Breeding Animosity

When we got home from the last cheerleading practice last night there were people standing in the parking spot in front of my house. It was Primero, his mother, his aunt and his cousin. Standing in the street behind his aunt’s car parked in my space. I pulled in behind them and unloaded the kids from the van. Chica Marie ran to Primero to give him a hug. He straight-armed her and said, “get off.” I said hello and ushered the kids inside, noting groceries sitting on the chair on our front porch. Inside, I began getting the kids ready for a bath, since it was already Chica Marie’s bedtime. Primero came in as I was running the bath water and I noticed he plunked the groceries down on the kitchen table. Suspicious I ask him where he got the groceries.

“My mom,” he answered.

“Why?” I countered, thinking perhaps she had bought too much stuff and offered him a share.

“Because there’s nothing to eat in this house,” he shrugged, unpacking the bags of junk food and soda. I was livid.

“So, you told your mom there’s nothing to eat in this house? Have you looked in the ‘fridge? In the cabinets? There’s plenty of food!”

“Not food for me,” he seethed.

And, so the fight began. He told his mom we had no food when he was visiting with her and his aunt the night before. She offered him her Access card to buy himself some groceries but then decided to drive down to take him grocery shopping instead. What did they buy? Canned pasta, ramen noodle soup cups, chips, soda, and white bread because I buy whole wheat. They bought junk to counter the healthy food I had in our home. Unbelievable. Primero was not home when we went grocery shopping over the weekend. He did not indicate he wanted anything, he was not really communicating with me and he hasn’t been for pretty much this entire month. But, I’m an awful mom who can’t take care of her kids because I don’t have food in the house. Are you kidding me?

Before she went to bed, Primero did apologize to Chica Marie for shoving her away from him. He sees no problem in getting food from his mother. Too bad she won’t pay his cell phone bill…..