SEASON 1 EPISODE 29

Ebony arrived to the college campus at 9:15, she had about 30 minutes to spare for a coffee break before arriving to her Juvenile Delinquency class. She went to the local coffee station in the main break area and ordered a Latte and a cream cheese bagel and took out her book. Five minutes later her order was ready. She removed the lid from her cup to let her beverage cool down as she knew that she'd be drinking on it in class. Scarfing down her bagel and putting her book in a bag, she managed to get to the class which was a bit of a distance from where she was currently at and upon arriving, she found out that the class would be a discussion on policing communities.

The professor asked about factors contributing to high crime areas. Answers ranged from a lack of fathers to a lack of money.

"Lack of proper nutrition" one student suggest.
"I worked for the SNAP program and I saw first hand that some of these kids are not getting the food that the program was intended for. I'm talking lunchables, pop tarts, and off brand soda"

"Okay, but how does that come back to violence?" the professor asked.

"Data indicates that this lack of nourishment leads to bursts of aggressive behavior"

"Women wanting welfare benefits so the daddy has to go"

"You mean hiding the daddy during the day and sneaking him in at night"

"I have one son, his father doesn't live with me but we're engaged. We've been together since I was 18. We're getting married in the summer, but I digress. I guess you could say that I have free housing, living with my grandmother. I don't pay rent. One could say that I lucked out. That could have easily been me."

"Is the dad involved?"

"Absolutely. And he will be involved more once we're married, see the ring?"

"So do you think that in these kids case, the fathers are not involved and that this repeats itself. You know? These kids grow up to be totally absent fathers"

"Yes I do. These kids are often looking for a father figure and this is the only way they know"

"What about physical discipline? Some say that a father makes all the difference"

"I'm strictly against it. It doesn't do anything except instill fear and resentment"

This lead to a discussion that got to be pretty headed before class ended. She went to her next class, which would be the last class meeting for this class. It was simply a 30 minute review for the final exam. She went to work for about three hours before calling her mom for lunch.

"Good deal, I'll see you in a bit. Let's have lunch at our spot." She arrived at a cafe 15 minutes later where Denise was already seated. "Well this is an unexpected surprise."

"Why"

"Because I live in the same town as you and I don't hear from you."

"School's just keeping me busy. I'll soon be able to start a home and truly be a family with my son and his dad"

"Have you and Ramiro set a date?"

"Summer, Looking at having a July wedding next year. 2018."

"That's good. Any idea of a caterer?"

"None yet."

"That's okay, you still have a few months."

"You should bring him to Colorado this Christmas."

"Maybe"

"You have no reason not to."

"Perez is looking forward to it. He talks about it non stop"

"The wedding or Colorado?"

"A bit a both but Colorado right now."

"Are you home tonight?"

"Yep."

"Great."

"Mom, can I say thank you for how you've been helping me with Perez?"

"He's my grandson, of course I'll be there. You're in school and you rarely go out. When IS the last time you just had a night out? You know? A movie? A drink? A ladies night out?"

"Does last year count?"

"You mean, the time we went to a light festival?"

"Yeah, that's about right"

While they were having lunch, Perez was in the middle of Social Studies when the teacher informed them of a project that they will be partnering up with a classmate of her choice. The project would be due in a couple of weeks. "Perez and Ishan, you two will be partners."

"Most of the work will be done at the library, we will be going starting tomorrow for our social studies hour. Check out books, use the online catalog."

"Excuse me ma'am?" Perez asked.

"Don't call me ma'am"

"Sorry, can we use outside sources for this? I could have my mom bring us to a public library as well."

"Outside sources are encouraged"

"You will both participate in the presentation and you will be assigned a particular segment, therefore you will be required to do some work in this. Plagiarism and pushing your responsibility on your partner will not be tolerated."

She finished assigning partners before having student's open their books to page 50. "You should also be filling in the blanks for your study guide. Don't forget that you do have a test at the end of the week."

The remainder of the day was used for a study session before the bell rang. "Glad that this will be mainly at school."

"Yeah" Ishan said, "My parent's aren't big on company."

Perez pondered his game plan.  "Project due in two weeks. Gotta see if I can get mom to bring me to the library at her school"

"Maybe I can convince my parent's to let me ride with you."

"We'll worry about that tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll talk with my folks tonight."

His ride arrived shortly afterwards, he gathered his belongings and got in the backseat. "Hey mom, grandma what's the occasion"

"That kid you're talking to? Is his name Ishan?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"His dad teaches at the University."

"Well that makes my next task so much easier. Where are y'all coming from?"

"Well we had lunch and we just came from the mall"

"Anything good?"

