Free Permanent Resident at the Purse Table by Keisha Bass

into specifics right now. He’s just not good for me.” Couldn’t she trust her daughter’s judgment just once?
    â€œHe loved you, didn’t he?”
    â€œI don’t think I’d call it love.”
    â€œWell, what happened?”
    Ava rolled her eyes so hard they hurt. “He’s just not for me.”
    â€œWhat you gon’ do now?”
    â€œI was fine before him and I’ll be fine after him.” Was she helpless? Did she need her name added to the “sick and shut-in” list at church?
    â€œYeah, but I ain’t gettin’ any younger. Am I ever going to see you get married?”
    â€œReally, Momma?”
    â€œI’m serious. Your brother’s been married for almost two years, he just got a promotion at his job, and he and Elaine are now trying to have a baby.” She smacked her lips. “I was hoping to at least see my other child get married before I died.”
    â€œWell, I guess it just ain’t my time yet.”
    â€œAva, you too picky. A girl your size can’t be all that high and mighty.”
    If you weren’t my mother, I’d be hanging up now. “How about somebody who treats me right, Momma? Is that being too picky?”
    â€œHe couldn’t have done anything that terrible. Every time I seen him, he treated you fine.”
    Wishing she had never answered the phone, her euphoric feeling from the wine started to wear off. “Momma, I gotta go.”
    â€œDon’t get off now, Ava. I’m trying to help you. You have such a pretty face, but no one can see that. If you lost some weight, then you’d have a whole sea of fish to choose from.”
    What was God’s punishment for cussing your momma out? There was that scripture about honoring your father and mother. “I really need to get off the phone. Now. Tell Daddy I said hi, and y’all have a good night.”
    â€œOkay, Ava. I love you and just want what’s best for you.”
    â€œLove you too.”
    Ava tossed her cell phone into a pile of dirty clothes that lay on her bathroom floor. She lifted the bottle of wine off the ground and refilled her glass. After taking a lengthy sip, she set the glass on the edge of the tub and turned on the hot water. The noise of the water raging out of the faucet could drown out her mother’s opinionated words.
    Immersing her body farther into the water, she tried to see how long she could hold her breath. I should just drown myself right now. It was no wonder Ava thought the way she did. As far back as she could remember that was her mother’s MO. Break her down, break her down, break her down. Would there ever be a time when she’d build her up?
    She spent a few more minutes in her pity pool party, then climbed out of the tub and put on her bathrobe. Blowing out each candle, she managed to brush her hair into a ponytail. A booming knock at the front door swallowed up the space in her apartment. Ava almost jumped out of her robe. It was eleven o’clock at night. She was expecting to crawl into bed, not have visitors.
    â€œAva!” a man’s muffled voice called from the other side of the door.
    For Xavier’s sake, it better not be him.
    â€œAva! Open up. It’s me, Ishmael.”
    What was he doing at her place at this time of night? “Just a minute.” She looked through the peephole, secured the knot in the robe straps across her waist, and cracked the door open.
    â€œI’m sorry, Ava, but have you seen Rene?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHave you seen or talked to Rene?”
    â€œNo, I haven’t.” Hopefully, she finally decided to kick him to the curb. “But you can’t come up here yelling like that. I have neighbors.”
    â€œI’m sorry. Can I come in for a minute? I don’t know where else to go to try to find her.”
    She reluctantly allowed him to enter her apartment. “Wait a minute. Let me get decent.”