"Most of the power in this world is in the hands of men, not women. Grace. They decide the important things, and every time a woman tries to take a piece of that away from them they cry that she's not a woman or she's too ambitious. The truth is, they're afraid of us, afraid we're smarter and we will take over everything," she said. nodding. She flopped onto the chair by the vanity table.
"So you had a bad fight with Winston?"
"No, not a bad fight. I just told him to take me home immediately. That put some hesitation in his steps. I told him if he had anything critical to say to me about me he should do it in total private and he should think ten times before saying it then. He got the point." she said.
She thought a moment. "If the phone rings, answer it and say I'm asleep or I'm in the bathroom if it's Winston."
"Okay," I said. retreating.
She was psychic. The phone rang an hour later, and it was Winston. I told him she was asleep.
"Oh. Well, tell her I'll call her tomorrow. How are you doing. Grace?"
"Studying for finals."'
"That time already, huh? Time just flies. Before you know it, you'll be as old as me," he said with a light laugh. "Enjoy your youth while you have it."
"You're not so old. Winston," I said.
He liked that. "I hope I'll see you soon," he said. I felt sorry for him after we hung up.
Mommy came to her door. "Was that
Winston?"
"Yes. I told him you were asleep."
"What did he say?"
He said to tell you hell call you tomorrow."
"I won't be home," she said. "Not until I feel like it."
She closed her door and then opened it quickly and looked out at me. "You'd better pay attention to this. Grace. Men have to be trained just like... like pets. We're always at a disadvantage, so we have to use everything we have, every emotion, every gesture, every word we say. And especially sex," she added.
"Don't look so shocked. It's just another weapon in the arsenal. Women who don't take advantage of it will be taken advantage of. There are enough examples of that out there. Don't become another." She closed her door again.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I was too shocked to do either. And my social studies notes provided no answers and no relief.
Winston might have called while I was in school. If he did. Mommy was true to her word and did not answer the phone. When I came home. however. I was greeted by the pungent aroma of roses, and when I looked in the kitchen I was nailed to the floor by the sight of what was there: not just two or three dozen roses but at least twenty dozen. The whole kitchen was covered, every available counter space, the table, the chairs, and some of the floor.
"Now this," Mommy said proudly, her hands on her hips as she nodded at the flood of roses. "is what I would call a decent apology."
I was soon to find out that it wasn't just an apology. It was groundwork for a marriage proposal.
.
It came two days later. Mommy had relented and gone out to dinner with Winston the night the roses arrived. She didn't return until very late, well after I had gone to sleep. I vaguely heard her come in. The following morning, she wasn't up to have breakfast with me as usual. I peeked in and saw she was dead asleep. Her dress wasn't even hung up. I did that on tiptoe for her, and then I went to school.
When I returned she was in a wonderful up mood. She was leaving shortly for work, but I had never seen her as happy about it.
"I prepared one of your favorite dinners for you, Grace. shrimp Parmesan. It's all in the dish in the fridge. You just have to heat it up. I'll be home late." she added. "so don't worry."
"Where are you going?"
"Someplace," she sang, laughed, and left.
Once again she didn't come home until long after I had gone to bed, but this time, when I woke in the morning, she was up as well, although still in her bed. She called to me when I went out to the kitchen.