Chapter 5
Maureen rolled out of bed the next morning around ten. She smirked to herself as an idea formed in her devious little mind. She walked out of the bedroom, knowing Joanne was at work, and that she would probably be stuck in the apartment with queen bitch Mrs. Jefferson all day, but that was alright with the diva, for she had a plan.
She walked pass the kitchen table, catching Mrs. Jefferson as she was about to walk out the door.
"You're leaving?!" Maureen asked almost too excitedly.
"Don't sound too happy." Mrs. Jefferson said. "I'm heading to the store. I told Joanne I'd cook supper tonight, I need to pick up a few items."
Maureen just nodded and turned her back to the woman, heading into the living room. Mrs. Jefferson frowned, and with out another word left the apartment.
Maureen flopped on the couch and reached for the phone, a grin hanging on her lips as she dialed a phone number. It rang a couple of times before someone answered.
"Collins? It's Mo…you want to come over today?" She smiled and waited for his answer which was a yes. "Good, bring our little baggie of fun with you."
Ten minutes later Collins burst into the door, a grin glued to his face.
"Maureen…I like the way you think, but the last time we smoked weed in the apartment Joanne almost spanked us!" Collins chuckled.
Maureen shrugged. "I'll worry about Joanne later. Right now all I'm worried about is getting Mrs. J back for dumping all my beer down the drain." She said then reached behind her back and pulled out a bottle of expensive wine. "And I think drinking her wine is the way to go!" She then pointed to the master bedroom. "And we will smoke and get high in there."
"This is the bitches wine?" Collins asked as he grabbed the bottle from Maureen's hand and examined it. "Ooo from Italy…fancy. Let's pop the cork!"
"Yes sir!" Maureen smirked, and the two began to have some fun.
Mrs. Jefferson quietly hummed to herself as she stepped off the elevator and onto the floor of her daughter's apartment, her humming coming to a complete stop when she heard loud music coming from down the hall.
"Who on earth would play such loud foul music?" She questioned as she began to head for the apartment, the music only getting louder on her way. "It couldn't be…" She wondered as she came to a stop at the door, coming to the conclusion that it was in fact coming from Joanne's apartment.
Quickly she barged inside, dropping all her grocery bags and purse on the ground, her hands immediately covering her hears. She kicked the door shut and walked deeper into the apartment. Her eyes started to burn as she was hit with a wave of smoke, and a violent smell.
Her eyes landed on Maureen who was sitting next to some man she had never seen before, the two of them head banging to the music, while munching on chips, and passing a bottle of wine around.
"Maureen!?" She shouted trying to get the drama queen's attention. When it didn't work she walked over to the radio and shut the music off. "Maureen!"
Maureen quickly snapped her head up when there was silence, a frown forming on her lips when she seen the reason. "Hey! We were listening to that!"
"You're in an apartment building; you can't listen to music that loud." Mrs. Jefferson scolded. "And what is that smell?" Her eyes soon landed on Collins. "And why is there a bum in the house?"
Maureen gasps as she tried to stand up, but the alcohol she consumed, plus the high she was on made her tipsy. "Hey!" She said and fell back onto the couch, causing her and Collins to burst into a fit of laughter.
Mrs. Jefferson watched as the two laughed. "What is so funny!?" She furiously asked.
Maureen and Collins answered by laughing some more. Mrs. Jefferson looked back and forth between them, until her eyes fell on a familiar empty bottle. She walked over to the two and yanked the bottle from Collins, reading the label.
"Hey!" She yelled. "This was mine! Do you know how hard it was for me to get this?"
"Sucks doesn't it?" Maureen bitterly asked.
"How mature!" Mrs. Jefferson spat and then stormed towards the master bedroom.
"I think she's pissed." Collins chuckled and took a long hit from his joint.
Maureen laughed. "Good! Bitch deserves it."
Two seconds later Mrs. Jefferson stormed out of her room. "All my clothes smell like smoke!"
"Yeah…we were smoking a few cigarettes in there early…" Maureen said like it was nothing. "Sorry." She shrugged and stuffed a handful of chips in her mouth.
"I can't believe this!" Mrs. Jefferson shouted and stormed back into the bedroom.
