The Other Half of Me: Part Seven

 “Are you going to finish that?” I asked James, poking his steak with my fork.

He playfully slapped my hand. “Get off my meat! You should have ordered your own instead of the chicken!”

“Stop bothering the birthday boy, girls,” our mother said as she handed James the bread basket.

“Jesus H. Christ mom, I am fucking almost forty,” he rolled his eyes at her.

“Language! We are in public for heaven's sake!” she covered her face to show she was embarrassed.

Sarah rolled her eyes too. “You'd think that you'd be used to it, Ma, he's been swearing for thirty fucking years.”

“You two! I don't know what to do with you guys. I obviously did something wrong, raising a couple street hobos!”

“Yes, Ma, 'cause only hobos swear,” Sarah winked at me, and then leaned over to whisper in my ear. “My mom blames everything on hobos. If you're not acting right, you must be a hobo!” We both laughed.

“Tell me Emily, what did your parents do so right raising you with such good manners?” our mother turned to ask me.

I could feel my face get hot. I didn't like to be put on the spot, especially about my family. “Um, well, nothing really. I basically raised myself. But I was around more adults than kids my own age, so maybe that's it?”

She reached out and put her hand on my shoulder. “How awful. I am so sorry. Didn't you go to school?”

I shifted in my seat. “Yeah, but I didn't get along with the kids at school. They picked on me.”

“That's horrible! What on Earth would they pick on you for?” she asked.

I didn't want to say it.

After some silence Sarah chimed in. “Ma, they called her Little Orphan Annie, on account of being adopted.”

Norma looked shocked, like someone slapped her in the face. “Oh.” I thought she might cry, but instead added, “Kids are fucking stupid, aren't they?”

It was Sarah's turn to look shocked and we all started laughing.

James reached over and hugged her. “I knew it, Ma, I always knew it! One day you'd come around to see things my way,” he sighed and we all laughed harder. “This is a day to remember, he said, holding up his drink. “My mother said the F word. Cheers!”

We all clinked glasses, even Norma, and said “Cheers!”