’re better than God, then you need to leave this house, ’cause there is only one that can judge in this house!” Mema said.
    Denise and Carmen apologized to Mema for disrespecting her household. Shemeka just rubbed her stomach. She wasn’t going to leave and miss out on a good, free meal.
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    They all walked into the sanctuary. It was beautiful, the flowers were gorgeous, and the casket was just perfect for Mema.
    Carmen hugged Lena. “You are a great friend to all of