“Admiration is a good thing, but that’s not what this is. This is some sort of crazed obsession.”
Traci leaned against the brick pillar near the entrance of the bookstore with her arms folded. “We all know that Simone copies some of the things I do, but I wouldn’t call her crazy or obsessed.”
“Some of the things you do? How about everything you do? As soon as I saw her on Easter, carrying the same Gucci handbag and wearing her hair exactly like yours, I knew she was a copycat. That’s why I made that joke about not being able to tell you guys apart. Simone spent all that money getting hair extensions, and that’s when the two of you really started looking like the Bobbsey twins.”
Traci couldn’t help laughing at her sister again, and Janet shook her head.
“Then, a month after that, she started wearing sleeveless dresses—just like you do. And let’s not even talk about how she suddenly started wearing the same jewelry as you, the same shoes, and Lord have mercy, she even started wearing your same makeup colors. And you’re not even the same complexion.”
Traci sighed. “Robin, you really need to stop. Not once has Simone worn the same shade of foundation that I do.”
“No, but she now wears the same eye shadow colors, blush, and lipstick, and it doesn’t even become her.”
Janet pulled her handbag farther into her elbow. “No matter what you say, I still believe Simone is a nice girl who had a very tough childhood. And you can tell she doesn’t really have a close relationship with her family, so I feel sorry for her.”
Traci agreed. “I do, too. Plus, she really has been a good friend to me the whole six months I’ve known her.”
Janet nodded. “She’s been a good friend, and she hasn’t done anything to make us think differently.”
Robin chuckled, but it was clear that she didn’t see anything funny. “Mom, you and T. need to pull your heads out of the clouds. Always trying to give people the benefit of the doubt. Always trying to see the good in people who have issues. And let’s not forget that when admiration moves to a certain level, it becomes envy. And ultimately jealousy. And T., you just talked about that very thing at your signing. So I’m telling you both: Simone is eventually going to be trouble. Oh, and I forgot the biggest thing of all. She just bought the same car as yours. It’s used, but it’s the exact same color and model.”
Janet shook her head. “Robin, why don’t you leave that poor girl alone?”
“Okayyyy, Mom,” she sang. “You and T. can be naïve if you want, but T., that friend of yours is a copycat. She’s just like the character in that book you wrote.”
“Whatever.”
“I’m just telling the truth, because it describes your girl completely. Actually, if you hadn’t written that story before you met her, I would’ve sworn it was her you were writing about.”
Traci heard her sister, and while she couldn’t deny any of what Robin was saying, she didn’t see how copying a friend on a few occasions made someone a bad person. Even Robin and Traci bought some of the same things every now and then. Traci did admit, though, that when Simone had gotten her hair done exactly like hers and had started buying the same clothes and shoes, it had begun to annoy her, but Traci had soon fixed that problem by rarely shopping with her anymore. She’d also stopped wearing certain items whenever she knew she was going to see Simone. Doing this sort of thing felt kind of petty, but because Traci didn’t want the two of them going somewhere dressed alike, the way little girls did, she hadn’t seen any other alternative. Traci also knew that Simone hadn’t begun posting scriptures every morning until after they’d met, but that didn’t bother her because Traci thought it was good for as many people as possible to share inspiring scriptures on social media.
When Tim and his father-in-law pulled up to the front door, Traci and Janet hugged Robin good-bye. Then they got inside the back of the vehicle.
Earl rolled down the front passenger window.
Robin leaned in and hugged her father. “See you later, Daddy.”
“See you, sweetie.”
Now Robin looked at Tim. “And hey, brother-in-law, you’d better watch out for my sister here, because she doesn’t have a clue when it comes to that copycat friend of hers.”
Tim and Earl smiled but didn’t comment.
“Bye, Robin,” Traci told her.
“I love you, too,” she said, laughing.
Tim waited for Robin to safely get in her car and pull out of her parking stall, then he drove out of the lot. It was dark, but he still looked in his rearview mirror at his wife. “Well, I will say this: I tend to agree with Robin. She and I talked about it while you were signing, and you should’ve seen the way Simone stared at you the entire time. She also seemed like she was sad about something. Then, as soon as you finished your Q-and-A and everyone got up to get in line, she found a seat toward the front. And she just sat there, still staring at you and every reader you chatted with. It was almost like she didn’t want to talk to anyone else, because I never saw her speak to anyone except us.”
“I noticed the same thing,” Earl said. “But maybe she didn’t know any of the people who were there.”
“I don’t know,” Tim said. “Maybe not, but with all those women in line, it just seems like she would have struck up a conversation with someone. Or she could’ve even kept standing next to Mom,” he said, referring to his mother-in-law, and then continued to Traci, “And I have to say, baby, I’m still a little shocked that Simone got all that hair added just so it would look exactly like yours. I mean, here I am a man, and even I was stunned by that.”
“Well,” Janet said to her husband and son-in-law, “I’m going to tell the two of you what I told that other daughter of mine: I feel sorry for Simone. She’s engaged, but she acts as though she’s all alone in this world. And sometimes when people have grown up in poverty, they see and handle life a lot differently than others.”
