Tink's POV
I could tell that my Mama was furious. She had just finished having this same argument with Mommy last week.
"Tink is so not ready for the talk about boys" Mama said
"Well would you rather we talk to her about girls? Because I'm cool with that too" Mommy answered with a smirk.
"I would rather not be having this conversation."
"Arizona…."
And then Mama went into their bedroom and shut the door.
But, the love letters that my Mommy found in my backpack today, proved Mama wrong. The letters were addressed to Jonathan Anderson, the cutest boy in my third grade class. He had a bright smile and the most beautiful green eyes I'd ever seen. His mohawk and black leather jacket with the zippers on the sleeves gave him that bad boy appeal. Even though he barely said two words to me the whole school year, he was still the man of my dreams.
As I sat in my room awaiting my punishment for the love notes, I stared at the Christian Daniels posters that covered my red walls. I started to imagine what life would be like if I was married to him. I would get to hang out with all the cool celebrities. I would have a "Mrs. Daniels" t-shirt in every color. I could buy all the candy I wanted. My parents wouldn't care that he was a boy because he was famous. No more going to bed at 9:00 pm for me. The sudden noise of Mama and Mommy's arguing interrupted my fantasy. I tiptoed to my doorway so I could see the drama unfold.
"She's 8 years old," Mommy said. "It's normal that she has an interest in boys."
"She's still a baby!" Mama yelled.
"Well not according to these love notes. I mean there's nothing explicit but the similes and metaphors…."
"Callie!"
"I'm just sayin. Well want do you suggest we do now?"
"You have to talk to her."
"Ok. Wait….me?" mommy said tilting her head a little.
"Yes. You!"
"Why just me? Why can't we both do it?"
"Since you're in such a hurry for her to grow up, you can go in there and ruin her innocence" mama said. "You can talk to Sofia too while you're at it."
"Seriously?"
"Oh I'm very serious."
"But I can't!" Mommy said dancing around like Sofia when she has to use the bathroom and can't hold it anymore.
"Yes you can."
"I can't!"
"Yes you can!" Mama yelled.
"Alright I will!"
I scurried back to my seat on my bed, as my Mommy marched towards my room. She walked in with her head hung so low that she was only making eye contact with the fresh coat of purple nail polish on her toes. She sat down right beside me on the bed. We sat in silence for about six minutes but it felt like an hour. I could tell that my Mama was somewhere near watching us because the hairs on my Mommy's arms were standing up. Then Sof came in the room. She sat on the other side of Mommy but I could still smell her. She smelt like outside and our neighbor Mrs. Brook's famous chocolate chip cookies. Man I could go for some of those right now.
"Ok girls I need to talk you about something" Mommy said finally breaking the awkward silence.
"Sure Mommy" we said in unison.
"Do you girls remember when yall were the top cookie sellers in your Girl Scout troop last year?"
"Yes Mommy."
"How did you get to be the top sellers of the troop?"
"We sold more cookies than all the other girls," Sof answered as if it was the dumbest question ever.
"Would you have been the top sellers if you had given all your cookies away?"
"No Mommy," I said while clutching one of the many teddy bears on my bed.
"Well, you should treat other things in life like your girl scout cookies," she said. "Never give it away to anyone."
Suddenly, Mama burst into the room with her faced scrunched up like Meatball, our tan and white Shih Tzu, does when he's hungry.
"What in the h-e-l-l are you talking about!" she yelled.
I let out a small chuckle because Mama always spells out the bad words. It's like she forgets that we can spell.
"You told me to do it, so I'm doing it," Mommy said while standing up to face her.
"By telling them to sell themselves like Girl Scout cookies?" she asked.
"Arizona it's not about the damn cookies!"
"It's not Mommy?" I ask.
Sofia burst into laughter.
