“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Runaway Slut!” Williams words boiled my blood.
Valdo quickly stood from beside me, “I don’t know who you are, but you have no right saying those words to her.”
William gave a cold laugh, “Who the hell are you?” he questioned. He looked behind Valdo and noticed the sleeping baby. “Oh let me guess, You’re the man she pinned her baby on. Well let me tell you this, it’s probably not yours. She’s tried to pin it on a few of my friends, even me.”
I quickly stood from my seat, “That’s not true. You know that’s not true. William, why are you acting like this? In front of everyone?” I looked around at the other customers, and their attention was glued to the scene. Some persons already had their phones recording everything. By tomorrow the whole town will know about tonight’s scene.
He rolled his eyes, “It’s not like everybody doesn’t already know that you and your mother are sluts of Alton.”
My mother jumped out of her seat to attack from, but Valdo held her back.
William laughed “Now I understand why so many men like you. You’re a wildcat. What a pity your daughter isn’t so jungle-like in bed. Would have been sweet to have her clawing my back.
I moved forward with my hands rolled in a fist, but Valdo stopped me and shook his head.
“Shut up! Shut up right now. You have no right to be saying those things.” My blood was boiling. How could William be so heartless? How could he look at me and say all those bad things? Why did he pattern to long me for so long if he believed everything that the other villagers did? And most importantly, why the hell didn’t, I notice the signs during our relationship?
“Is that how you talk about a woman?” Valdo asked in a calm tone.
William laughed hysterically as if Valdo had just told him a joke. “Woman!” he laughed and started pointing at other women in the restuarant. “That’s a woman. That’s a woman. She is a woman but these two in front of me. They’re not women. They’re just sluts that men use and dispose of when they’re finished with them.”
“You don’t know anything about me, young man!” My mother shouted. “I’ve never slept with anyone from this town.”
He touched his forehead, “Yea, probably but you’ve slept with all the men that have past through.” he laughed, “Why do you think they left so quickly? No one wants to settle down with a whore.”
“You don’t know anything about me, young man!” My mother repeated. “I’m not a whore. Never have been and never will be.” She defended. “I’ve worked hard all my life for my daughter to have a better life. I didn’t work so hard to have a good-for-nothing rich boy to insult me in my face. Instead of preying into other people’s business, why don’t you go to college?” she chuckled. “Oh, I forgot. Colleges don’t take airheads.”
William rushed closer to us with his hands in a fist, “You bitch.”
Valdo stopped him halfway, backing him off from us.
“Hit a button, didn’t it?” she teased.
William pushed Valdo away from him. “Don’t touch me.”
“So I should stand by and watch you hit a woman?” Valdo asked. “You must be out of your mind?”
“Stop calling these bitches women!” he shouted. “Can’t you see they’re nothing but a pair of broke-ass whores? Like mother, like daughter.” he looked down at Jamaica. “I’m sure she’s going to be a hoe too.”
Valdo took a few steps closer to him, “That’s it. You’ve crossed the line. Don’t bring Jamaica in your argument.”
William burst out laughing, “Jamaica? Fits perfectly, broke girl would name her child after a broke country.”
“Hey, watch your mouth.” I turned my head and noticed the black woman who had spoken. Milly was one of the few black persons in town. She and her husband moved to Alton for its quiet neighbourhood for retirement. They came to America years ago as teachers, but they never classified themselves as American.
“Keep my country out of your mouth.” her husband added.
William rolled his eyes at the elder couple. “No one was talking to you Niggas.”
Herold, Milly’s husband, stood up, “How dear you use that word to us? Who do you think you are? I’m old enough to be your grandparents. Have respect, boy!”
“Lucky for me, you’re not my grandparents. I’d kill myself If I even have a skin colour that dark.”
“Milly, we’re leaving,” Herold told his wife.
Milly took up her bag, “It’s so sad that the world is full of some much hate. May I remind you that your mother cheated on your father with a black man?” She chuckled. “Your baby sibling is going to be half-black, and I’m 100% sure he or she won’t have a problem passing and getting into college because black is excellence. Enjoy your night young man.”
I couldn’t help smiling at Milly’s words. She was one of the sweetest women in town. She wasn’t afraid to put anyone in their place.