“I agree, Mom,” Traci said, “and that’s what I’ve been saying all along. I’m not saying I like all the copycatting, but outside of that, I really like Simone.”
Tim continued down the road, and as he talked more about the book-signing event to his in-laws, Traci uploaded a few photos to her Facebook page. She’d asked one of the bookstore staff members to take them with her smartphone, and they’d turned out well. Traci also wrote a caption, thanking everyone for coming out. Then she browsed through the photos individually and came across the one she’d taken with Simone. But as she studied it, she couldn’t help noticing Simone’s eyebrows. Because Traci had been so busy at her signing, she hadn’t paid much attention to them, but now she saw what Robin had been talking about. The natural shape of Simone’s eyebrows was nothing like Traci’s, but this new version was identical to them. And with her hair being styled with the same cut and color as Traci’s, they actually resembled each other. So much so that looking at Simone felt a bit eerie, and Traci suddenly wondered if maybe Simone did fall into the category of copycats that she’d talked about this evening—the kind who had lost their identities. Traci sure hoped this wasn’t the case, but if it was, Simone might need professional help. She would need to speak to someone soon before things got worse.
Chapter 19
Simone drove along the highway with a nervous stomach and shortness of breath. She felt as though she was going to throw up, and she knew it was all because of the way Traci had treated her at the bookstore. Simone never understood why she had to become so attached to certain people, because in the end, she always ended up hurt. When she became friends with someone, she made that person her priority and she was as loyal as anyone could hope for. But over the years, she’d discovered that most people only cared about themselves. It had been that way with her so-called best friend in Ohio, and what if Traci wasn’t any different? Simone worried that Ohio was happening all over again. She didn’t want to believe that, not when she genuinely loved Traci like a sister, but after watching her in author mode tonight, Simone wasn’t sure. Yes, she
knew Traci had a job to do, and that she needed to spend time with her readers, but as Simone had sat watching her, she’d heard her tell three different childhood friends that she wanted to go to lunch or dinner with them. Simone had thought it was strange, given the fact that Traci obviously hadn’t seen them in a while, but for some reason, she’d seemed thrilled to reconnect with all three women. They’d each exchanged cell numbers with her and taken photos, and it was as if these three friends that Simone didn’t know had made Traci’s day. Traci had also taken photos with every reader who’d asked her to and had acted as though Simone were no more than an acquaintance—she’d treated those childhood friends and her readers as though they were far more important than Simone.
As a matter of fact, it hadn’t even been until Simone had finally gotten in line to have her book signed that Traci had taken a photo with her. It had seemed as if Simone were merely some loyal reader and not her best friend. And Simone was hurt by all of it. She was surprised, and she felt a little betrayed.
As she pulled into her driveway, preparing to open her garage, her phone rang. But when she saw the number display on the dashboard, she frowned. It was her grandmother. She didn’t like talking to her grandmother on any day, but she especially wasn’t in the mood right now. However, the same as always, she knew if she didn’t answer, her grandmother would keep calling until she did.
“Hello?”
“Hmmph. This is yet another time I called and didn’t have to keep callin’. Why you pickin’ up the phone so regular these days?”
“I’m fine, Grandma. How are you?”
“Oh, you tryin’ to be smart?”
Simone didn’t even bother responding.
“Well, the reason I’m callin’ is to let you know that ya mama is in the hospital, and you need to come see about her.”
Simone blew a loud sigh of disgust.
“What? You got the nerve to be irritated ’cause ya mama is sick? Now I know I done heard it all. You really are somethin’ else, Miss Thang.”
Simone rolled her eyes toward the ceiling of the car. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Do I sound like a doctor? That’s why I said you need to come see about her. Sometimes you ask some of the craziest questions. Like you don’t even have a brain in that thick head of yours. But never mind that. When can you get here?”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have to work, Grandma.”
“And those folks won’t let you off to come see about ya mama? Not even if you told them how sick she is?”
“I have some important meetings to attend,” Simone said, lying. “If I could miss them I would. But I can’t.”
“You can do anythang you want. We all can. This is a free country.”
Simone wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say to that, so she didn’t respond.
“After all I did for you growin’ up. Yeah, ya mama might be a drug addict, and I know she ain’t nevva do squat for you, but she still ya mama. Whether you want to admit that or not, she is. Even one of them Ten Commandments talks about honoring your father and mother. Ya father wat’n nothin’ but a lowlife—I mean I nevva got to know him before he died, but if ya drug-addict mama was messin’ around with him, I already know he what’n worth a cent. Probably nevva had two nickels to rub together. But when it come to ya mama, you know exactly who she is. She might not ’a been a good mama, but she yours and there ain’t nothin’ you can do to change that. So I’ma ask you again. When are you gone get here?”
“Grandma, I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“Didn’t you just hear me talk about those Ten Commandments? About honorin’ ya mama?”
