7-3-97, 7:05 PM

I was downstairs in the game room beating myself at pool when I heard a high pitched voice screaming, "Aunt K. Aunt K." It was one of Kourtnee's nephews, Byrde Charleton. Byrde and his family members, six other people, had arrived at Kourtnee's house. They had come from California. They were going to stay at Kourtnee's house for the Fourth of July weekend. Actually, they were going to stay in Maddocha for two weeks, but they were going to stay at Kourtnee's house for the weekend.

Donna Charleton was Kourtnee's sister. She was married to Ford Charleton. They had five children, Arthur (1 year old), Byrde (5 years old), Alexander (6 years old), Bobby (9 years old), and Marta (14 years old). As they were coming into the house, they made more noise than I had ever heard in the house. I got nervous. I don't know why. I had grown up in an orphanage where there were 50 or 60 kids running around at any given time. I guess I had gotten use to the peace and quiet.

I walked over to Kourtnee who was standing near the kitchen island. She was talking to her sister. I walked and stood behind Kourtnee. Kourtnee reached around behind her back and grabbed my hand. Donna introduced herself. Kourtnee introduced me. I didn't say anything. Donna asked Kourtnee if I could talk. Kourtnee told her that I could. Donna laughed as she yelled something at Bobby. Byrde ran back into the house from in the garage and latched on to Kourtnee's leg. He started talking telling her about everything that had happened since the last time he had seen his obviously favorite aunt. She smiled at him, reached down, and hugged him.

I was getting jealous. Why did these people have to show up? Why did they have to stay here with us? Why was this funny looking little boy hugging on my mother? Byrde looked up at me and asked Kourtnee who I was. She introduced us and he hugged me. I hugged him back. He grabbed my hand and told me to come with him. He took off running with me in tow. He went to the game room and asked me if I wanted to play Nintendo. I told him no. That didn't seem to matter to him because he turned the TV and the Nintendo on. He began playing. I watched him play for forty minutes or more. I had grown tired of him, so I went to see what else was going on.

Kourtnee and Donna were talking in the kitchen. Mrs. Jackson was running around the house getting rooms prepared for the company. Ford was laying down in one of the downstairs rooms. Bobby, Alexander, and Byrde were in the game room playing Nintendo. Marta was upstairs in one of the bedrooms talking on the phone.

I walked into the kitchen and sat down in a stool by Kourtnee. She looked at me and asked if I needed something. I told her no. Donna said something about me being jealous. I looked at her as if she was crazy. She was right, but I didn't want her to know that she was right. Donna didn't look anything like Kourtnee. Donna's complexion was lighter than Kourtnee's. She weighed more than Kourtnee and she was shorter than Kourtnee. Donna's eyes were black. She had on glasses that made her look like a schoolteacher. Her hair looked good, but when your grandparents own a hair care products company, your hair should look good. Donna looked like a regular person and Kourtnee looked like a celebrity. Donna looked older than she was. She had four children so that was understandable. She did not talk as properly as Kourtnee did. Donna liked to talk because she had not stopped talking since she had gotten to the house.

I sat there looking at Kourtnee and Donna. They were even dressed differently. Kourtnee had on a pair of black slacks and a pink blouse. She had a pair of pink flats that matched her blouse. She jewelry complimented her outfit perfectly. Donna had on a pair of jeans and a blue shirt that was dirty. It looked like she had wasted some soda or juice on her shirt. I started laughing. Kourtnee hugged me and asked me what I was laughing at. I said nothing. She smiled at me. I folded my and laid them on the counter top of the kitchen island. I put my chin on my folded arms. Donna tapped me on my elbow and told me to go talk to Marta. I looked at her and then at Kourtnee. How dare this woman tell me what to do? I wanted to roll my eyes at her, but I didn't. Kourtnee told me to go ahead and play with the other kids. I didn't want to, but I did anyway. I looked back at Kourtnee as I walked out of the room. She smiled at me, trying to reassure me. It didn't work.

I went into the game room. All four of Donna's children were in the room. The boys were playing Nintendo. Marta was playing pool. I asked her if I could play. She said yes. I shouldn't have played with her because I ran the table on the first game. She yelled at me that I was cheating. I asked her how I was cheating. She started an argument. I walked off from her. She followed behind me and kept arguing. The boys were agitating the argument and encouraging their sister to fight me. I told her to leave me alone. She ignored me. I tried to walk off again. She followed me. This time she pushed me. I was doing all that I could not to hit this girl. I asked her to leave me alone again and I walked out of the game room. She followed behind me and grabbed my arm. I turned around. She pushed me again. I punched her in her nose. I didn't punch her as hard as I could. If I would have, her nose would have been bleeding. Before she could swing at me, I punched her in her stomach. She doubled over. Byrde ran into the kitchen to get his mother. Marta swung at me, but I dodged her punch. She tried to hit me again, but I dodge that punch, too. I was mad. I should have walked off, but I didn't. My adrenaline was pumping. She started swinging wildly. I kept moving to keep her from hitting me. Bobby was chanting, "Come on, Marta. Hit her." She never hit me.

Donna and Kourtnee came into the hallway. Donna grabbed Marta. Kourtnee pulled me to the side. Donna asked Marta what had happened. She incoherently told her side of the story. Kourtnee looked at me. I was calmer than Marta was. Kourtnee gave me a once over to see if I was hurt. Donna turned to me and asked me what happened. I calmly told her what happened. Something I said set Marta off. She tried to come at me, but Donna grabbed her and told her to calm down. Marta calmed down a little. Kourtnee asked each of the boys what happened. They each told pretty much the same story. Donna told Marta to go upstairs and calm down. Marta mumbled something about unfairness as she stomped up the stairs. Kourtnee told me to go to her room. Donna told the boys to go into the game room as I walked towards Kourtnee's room. Donna and Kourtnee talked for a few minutes.

Kourtnee walked into her room. I was sitting on the love seat. I thought for sure that she was going to kill me. She didn't. She asked me was I okay. I told her that I was okay. I also told her that Marta never hit me. Kourtnee smiled. She quickly removed the smile. She talked to me about fighting and keeping my cool. I sat and listened. I was waiting for her to yell, but she never yelled.

I was very frustrated. I hated fighting, but sometimes things happen. I had only had two other fights, one when I was 10 and one when I was 12. I had cried like a baby after both fights. I was fighting back tears this time. Kourtnee sat down next to me. She hugged me and told me that everything was gonna be okay. She said that Marta had a temper, which sometimes got her into trouble. Kourtnee said that later on, I could go and talk to Marta and apologize to her. I said ok. Kourtnee made me promise to not play pool with anymore of her family members. I shrugged. Kourtnee laughed. I looked at the clock; it was 8:52 PM.

I had just met my cousins. I had already had a bad experience with one of them. I didn't want to meet anyone else.