BELINDA - When A Blended Family Is Not Mixing Too Well

Belinda: Excerpt #2 from THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE

Belinda peeked out of the peephole. Juanita? She immediately recognized the face of T.J.’s mother and opened the door. Juanita’s hair was shorter and she’d gained about twenty pounds, but there was no mistaking the scowl that framed her face. Belinda had seen it plenty of times when she and Thomas were dating. Over the last ten years, it hadn’t changed.

Belinda unlocked the storm door and Juanita swung it open so fast and hard that Belinda thought she heard the metal spring pop. She staggered to regain her balance when Juanita pushed past her.

“T.J.?” Juanita yelled at the top of her lungs as soon as she barged into the house. Seeing no sight of her son, she screamed in the direction of the steps, making the hairs stand up on the back of Belinda’s neck. “T.J, are you up there?”

She’s still crazy, Belinda thought. She was so stunned, that it took her a minute to respond.

“Now wait just a minute. I know you’re worried about your son, but you need to calm down. There’s no need to disrespect my home.”

Juanita jerked her neck back like she was offended. “This is between me and my son’s father,” she said. She pointed a red acrylic fingernail at Thomas who’d appeared from around the corner.

Astonishment wasn’t even fitting to describe the look on his face. He scooped up Hannah who was crying louder than Juanita’s tirade.'

“Which means it’s between all of us, because there’s no separation here,” Belinda said. She stepped close enough to Juanita for their toes to touch. “So you have a decision to make.” Belinda said. She was keeping her cool as best as she could. “You can act like you’ve got some sense and have a cordial visit, or you can reverse your behind out of my front door.”

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