Simone wasn’t sure why this whole conversation about honoring her mother was more than she could take, but it was. “Well, was LeeAnn honoring me when she used to sneak me out of your house and take me to those drug houses with her? Was she honoring me when she made me give oral sex to those drug dealers for crack? Was she honoring me then, Grandma? I was still in elementary school.”
“You always brangin’ up crazy stuff from the past. Stuff you shoulda got over a long time ago.”
Simone shook her head with tears streaming down her face.
“You still there?”
“I have to go, Grandma, and I’m not comin’ to Ohio. Ever again.”
“You little uppity, lowdown heffa. I’m sick of you always tryin’ to deny us. Pretendin’ like you don’t have a mama or a grandma. I’ll bet you got them people in Illinois thankin’ we dead or somethin’, don’t you?”
Simone saw a car pull up, and she knew it was Chris. She’d totally forgotten that he’d told her he was on his way.”
“Grandma, I really have to go.”
“Why you in a hurry?”
“I’m not.”
“Well, all I know is that if you don’t bring yo triflin’ behind to Ohio, you gone be sorry. If you don’t come see about ya mama, you gone have hell to pay. If you force me, I’ll make you regret everythang.”
Her grandmother’s words made her a bit uneasy, but Velma had been threatening Simone for two years and had never made good on it. Mostly because as soon as Simone sent her a couple of hundred dollars or so, she settled down and things between them returned to normal—if normal was what a person could call it.
“How much do you need, Grandma?”
“How much can you spare?”
“Maybe a hundred?”
“That’s all you got?”
“Yeah, but I’ll have more when I get paid on Friday.”
“Then I guess that’ll have to do for now. And I still wanna see you by this weekend.”
“But—”
“I don’t even wanna hear it,” Velma said. “I don’t wanna hear nothin’ else about how you ain’t comin’ here.”
Simone wasn’t going anywhere, but when she saw Chris getting out of his truck, she hurried to tell her grandmother what she wanted to hear. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“See you then. And don’t forget to wire my money. Tonight.”
“Grandma, it’s really late.”
“I might not be as educated as you, but I know at least a little about that online stuff. I heard MoneyGram will let you do it right from ya computer.”
“Fine, Grandma. Whatever you want.”
“Tonight.”
“I will.”
“See you this weekend. Bye.”
Simone breathed deeply, in and out, trying to settle her nerves and stomach, trying to slow her heart rate, and trying to prevent more tears from rolling down her cheeks. What a night. First she’d been humiliated and dissed by Traci, and now her grandmother had called harassing her. Simone was a mess, but she also didn’t want Chris to see her like this or start asking questions, so she had to pull herself together. She had to put on the perfect, happy face that he and everyone else was so used to seeing.
Chapter 20
Simone dropped down on the sofa and turned her body toward Chris. He’d been sitting there, waiting for her to run upstairs to throw on an oversized T-shirt and a pair of leggings.
“So the signing was good?” he asked.
Simone nodded. “It was. But didn’t you already ask me that?”
“Yeah, but when we first walked in, you seemed like something was wrong. Like you were upset about something. I don’t know. I guess I just expected you to elaborate more.”
“No, everything’s fine. The question is, is everything good with you? Because you don’t usually come by here this late on a weeknight. Plus, the reason you said you didn’t want to go to Traci’s signing was because you were exhausted.”
“I know, but we really need to talk.”
“About what?”
Chris scanned the living room. “This.”
“Okay, so why are you being so cryptic? What does ‘this’ mean, exactly?”
“This. All the stuff you keep buying.”
Simone scrunched her forehead. �
�I don’t understand. What’s wrong with buying things? I work every day.”
“I realize that, but your spending is really out of control. And it’s getting worse.”
Simone wasn’t sure where these accusations were coming from, but she didn’t like them. “I guess I’m kind of lost. I’m not sure why we’re even having this conversation.”
“We’re having it because we’re engaged to be married.”
“And?”
“I don’t want to start our lives off completely in debt. I also need to know how much you earn every year. You’ve known for a long time what I make, but you’ve never offered to give me the same information.”
Simone wished he’d stop asking unnecessary questions and just stared at him.
Chris stared back at her. “So?” he said.
“So, what?”
“Are you going to tell me?”
“Why are we doing this right now?” she said, for lack of anything better to say.
“Because we’re getting married nine months from now, and it’s time we disclose everything. It’s time we share the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
“At ten o’clock?”
“I’m sorry, but this has really been bothering me. I’ve always thought it was strange that you’ve never shared much about your finances. Or about your family, for that matter. But with all this spending, I need to know where we stand.”
“Well, don’t take this the wrong way, but this isn’t about we. This is me, spending my own money.”
“I know it’s late and you’re probably very tired, so I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”
Simone folded her arms and looked away from him. And for the first time since she met him, she wished he would leave.
“So you’re not going to say anything?”
Simone looked at him again. “First of all, what makes you think I’m overspending?”
Now Chris folded his arms, too. “Why can’t you just tell me what I want to know? How much you earn and how much debt you’re in.”
“And why can’t you just answer my question?”
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