I wake up from my nap and leave the bedroom. The first thing I see is Alice reentering the house with Peri – both of them wet and sandy. Alice completely disregarded my desire to experience Peri’s first time on the beach for myself. It takes a whole lot of restraint not to lose it.
Alice: Let’s get you to bed Peri…
I hurry over and pick Peri up…
Alida: I asked you to wake me up before you took her to the beach.
Alice: I know, but I didn’t want to wake you. You and Q need your rest.
Alida: Well…you could have waited.
Alice: Did you just expect us to stay in the house all day? What’s done is done…I’m getting something to eat and going to bed.
Alice doesn’t even sound apologetic as she walks away. She could care less that she ruined a ‘first’ moment between me and my daughter.
Whatever Peri and Alice did outside was enough to wear Peri out.
I leave the room after Peri’s eyes have closed. I head back to my own room to change. Q grabs something to eat and sits down with his mother.
Quincy Jr.: Hey ma
Alice doesn’t even return his greeting before she starts in on him…
Alice: Who’s teaching my granddaughter curse words?
Quincy Jr.: What are you talking about?
Alice: I was talking to Peri and the only word she knew was ass.
Quincy Jr.: *almost chokes on his food* What?
Alice: You heard me!
Quincy Jr.: It was probably just baby talk. Maybe you heard wrong.
Alice: It was loud and clear Q!
Alice: Can you please tell your girlfriend not to curse around Peri?
Quincy Jr.: Her name is Alida, ma…and she doesn’t curse around Peri. Why would you assume it was her anyway? It could have been me.
Alice: It doesn’t matter who it was…a baby should not be saying curse words.
Quincy Jr.: Whatever ma. It’s not even a big deal…it’s not like she even knows what it means. You’re blowing it all out of proportion.
Alice: *angered* I’m not blowing it out of proportion!
While Alice is inside making a big deal out of nothing – Q Sr. is very glad his wife insisted that they move to Sulani permanently. This is what he calls heaven.
I enter the room in the middle of Q and his mom’s discussion.
Alice: – a hostile environment is not a healthy environment for a child.
Quincy Jr.: Don’t make it hostile then…let it go.
Alice: Well…at least she’s here now. Together…we can make sure she’s not exposed to anything else.
Quincy Jr.: *sarcastic* Yippee!
Alice: I’ve said my piece…I’m going to bed. *leaves the room*
I sit down across from Q.
Alida: What was that about?
Quincy Jr.: My mom said she heard Peri say ass so now she thinks we’re bad influences.
I let his words settle in until the humor hits me. I begin to laugh. Q joins in. If Peri called Q’s mother an ass…she probably deserved it – although b*tch would have been much more fitting.
Quincy Jr.: My mom always has some sort of self-constructed battle that she’s fighting. You’ll get used to it.
Alida: She blamed me…didn’t she?
Quincy Jr.: *sigh* She did…but I told her it wasn’t you – that it was probably me.
We finish eating and get up to clean the dishes. Afterward, I give Q a big kiss on the cheek.
Quincy Jr.: What was that for?
Alida: For defending me…
Quincy Jr.: Always ma…
Q and I head outside to the beach. Sulani has to be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, but just being out there walking in the sand and looking out over the water makes me mad all over again. Q picks up on my sudden change of mood…
Quincy Jr.: You okay, ma?
Alida: I’m fine.
Q comes over and pulls me into his arms.
Quincy Jr.: You’re clearly not fine…what’s going on? Are you still mad at me for not telling you about my summers here in Sulani?
I take a step back…as Q Sr. emerges from the water.
Alida: No…it’s not that.
Quincy Jr.: Then what is it – and don’t tell me that it’s nothing.
I realize that Q has always had my back when it comes to his mother…so I decide to tell him what’s bothering me.
I realize that I’ve been holding in my irritation when the words come out much more forceful than I intended…
Alida: It’s your mother Q! I asked her to wake me up if she decided to bring Peri to the beach. I wanted to see how she reacted to the sand and water for the first time…but she didn’t!
Angered I step away and walk towards the water…
Alida: She brought Peri out here without bothering to let me know…then when I asked her about it – she just walked away saying ‘what’s done is done’! She just totally disregarded my wishes and made me miss a moment with our daughter that I can’t get back.
Q steps over to me and pulls me into his arms once again.
Quincy Jr.: What my mom did was jacked up and I’m sure she did it on purpose to rile you up. I understand how you feel. Believe me…I’ll have words with her about it later. But look around you, ma. Look how beautiful this place is. We can’t let her ruin our chance to enjoy being here. We’ll have more moments with Peri. There’s an aquarium we can take her to…and a park on one of the nearby beaches. We’ll have a lot more firsts with Peri and my mother won’t be involved. I promise! Okay?
I trust that he’ll handle his mother.
Alida: Okay
Q takes my hand and leads me deeper into the water.
Quincy Jr.: Can you swim?
Alida: Yeah, sure
Quincy Jr.: Let’s go…
Q takes off swimming, but his skills are a lot better than mine. I remain in place and just float while he takes off swimming like a Sim-lympic hopeful.
Alida: Show off!
Q continues swimming, while I spent time on the floatie hoping that the rest of this vacation with Q’s parents goes better than it has so far.
We eventually leave the water. I drop down in the sand and start to build a sand sculpture…something I’ve never done before. Q builds with me for a while. Then he gets up suddenly…
Quincy Jr.: I’ll go check to see if Peri’s up.
He runs towards the house.
Q comes back several minutes later carrying Peri, who’s still looking a bit lethargic after her long nap. I pick her up after he stands her up in the sand.
Alida: Thanks for bringing her out.
Quincy Jr.: No problem…just stand there looking amazing, so I can snap a picture.
(Generation 1a Chapter Summaries)