“Go! Leave! Go back to Africa where you came from.” William shouted when she was about to exit the restaurant.
She laughed. “Jamaica is in the Caribbean, fool.” Then she exited like a boss.
I couldn’t but laugh. William was a jackass, a real airhead. I never noticed he was so racist, but I guess there is a lot of things you don’t notice about someone until the relationships end or is about to.
“What are you laughing at? Do you forget that you’re a high school dropout? At least I graduated.”
“That doesn’t make you smarter than me.”
He chuckled, “I was smart enough to get in your pants.”
“Of course you were. You’re a great actor. You should try Hollywood.” I can’t believe he had me eating out of his hands a year ago.
“Do you honestly believe that a guy like me would be in love with a guy like you? You’re nothing but a whore. You will never be anything else.” William turned to Valdo. “I don’t know how you, man, you dress kinda nice. You should probably know what she and her mother like. They’re gold-diggers. She thought she would end up married to me, spending all my father’s money. Her mother tried it too.”
“Shut the hell up! I’ve had a restraining order against your father for eleven years. You should probably know that your father tried to rape me. It didn’t go far in the courts because he paid them off. He will get his karma and so will you, you little piece of shit.” I looked at my mother shooked at her confession. I didn’t know any of this; she never mentioned it. I always sensed that she didn’t like William, but she never voiced it.
William fumed at her, “Lies! You’re a liar. My father would never look at a woman like you. He has better taste.” William had a close relationship with his father, could explain why he’s just as manipulating as him.
“You’re too young to remember, but why do you think your mother left? Your father was an abusive alcoholic. She couldn’t take it anymore, and so she left him for a black man. That black man is the police officer that she reported the abuse to. Now they’re happy. They have a baby on the way. That must make you so sad. Your mother left you and is so much happier with her new family.” Since my mother was a waiter, she heard almost everything that went on in town. Nothing missed her because the shop she worked in is where all the women in the town came to drink coffee and gossip.
“You don’t know anything about my father!” William shouted.
My mother looked around at the audience. “Oh, honey. I’m not the only one who knows about your father and your mother’s relationship. The whole town does. You’re just too blind to notice.”
William looked around at the other villagers. He saw the look in his eyes. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. He’ll be my father, no matter what.”
“Oh, you don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” William asked.
“Your father didn’t want you. He asked your mother to do an abortion, and she didn’t. He only came back in your life when you were two, and it was all a publicity stunt.” I looked at my mother. She was crossing some lines, and frankly, I didn’t mind because he deserves to feel pain.
“That’s not true!” William shouted.
“Isn’t it?” You should check the archives of the local newspaper. It was in the June 2004 edition.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“You can leave now,” Valdo informed.
William looked at him with raised brows, “What? Who the hell are you?”
“You’ve made your point, now leave. Jakobia and I have been travelling for a while, and we’d like to eat now.” Valdo’s face was so chill. I have no idea who he’s maintained composure through all this.
William laughed, “You think you can tell me what to do? You’re not from here. My family helped built this town. If I want to eat in this goddamn restaurant, I will.”
Valdo turned towards Mr Munro. “Make him leave.”
Mr Munro gave Valdo a blank expression then nod. From his spot in the corner, he spoke. “William, please leave. You’re disturbing my customers.”
William looked at Mr Munro, “You can’t put me out.”
Mr Munro hesitated before saying, “Leave before I call the police.” Mr Munro knew he would get backlashed from kicking a Morgan out of the restaurant, but he knew he would lose his job if he didn’t.
William laughed, “Police? You’re going to call the Police on me? Do you know who I am? I am William Morgan. My family owns this town. You think you can put me out because of this, thing?” William walked up closer to Valdo, standing directly in front of him. “Who the hell do you think you are? He pushed Valdo chest, but Valdo just looked at him. “Who the hell are you?” He pushed Valdo a second time, but Valdo still didn’t respond. “You think you can just come to Alton and take over. Who are you?” William pushed him again, but this time Valdo grabbed his arms and twisted it then he used his free hand to punch William in the face. William ended falling from the impact of the punch.
Valdo looked down at him, “I’m Uvaldo Dakoda, now get the hell out of this restuarant before I throw you out.”