It Started October Third

Me: Hey cousin. I just read your post on Facebook. What’s going on with you and Francesca?

Cousin: This sister of mine just lost all her scruples.

Me: What happened?

Cousin: Since this virus is going around, a lot of people have been quarantined, including my household and every day, I post a video of my two youngest kids doing their chores. You can hear me in the background laughing.

Me: Yeah because I be laughing with you.

Cousin: They are sixteen and seventeen years old and they hate cleaning up. That’s the funny part because I used to be the same way. They pout, fuss, and complain the whole time, but they get things done. Anyway, she responded to my last video talking about, why are you torturing them. Good mothers don’t do that. Somebody might call CPS on you.

Me: Whoa.

Cousin: Right. I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer.

Me: Isn’t she your only sibling?

Cousin: Yeah.

Me: Listen to me. She’s wrong for how she responded, but now is not the time to be a hothead. We are all going through something. We need each other. Take some time and cool off. It can easily be a misunderstanding. Communication is key.

Cousin: Cuz, you are getting soft on me.

Me: It’s not that. This virus is taking people out quickly and we need to focus on how we can stick together and take care of each other, until this thing pass.

Cousin: It’s not always that easy.

Me: Remember when my brother Frank died?

Cousin: Yeah. That caught us all by surprise.

Me: My oldest sister and I almost fell out over a lack of communication.

Cousin: Seriously!

Me: Yes. It all started on October 3^rd back in 2013. Twyla called me at 6:32 in the morning and told me that he passed away from a heart attack. She live all the way in California. I was hurt because my brother just died, but I was equally pissed off because she found out on Facebook. I didn’t call my mom right away because I knew she wouldn’t answer her phone, but I tried to call two of my other brothers and my oldest sister. She finally got in touch with me three hours later. I still have the text messages. I’m about to forward them to you.

Sister: My bad sis. A lot has been going on today.

Me: What the hell! Why did I have to find out about Frank from Twyla. She’s all the way in California. It’s messed up because she said that she saw it on Facebook. It’s a shame because that’s the first-place people run to whenever a tragedy happens.

Sister: I had to call dad, then Lil Keith. Then I called mom to check on her after we left the hospital. I was going to go by her house, but she didn’t want to see anybody.

Me: I get that but why didn’t you call me after you called Lil Keith? According to Twyla, Frank died at six o’clock. If she didn’t call me, I would have found out on Facebook too, and that’s a messed-up way to find out that anyone died, let alone your own brother.

Sister: That’s not necessarily true. I was going to call you after I called the family in Chicago.

Me: WTF!!! (angry face) You could have called them after you called me.

Sister: Why are you mad?

Me: Are you serious?

Sister: Yes.

Me: I am in the same state as you. After Lil Keith and our father, I should have been the next on the list. You are bogus as hell for that. I’ll talk to you later.

(It is now Friday October 6^th 2013)

Me: What are you doing?

Sister: Me and mom is at Frank’s apartment cleaning it out. Antionette is on her way.

Me: For what!

Sister: She said that he had a pair of shoes that she wanted.

Me: Are you and mom going through his stuff?

Sister: Yeah.

Me: Why?

Sister: We wanted to get his apartment cleaned out and be done with is so all we had to do was write his obituary and plan his funeral and whatever we can use, we would keep it.

Me: Is this bend me over with no vaseline week? You knew I wanted to go there too. So yall couldn’t wait two more hours. It wouldn’t have killed yall. That’s messed up and it’s selfish as hell. 

Me: Call me when you’re done.

Sis: I’m going to text you because I don’t like the vibe you’re giving off. 

Me: Whatever.

Me to Cousin: Soon after, we loaded the car and headed on our way. Thirty minutes into the drive, my phone didn’t go off. Fifteen more minutes went by and now I’m upset all over again. My fiancée is manning my phone because I’m driving. 

Me: What happened to you texting me back?

Sister: We were finishing up. What is really going on with you?

Me: I wanted to go to his apartment because I wanted the red jacket and hat he was wearing in his profile picture on Facebook. That’s why I was so hell bent on going to his apartment. 

Sister: Why was it so important to you?

Me: For the last year, Frank called me every Saturday. We only talked about fifteen to twenty minutes until I started playing football, then we talked almost an hour. He told me about the heart stent he had put in. I remember being mad at him because he didn’t tell me right away. He also told me that the doctor wanted to put a pacemaker in, but he was nervous about it.

Sister: It’s not like him to be nervous. He’s not really afraid of anything.

Me: Right. What made me really worry is what he said after I told him that Raye and I was engaged.

Sister: What did he say?

Me: You know he talked with a stutter.

Sister: Lol. Yeah.

Me: While stuttering just a bit, Frank told me that he supports Raye and I 100%.

Sister: I didn’t know that. I remember when you and Frank bumped heads when you first came out the closet. 

Me: Yeah, we did. We bumped heads so hard that I didn’t speak to him for months. But listen, I wasn’t trying to be a pain in the ass. I just wanted something physical of his to have.

Sister: Damn sis. If I would have called, all of this would not have happened like this. I’m so sorry.

Me: All is forgiven.

Me to Cousin: Days of anger, frustration, and a misunderstanding could have been avoided with one phone call. Even though our sisterly love was solid enough to get over this small hump, some families are not as fortunate. Don’t be one of those unfortunate families. You’re better than that, you’re smarter than that, and you’re stronger than that. God Bless You.