Her Mother’s Grave

Chapter Thirty-Two

JOSIE – NINE YEARS OLD

“Belinda,” Lisette said, her voice sounding odd and stilted. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you think I’m doing here, Lisette? I came to get my kid.”

Lisette glanced at Josie, and Josie took a step behind her grandmother. “Just like that? You left her here, Belinda, without a word. It’s been months. Almost the entire school year!”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “So what? She’s my kid.” She extended a hand toward Josie. “Let’s go, JoJo.”

“Belinda, this coming and going, it’s not good for Josie. She needs stability.”

“Just shut up, Lisette, would you? No one asked you what you think.”

Lisette’s voice shook with anger. “You don’t need to ask me what I think. You leave this child on my doorstep whenever you get tired of raising her. That means I’m involved. I’m her grandmother. I love her. I want her here.”

“And I’m her mother. And I’ll do whatever the hell I want. Now come on, JoJo. I said let’s go.”

Lisette didn’t move. Her body blocked Josie from stepping toward her mother. “She’s doing well here, Belinda. Her grades are up, she’s happy. She’s made friends at school. Just let her stay.”

“Goddamnit, Lisette. Give me my kid.”

“Just listen. Just let her finish the school year here with me.”

Josie’s mother put a hand on her thin hip and narrowed her eyes at Lisette. “I said no. Now I’m taking my daughter and we’re going home.”

“Belinda, please.”

“Don’t push me, bitch. I can make sure you never see her again.”

It was then that Josie realized she wouldn’t get to go to the skating party after all. She had been making calculations in her head as the two women went back and forth. There had been times that her mother agreed to do what her Gram asked, but those times were few and far between. Josie knew that this time, her mother would win. She could tell by the smoldering look in her dark blue eyes and the way she held her whole body stiff like a sharp edge. Josie was headed back to the old, smelly trailer and the dark, lonely closet. To hunger and the sounds of her mother’s special friends moving in and out of the trailer at all hours. She had been silly to think she could do what other kids did. Silly to think she could have real friends. Now everyone in her class would be talking about the skating party but her. Well, her and that boy Ray who was always nice to her. She would be left out again, and she wouldn’t even have her Gram to console her. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. Lisette put a hand on Josie’s arm, but Josie knew it didn’t matter.

“Okay,” Lisette said. “Fine. Take her, but at least let her go to her friend’s birthday party. We were on our way there now.” Lisette held up the gift. “I even bought a present. It will only be a few hours. I’ll take her and then drop her off to you afterward.”

Her mother pushed Lisette aside and clamped a hand down on Josie’s bicep, yanking her across the threshold. “I don’t give a damn about some stupid kid’s birthday party. Let’s go, JoJo. And you, Lisette, I don’t know who you think you are, trying to make decisions about my daughter’s life. You’ll never get her. I’ll never let you have her. You just remember that.”