Twenty minutes later Joanne walked into the apartment, hoping what her mother had told her wasn't true, but there Maureen and Collins were, smoking up and laughing at nothing. She angrily slammed the door shut, the loud sound causing Maureen and Collins to jolt up.
"Pookie?" Maureen questioned, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work."
Mrs. Jefferson smiled as she opened the door, getting ready to watch the fight between her daughter and Maureen.
"Collins I think you should leave." Joanne said through gritted teeth.
Collins stood up, "But Maureen and I were-"
"Go home now!" Joanne yelled, causing Collins to flinch.
"Yes ma'am!" Collins nodded and sent Maureen a look of sympathy. "Good luck Mo." On his way out he stopped next to Joanne, taking in a deep breath before asking, "You're not going to tell Angel are you? She is a sweet and kind person who never yells, and loves me very much, but she hates when I cause trouble..."
"Go home." Joanne said, not making eye contact.
"Okay." Collins squeaked, and bolted for the door, not looking back once.
Maureen slowly stood up from the couch, nervously playing with her fingers. "Joanne I know you're mad, but before you start to yell I just want to say-"
"What have I told you about smoking in the house?" Joanne irritably asked, not giving Maureen a chance to talk.
"I know but-"
"Maureen!" Joanne said firmly. "What have I told you? What have I told you about smoking that shit at all!? And cigarettes? I thought you quit?"
"And drinking again." Mrs. Jefferson chimed in with a smirk, holding her empty wine bottle in the air. "I seriously think she has a drinking problem Joanne."
Joanne glared at her mother, her eyes shifting back to Maureen, watching as the diva's lips formed into a pout. "Don't you pout at me! It's not going to work. I came home from work because I hear you're doing drugs, and having a little party here in the apartment! You're little pout isn't going to work on me!"
The drama queen sighed, trying her hardest to force out tears, knowing Joanne was a sucker for watery eyes. That plus the pout was golden for her. "I'm sorry…" She softly said. "I was being immature trying to get back at your mom for what she did to me yesterday."
"It was immature." Joanne scolded. "I thought we were done with your little disgusting habits of smoking up? And you know what I think you should stop drinking for a little while."
"Joanne!" Maureen whined. "That's not fair!"
"What's not fair is this!" Joanne yelled, directing it to both Maureen and her mother. "I realize you two don't like each other, but it is going to stop! It hasn't even been a full week and already I'm being called out of the office early to come deal with you two! You guys are acting like a bunch of kids!" She eyed her mom. "Come on! You're my own mother, and I'm acting like yours! Grow up and act your age, have respect for my life and the love of my life!"
Maureen smirked, sticking her tongue out at Mrs. Jefferson.
"And you!" Joanne shouted pointing at Maureen, causing Maureen to cringe. "It's time you grew up too! I'm not your babysitter or mother either, I'm your girlfriend so please respect my life and the one who raised me, because with out her I wouldn't be here. And if I catch or hear about you smoking weed again I will figure out a way to punish you."
"Can I still drink?" Maureen quietly asked.
"We'll talk about it later." Joanne said and turned to leave. "I'm going back to work, when I get back I expect this awful smell to be out of my apartment. And I want you two to write an apology letter to each other."
"Joanne what do you think this is school?" Mrs. Jefferson laughed. "Plus you're my daughter, you can't make me do-"
"It's either that or you're out." Joanne cut her off.
"Okay." Mrs. Jefferson said.
"I'll be home at six." Joanne said, and left with out another word.
Maureen and Mrs. Jefferson stood in an awkward silence, until finally Mrs. Jefferson cleared her throat and eyed Maureen.
"Way to go you made her give us homework." Mrs. Jefferson spat.
"Who cares about the homework, because of your big mouth I might not be able to drink another beer for while." Maureen sulked.
"You started it." Mrs. Jefferson said. "You and your little homeless friend."
"He's not homeless." Maureen argued. "And you started it yesterday."
Mrs. Jefferson crossed her arms. "You started it."
"You started it!" Maureen yelled while she ran to her room.
They both slammed their bedroom doors shut, the apartment filling with silence, until at the same time, they both yelled, "You started it!"