Gabby gets out of the box.....

The following is a short story demonstrating how black women are kept in the box. Yet, how easily they can muster the courage it takes to break free....

Devon stared out of the window absently. 'what the hell is up with her? ' he wondered. She's been moody, out of sorts, and distant for weeks!' He was so deep in his thoughts he barely heard his sister rap softly on the door. "Dev, are you gonna eat?" Before he could answer she stuck her blond head around his door. "Did ya hear me, you gonna eat or what?" Devon shook his head and stared at his sister. She had come all the way from Georgia to visit him and he was moping in his room about his girl! He sighed. "nah, not hungry sis-maybe later" Sherry stood there studying her brother for a minute. 'why didn't he get rid of this bitch? she wondered. ' Ever since he'd met this girl, he'd been depressed and on edge. This girl kept him on a roller coaster! 'I know exactly what the problem is' Sherry thought. 'It's simple, really, the girl is black. Black women, seemed to be under tremendous pressure to stay with black men, even when there were no black men to be had.' She thought wryly. She smiled smugly to herself. 'thank God black men are free to date whomever they want!' She had been with her black husband for over 6 years, and although they sometimes got dirty looks from the sistas, Her husband often got high-fives from other black men and the sistas never dared do more than give a dirty look, so it was all good. She turned back to her brother to give him her 2 cents on the subject, but he was on the phone. "Baby, wait-listen......I know but lets talk about it-baby please don't -I love you!" Sherry could not bear to hear the sad-pleading tone in her brother's voice. she turned away quietly and closed the door.......

Gabrielle slipped into the bathroom and leaned her head against the wall, letting the silent tears trickle down her face. 'It's all so damn unfair! ' she seethed silently. Why can't I live my life anyway I want? Why can't I be a doctor? Why can't I be with Devon, and go hiking in the mountains like I've always wanted? How come just because I'm a black woman I have to be what everyone else decides I should be?
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her pretty brown coloring came from her very-dark African American mother and her Spanish father giving her what people called, exotic beauty. Jet black curls swirled around her sad-pretty face. Gabrielle brushed them angrily away. 'What was she going to do?'
She felt like the pressure would tear her to bits! The tears came faster when she thought about the horrible things her family and friends had said, when they found out Devon was white. Everyone seemed to have a problem with it, but she had a large family, and she could count the number of black men married to black women on one hand! And if her mother had not decided to marry a non-black man, she, and her sister and brother would not even be here! Her sister rapped hard on the door. "Girl are you comin out or what?"
Gabrielle dried her eyes and catching the doorknob, quickly stepped out. Her sister, Gina, frowned at her tear-stained face.
" Gabby, girl, you gotta do you-don't let them force you to be somthin you not ok?" Gina's 'Latino' accent always grew more pronounced when she was angry.
"Gurl, you know how the BC is! only you can climb outta the box! you gotta make up your mind if you're strong enough to do it!"
Gabrielle nodded, and Gina gave her a reassuring hug before disappearing into the bathroom. Gabrielle braced herself, Half of her family was out back right now for the get-together and combined with some friends, there must be over 50 people out there! She knew without a doubt that her brother had told them all about Devon, He'd been very vocal about his objections to their relationship. She stepped outside onto the large patio, and hid behind a large plant. Immediately, she heard her family and friends talking in, so-called low tones "Well she always did think she was better, kiki, what'd you expect!" Gabrielle recognized the voice as belonging to Grace, her mom's best friend. "Yeah, Ms Donna from next door interjected, You messed up kiki, you got that gurl thankin she white!" Several others murmured in agreement. "An she think she too good for a brotha! Kurtis added. He was a friend of her brother's and had always liked her, but Gabrielle had never been interested. For starters, she had always believed he had absolutely nothing going for him, and his recent jail stint, combined with 3 baby mamma's had proved her right. 'Yeah, better I should be with a loser like you!' she thought bitterly "God knows, you're always lookin for another baby-mamma!' She squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could be somewhere else, anywhere except here with these catty-selfish people. She had to strain to hear her mother's words Nikita Williams Torres stood up with a look on her face that meant trouble, she surveyed the people all around her, and narrowed her large eyes. "She's grown, she has her own mind and she has a right to be with whoever she wants! " Her mother's face was red with anger.
"I did not mess up!" She said forcefully, her voice rising. "I raised my child to do what was best for her-and not be a token for the black community to toss around and use up!"
She paused and glanced at Gabrielle's father, who smiled fondly at her.
"They didn't want me t'marry my husband either but I did, and we've been very happy -"Now any of you gotta problem with my baby -get the hell outta here because she is going to do what makes her happy and the rest of you be damned!!!"
Gabrielle did not realize she had been holding her breath until it came out in a whoosh! She stumbled from her hiding place and threw herself into her mother's waiting arms. Her mother's strong arms encircled her and held her close, until she stopped shaking. Pulling away, Nikita looked at daughter closely.

"baby remember what mamma always told you-don't let nobody who can't die for you -live for you!, "
"you gotta live for yourself! ya hear?" "yes, momma" Gabrielle murmured, through her tears.
She stole a glance at the group in the yard. They were all pretending to look away, some were so obviously angry, they were leaving, but Gabrielle didn't care she was going to find Devon. Rushing past the gate, she ran smack into Devon, His face was set in a determined mask, oblivious to all the people watching. He snatched Gabrielle up into his arms before she could catch her breath.
"I'm not giving up that easily!" He stormed at her.
"You may think I'm a fool, but I need you, you mean the world to-" Gabrielle cut him off with a deep kiss that left them both gasping. "I'm not giving up either!" She told him, breathlessly. "I need you to, more than you know!" She tightened her arms around Devon's large shoulders and hung on. instinctively she knew she had barely 'escaped' the box, and she wasn't about to let anyone pull her back in......