Page 21 of Frosty Felicity
CHAPTER EIGHT
Breaking the Fine China
China stood in a skintight red pleated jumpsuit, taking her time licking a large candy cane—swiveling on her feet like some child trying to be cute. Her hair was dyed pale pink, parted down the middle and the sides in curly puffs. Her aqua-blue contact lenses glimmered under the flashing and flickering decorative lights of the Christmas garlands strung around Dad’s house. Felicity pretended to not see her. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d managed to completely tune someone out. As if they never existed.
I can dream, can’t I?She tossed piece after piece of popcorn in her mouth while some Blaxploitation movie from the 1970’s played on the flatscreen TV in her father’s living room. For a brief moment, she thought about Brett and their recent date at the movie theater. They’d watched the latest Dwayne Johnson movie. It was pretty damn funny, and had a good amount of action, too. But the best part was the touching, the kissing. By the time he took her home, they were so hot and bothered, she’d almost let him inside, but then remembered Violet advising her to take it slow. Typically, she did what she wanted, regardless of what anyone told her, but this time, it seemed like sound advice. She liked the man too much, too fast. In fact, she found it unnerving how much she found herself thinking about him. He was entirely too chipper. And he loved the holidays. Well, everyone had their flaws. Go figure…
“Are you coming by for Christmas?” China asked, interrupting her thoughts with her fake, high-pitched squeaky voice. She’d purposefully make herself sound like a tiny child. Sometimes she’d say babyish things to her father, like ‘Fuzzy wuzzy…’ or some such nonsense. One of many annoying things the woman did. Truly nauseating. “Are you?” she urged, her tone now demanding an answer.
“Nope.” She tossed a piece of popcorn in the air and caught it in her mouth before reaching for another.
“And just why not?”
“Becky, I know this may come as a surprise, and perhaps if I too spoke like a five-year-old girl, you’d have an easier time understanding this, but for the love of sanity, I don’t have to answer to you. You’re like, twelve.” Felicity turned back to the television. Seething.
“You are so rude, you know that? It’s totally uncalled for. Your father and I are together now, okay? And you just need to accept it.”
“I have to accept nothing. You are the worst thing to ever happen to my father. I thought when he and my mother divorced when I was sixteen, that was the worst thing to happen to him, but boy was I wrong. Thanks to you, he had to get a second mortgage. The house was almost paid for, and now he’s starting over.”
“He and I both like a certain lifestyle, and there’s nothing wrong with you helping your father sometimes. After all the years he took care of you, you owe him, don’t you think?”
Felicity whipped around and stared at the woman. If audacity had a face, China’s eyes, nose, and lips would be a perfect match.
“I owe no one anything, but if I did, you of all people definitely have no say in how I reciprocate or show my appreciation. I have no issue helping my father in times of need. The issue is, I refuse to help you. Every time I give him money, you benefit in some way, form or fashion. That’s why I told him last week: that’s it. The Felicity bank is closed. You are an able-bodied adult. Why don’t you get a job if you love him so much? He’s been on a budget and fixed income since he retired. Instead of helping, you’re going through his money so fast, it’s spent before it’s even deposited.”
“You know what? I think you’re jealous,” the bitch sneered. “You’re jealous of the time your father and I spend together, and you’re jealous of how I look.”
At this, Felicity burst out laughing.
“Oh, wow… whatever you’re on must be powerful! There’s nothing about you that makes me jealous. There are things about you that make me want to hurl, but jealous? No. Now, go away.” She made a shooing motion. “Don’t you have someone to pretend to be Chinese or Korean with? What a weirdo. Your obsession with Asian people and cultures is super strange. You don’t do it from an educational standpoint, but in an exploitative way, and it’s totally unsuitable, a form of cultural appropriation. Vile. You’re Black. I need you to write that down so you can remember. Maybe after you finish watching Nick Jr., you can do just that.”
“You’re a nasty person, you know that, Felicity?” The woman put her hand on her hip, lips pursed.
“Not as nasty as the thought of you snuggled up with an old man for cash he no longer has. Ewww…”
“I love him.”
“Really?” Felicity chortled. “And I’m the Pope.”
“And for your information, I’m mixed.”
“Yeah.” Felicity rolled her eyes before popping another piece of popcorn in her mouth. “Mixed with garbage and trash.”
“Oh my gosh! Aren’t you like, forty? You are so childish, you bi—”
“Enough, ladies!” Daddy came in talking tough but sporting a smile on his clean-shaven face. He wore a bright orange shirt that was tight around his midsection, and jeans that looked as if they’d seen better days. He didn’t stop there. On his feet were thick black socks with open toe sandals. Felicity shook her head in pity.
“Felicity, I wanted you to come by today because I need to talk to you about Christmas.”
“What about Christmas?”
“I know you usually enjoy it with your mother and the rest of the family, but I want you, Fred, and Faith to have it here with me this year.” He smiled proudly at China as he took her hand and squeezed it, then looked back her way, his eyes glossy with emotion. “They’ve agreed to come, and I’m hoping you’ll do the same?”
“Why? Is Ms. China Becky Mixed and Demented the Third joining the Korean circus after hours of online training from her Vtech learn-the-alphabet tablet, and now wants to practice her tightrope skills on a thread tied to the Christmas tree, that leads out the back of the house until finally, she is in the woods in your backyard, but lost forever due to not having her Blue’s Clues watch to help her remember how to get back indoors?”
“Felicity, please…” Dad closed his eyes and gave an exhausted sigh.
“What?” She shrugged. “If so, then I’m all in.”