"A lot actually"

Perez pulled out the outline for the project. It was a geography project on the state of South Carolina. There were a series of questions to be answered along with several factors listed to be identified. He would find out more information the next day. Asking his mom, how her school days was, he gradually asked if she'd be willing to bring him up to the library for a couple of days over the next two weeks.

"What for" Ebony asked.
"Social Studies project"
"Sure, I'll be there pretty much every evening from now until early December.
"Great."
"Is that what you are reading back there? We can look at it when we get home. Gotta get ready for your soccer game tonight."

At home, he fixed a snack, and started on his spelling homework. Afterwards he put on his soccer uniform and they headed out the door.

"What will the two of you be getting into tonight" Ebony asked Helen and Paulette.
"Nothing, running our mouths."

"Well, see you two later. I'll pick up a pizza or something on the way in."

Helen took a moment to call her daughter, who answered and then suggested that she get her laptop out. "Mama, I've going to send you a zoom link by email. All you'll do is click the link that tells you the join the meeting. I'm going to set the meeting up on the phone for you. Are you at your computer now?"

"I'm on Paulettes."
"Good did you get the message"

"I see it, would it be this one here? "

"Yes, Clicking"

"Good I'll start the meeting. My phone is basically dead and I really need to charge it. I figured it would be easier for me to have some background noise." Yvonne started the meeting, plugging in her webcam. "Still at your office?"

"You already know. These cases have been keeping me busy. Hey Paulette!"

"Hey Mrs. It's been a while."
"How's Denise?"
"She's okay, she was here the other day"
"Would have loved to have seen her"
"We gave her your number"
"Good can I get hers? I'd like to reach out"
"So how's the rest of the family?"
"Doing alright. Dee is keeping busy with school. Her kids are staying with me tonight. How's Sacramento?"
"Having a nice time, got to see this girl here. It's like old times. Just like when we were girls. We was some cut ups then. Don't let us get no wine in us"
"Hell, I wish I was there drinking with y'all"
"In about a month, we'll all be drinking eggnog. And you know we spike that up."
"We gonna have a bunch of kids with us so we can't get too crazy"
"My kids are grown. Two in college. One in high school."
"One of them of drinking age"

The conversation went on for a half hour before Yvonne returned to work. Helen and Paulette decided to find a Holiday movie on Hallmark. "Hallmark don't have any black folks and they use the same actors" Paulette said

"You know, it's the same story but it's light and I can go to sleep on it. I just can't put most of these shows on TV and go to bed."

"It seems like there is an obsession with vampires, the occult, and ugly"

"shoot em up and bang bang"

"Throw in some gay sex for good measure"

"But you BET not say shit about that"

"I don't even get into that argument on Facebook. I'm not anti-gay rights, but I don't wanna see it every time I turn on my TV. I don't even wanna see men and women having sex on TV. Show's used to be a bit more subtle, but now? I might as well be watching the Playboy channel."

"Or gay porn."

They continued watching the movie, it was one that they had seen in the past as Hallmark repeats their movies quite often, until Ebony returned with pizza. Perez was rather muddy. "I take it you had a good game."

"Oh yeah" Perez said as he headed to the shower

"Go get those clothes off. Food will be waiting when you get out of the tub."

"Sure mom"

"Long day?"

"Life of a college student. I'm too damn old for this."

"You're 28, that's not old."

"I know, but ……..goodness"

"Well, think how someone returning to school at 50 feels."

"I have a classmate in her 50s majoring in nursing. Her and her daughter."

"There you have it."

After eating supper, Ebony retired for the night, while Perez sat up and looked through the scrap book with his great grandmother. "Look at me as a girl" Paulette said, looking at a picture on the front porch. "What was all over your shirt?" Perez asked.

"Dirt, I was a wild child."

"Yeah, we were at a church picnic. Playing with the boys. I wore one of my dad's T-shirts for that purpose"

"I got quit a beating for that one." Helen chimed in.
"That's what I heard."
"My mama had a temper. She was in one of her moods" She then opened up to a page of her grand kids. The pictures were that of a vacation to Hawaii before Perez said, "Well, I hate to be rude you two, but I'm going to get to bed. Got school in the morning."

"Night"

"Goodnight"
"One more night" he whispered as he walked to Ebony's room.
"Helen, leaves tomorrow morning so you'll have your room back."
"I like her. She's nice."
"So do I actually, but I need my back. No offense son"
"None taken"

Helen and Paulette found the bed not too far afterwards. The following morning, Goodbyes were exchanged between Helen and Perez and Ebony. "I'll see you two in another month."

"Looking forward to it" Ebony said as she headed out of the door.
"Have a good day at school"
"I will"

"Call me as soon as you get home" Paulette said as she and Helen exchanged hugs.



PART 30 TO FOLLOW