"When It Rains It Pours"

                                    

                                          

Tiana
My feet couldn't run down the stairs fast enough, nor could my heart pound any harder out of my chest as its beating reached my ears. Tears were flowing from my eyes and I hardly knew what to even say to make it right. 
But, I just had to... She's my mother.
Though before I could call out to her as she disappeared into the kitchen, Jackie came into my blurred line of vision. 
"Hey there, we was lookin' for you- we finna head out-" Her face then furrowed. "Hollon, what happened, what's wrong??" She went to wipe my tears as I tried to find words. 
"Nothin,' she was just showin' me her old room," Journee came up from behind me. "Got all emotional and stuff- y'know how it go," she chuckled while hugging Jackie next. 
"Aww, well we'll see you later Tee," Charles hugged me next, then Lawrence. "And we hope to see you again Journee, it was nice meetin' you."
"Y'all too," she shined a warm grin at them as we hugged my uncle and aunt last on their way out of the door. "Drive safe!" She exclaimed before shutting the door, and the smile on her face faded once she turned around. 
"How dare you." I spun around to find my mother glaring at me through glossed and scolding eyes. "How dare you bring that here!?"
"Ma, please... I never meant for you to-"
"She corruptin' you??" Her finger pointed at Journee as she lifted an accusing eyebrow. "It's that damn club ain't it-"
"What's goin' on in here?" My father walked in, appearing confused. "What happened?" His head tilted at the look on my face. 
Tilting mine as well, my chest immediately grew heavier than it'd been before as I drew in an emotional breath. "Daddy..."
"Avery yo daughter done came in my house with the unspeakable-" she glared at me again. "You don't kiss no woman Tiana- have you forgotten who raised you?!!"
Despite my emotions, my facial expression hardened. "All due respect Mama, I ain't no child-"
"Like hell you ain't!" She then brushed past me toward Journee, who'd been standing at the door. "What the hell you been doin' to my child??"
"I didn't-"
"Don't you get that this is unnatural?? You should be ashamed-"
"Mama." I interjected myself between them, glaring down into her eyes. "Don't," I said in a lower tone. "You can talk to me however, but you leave her out of it, I mean that."
In disbelief and exasperation, my mother searched my gaze, as if I'd betrayed her beyond imagination. 
"This gotta be a phase," she said to herself, now stepping back. 
"Mama," I sighed, closing my eyes. "It's not-"
"That's what it is, you young ain't you- Young folks like to go wild and experiment-" she began to pace before me, avoiding my eyes. "That's gotta be it-"
"Ma please, just listen-"
"Tiana I refuse to believe that you, in yo right mind, would do somethin' like this! I don't understand-"
"Mama I love her-" my exclamation was met with an instant slap across my face, leaving a stinging print on my left cheek. I'd heard my father call out to her, though in a bit of a fade... but then, utter silence. 
Slowly touching a finger to where her hand struck me, my head turned to her as more tears brimmed my eyes. They were in hers as well, though without regret. And hardly even with love. In them, the mother that loved me, even when I hated wearing dresses and couldn't understand sewing, was gone. The mother that told me the day I was born had been the best of her life, and that promised she loved me to the moon and back.... had vanished, right before my eyes.