“Mara, honey –” Roberta started.
But Mom ignored them and leaned into me. “And don’t you tell your aunt how to talk.”
I leaned into her right back. “I haven’t seen you for thirteen years. Thirteen years. This is the first time I see you, you come into my place of business and you’re loud, rude, bossy and you insult my…my…” I lost it for a second then said, “My Mitch who’s a nice guy, a good guy and you don’t know him enough to insult him. You don’t say hello. You don’t ask how I am. You just be…” I lost it again then finished, “you.”
“Marabelle –” Mom began but I shook my head and raised my hand up in front of her face. Her eyes narrowed on it but I’d made my point, she shut up so I dropped it.
“Be who you are, say what you have to say, treat me like you always treat me but don’t you dare, don’t you dare insult Mitch,” I snapped.
That was when I heard Mr. Pierson say from behind me, “Mara, dear, Mitch is on the phone.”
I blinked and turned to look over my right shoulder, seeing LaTanya grinning like a lunatic and beyond her Mr. Pierson grinning like one too and holding out his cell phone.
I sucked in breath, turned my head back, blasted my Mom and Lulamae with the heat of my eyes which, unfortunately, didn’t incinerate them then I took the two steps I needed to take to get to Mr. Pierson. I lifted my hand and he put his phone in it.
I put it to my ear and whispered, “Mitch?”
“They insulted me?” he said back but he didn’t sound upset, he sounded like he was smiling.
He’d heard. How much, I had no idea but he knew the Trailer Trash Twins had insulted him – tall, beautiful Detective Mitch Lawson.
I didn’t reply. I was horrified, so much so I was immobile and speechless.
My silence lasted awhile as I ignored my Mom and Aunt Lulamae snapping at a murmuring Mr. Pierson, LaTanya and Roberta and Mitch called into the void, “Sweetheart?”
“How much did you hear?” I asked quietly.
“Place of business, rude, loud, they insulted your Mitch, I’m a good guy then all the rest.”
My Mitch.
I closed my eyes, dropped my head and went silent again.
Mitch again called into the void but he used a different endearment this time, “Honey?”
I still said nothing.
That was when he said, “Honest to God, do you think I care what the Trailer Trash Twins think about me?”
“I care,” I blurted and I didn’t know why I blurted it or why I cared except I did. Not about Mom and Aunt Lulamae’s opinion, just that I cared if anyone insulted Mitch.
Mitch didn’t know why either which was probably why he asked, “For f**k’s sake, why?”
Finally, I turned to see Roberta, LaTanya and Mr. Pierson in it with my Mom and Lulamae, faces were red (those would be Mom, Lulamae and Roberta), brows were furrowed (that would be Mr. Pierson) and hands were on h*ps with heads bobbing (that would be LaTanya) and I decided it was time to move on which meant wading back in.
“They’re still here and they’re into it with Mr. Pierson, Roberta and LaTanya. I should go do something,” I told him.
“You don’t need to do anything, baby. Bob is keeping them engaged while units make their way there. I’m having them picked up. I want them brought in and questioned about what happened at your apartment.”
I turned away from the kerfuffle and blinked at the carpet at my feet as I asked, “What?”
“I have a plan for the Trailer Trash Twins,” he informed me.
I blinked again and asked, “You do?”
“Yeah, baby, I do. You put the phone down on me, I called Bob. He already knew to expect this, I explained things and he’s instigating Operation Take out the Trash.”
I couldn’t help it, I giggled.