His Queen

Bonding

An hour into cleaning and silence as they did it, Hailey asked, “My mom didn’t really lock you in the basement? Right?” Cleo looked at Hailey for a second, “Yeah, I've been locked down there before. But only when she couldn’t lock me outside.”  

Freezing from picking up silverware, Hailey’s head snapped up “Outside?” Cleo stopped sweeping up broken glass and asked, “Why do you keep sounding so surprised? You live here, and I know you heard me sobbing as I begged to be let in. A couple of times, I thought you two were in here laughing it up at my misery.”  

Hailey winced at the mental image, “I can admit, I’m a b***h to you. But I wouldn’t have let her go that far, and I damn sure would have not been okay with it.” And Cleo believed her, as Hailey pushed her hair out of her face.  

Mixed, her long brown hair was curly and pretty. With pink puffy lips, and a slim body, Hailey was gorgeous, but she had always been hard for Cleo to reach. Was now her chance?  

“Hey? Can I ask a question?” Surprised, Hailey nodded a little as Cleo asked, “What happened to your dad?” Hailey didn’t wilt or show emotion, instead, she blankly admitted, “Um he’s name is Walter. He’s still around, he’s some lawyer or something.”  

Cleo c****d her head to the side, “What happened between him and your mom? Why did they split? I mean you don’t have to tell me-.” Hailey shrugged not thinking it went that deep. Besides, it wasn’t like Cleo didn’t know what her mother was like.  

Apparently, Cleo knew better than she did.  

Hailey breathed out, “I mean they weren’t every together. Walter was married and my mom was a woman who didn’t care. They had s*x, had me, but he never stayed I don’t think. I barely remember him as a kid and what I do remember, isn’t warm feels.”  

Dumping broken glass into the trash Hailey remembered, “I didn’t see him for a while before my mom married your dad. I was thirteen when I did.” Scoffing bitterly, Hailey muttered, “He wouldn’t even look at me, just pretended she was some old friend in front of his wife. He has two daughters and a son he claims, but not me.”  

That had to be horrible, Cleo knew it had to be. To see one's parent, not dead or sick with their other family. Choosing not to be there for you.  

Cleo bet it hurt Hailey and explained some things for sure.  

“What about your mom?” Cleo was surprised by that, “You don't know?” Hailey shook her head so Cleo told her, “She went to the store and got caught up in a drive by. Crime was a little bit more severe in this part of Louisiana then. She died quick on the scene, no suffering so that’s a plus, I guess. But our lives were never the same.”  

Not to be insensitive Hailey just had to know, “Do you remember her?” Cleo smiled a little, she found the question more sweet than insensitive and admitted, “Not really. But sometimes I think I can remember her voice.  Her smile, how warm she was when she hugged me. I remember loving her so much, and every day I remember that I lost that. No memories, no anything...just these little fragments I keep holding on to.”  

It was quiet again as they kept cleaning. It was when it was over, they had to choose, keep talking, or go on ignoring the rest of unsaid things.  

Going to the liquor cabinet, Hailey breathed out, “Ugh, all we have left is Tequila. Tequila makes me queasy.” Cleo snorted, “That’s because you don’t mix it right!” Grabbing a blender, she did a margarita with pineapple juice.  

It shocked Cleo when Hailey offered to make dinner, she made tacos and set the table. As Cleo put their drinks on the table, she heard a yelp when Hailey went to the basement. When she rushed up slamming the door closed, Cleo saw why.  

She had lettuce in her hair now, and a smear of guac on her forehead. Grabbing a napkin she got it for her, “Thanks.” Hailey whispered depressed.  

Sitting down at the table both grabbed their frothy drinks and took hearty sips. Enjoying dinner and idle chit chat, it was the second margarita in that Cleo realized, “Damn, we’ve known each other nearly two decades and this is the longest conversation we’ve had. That didn’t include verbal or mental abuse at that.”  

It made Hailey choke up to realize this too. “I’m so sorry Cleo.” She whispered feeling so heavy with the guilt weighing on her. “Hailey,” Meeting Cleo’s eyes, Hailey whispered, “I let my mom get in my head and convince me you were my enemy. And I stupidly listened to her because I was so jealous of you.”  

Scoffing, Cleo muttered, “Of what? I was no better off than you?” Hailey shrugged helplessly, “Of how effortlessly gorgeous you are, how sweet you are, how fiery you are. You are so strong Cleo, hell you didn’t let me or my mama get you down, you kept being a bad b***h. A smart one too.”  

Shaking her head, Hailey admitted, “I dumb myself down to look cool, but to who? The world may never know. And I sleep with guys so that I feel important to some man. But their just little boys who get what they want and run. Leaving me stuck like an idiot.”  

Cleo could see everything then, the insecurity, the pain, the inner rage against herself. “Hailey your life isn’t over sweet pea. We both still have so much s**t to learn, and let’s both be grateful you’re waking up now. And not ten years later married to some seventy-year-old billionaire with a shrimp winkle dick.”  

The unexpected comment made Hailey look at Cleo incredulous. But then they were both laughing so hard tears came down their cheeks.  

It was the start of something surprising for Cleo. She’d always thought Hailey hated her and they’d never see eye to eye. But like they say, never say never.