Category : Stories

Sub Category : Suspense/Mystery

 
The alarm went off in Quentisha"s room and she push the blanket off of her. Her body rose up and she looks at the time crazy. She jump in her black slippers and push her bed hair back. She went to her sister Brie and tries to wake her up.

She says, "Wake up wake up. It is past  seven thirty..mom did not come to wake us up."

"well maybe,she overslept but i am skip school today. You should do the same sunce you know who be waiting for you."

Nonsense Brie, mom always be on time and i am not about to have us miss out for nobody.
" she says then turn brie covers over and saw that the girl face look patheic.

"Even if i have to play mom today and face those wannabees classmate try to be my friends...i do that"her body walk away from Brie bed and she put together Brie bucket. She infact tossed on the bed and grab her own bucket.

"Now Getup,i fix breakfast and our lunch..." a heavy command from Quentisha left Brie irritated and the girl kicked it to the floor. The bucket made a small quake sound as it drops and Quentiaha came halfway upstairs.

"Quit Bratt an Attitude and Do What your told to do!" she yells at younger sister and Brie throws her argonance back at her.

"Your not my mother! Who are you to boss me up here?!" 

"No i am not but i am your sister who loves you"...answered by Quentisha as she skip off the stairs and peep in the living room. She saw their mother snoring on the couch and she went 
 Up to her.

"Wake Up,Mother and do your duty here. I am suppose to be just the daughter not the PIA(ParentInAction)!"  she yells as she goes to the bathroom and slam the door,her mother wakes up with drool come from her mouth.

"Quentisha,did your father ever come back?" their mother asked her but Quentisha didnot respond to her. She study get ready for school. So she open door with her school uniform on and her hair in two twisit pinwheels. She took her bucket down to the basement and her mother sighed.

"Baby girl,i am sorry. I am just tad worry about your father. Do not worry,i find him." she reassured her daughter and Quentisha rolled her eyes. Her steps followed in the basement and back up stairs. She heads to the kitchen but her mother stops her.

"Quentisha,everything going to be alright. God knows i am smarter than your daddy. He got mad that LINDA gone."

"Where is the ole Bat?" she asked her mother as she tries to understand her family idoticy. Her mother smiled and pats her head gently.

"it been dispose of but i take your sister to school. You just made you be there on time and let mama know anything."

After Quentisha been release from her mother reach,she just fix her a bag lunch and place jacket on herself.then she left her parent home and her mom fix lunch for brie. The woman came upstairs and place a bag a banana next to Brie. Then Brie turns around and hugs her mom.

"Where were you,Mommie?" the girl asked as she wipes her tears and gets up irritated. She must had been cry for least half hour but her mother bite her lips and remember herself being Bries "age. 

10 years old down the memory lane, young Bri asked the same question to her mother whom was more mature and masculine than her. She had seen her parents argued and her parents drink their way out of problems. They even hid their secrets and expose themselves blindly.

While the Bri today as mother were shaping her own style of motherhood, she strangely grown into woman who find her way of life. She didnt want to stay on with her family because of their issues spill over her.  She had been with people whose consider friends and then met Armon after finishing high school. She moved in his parent and help paid rent in chicago.

Once they had first kid, Armon parents didnt like that happened. They werent married yet. So other tension hit and Armon parents pitty Them as couple and gave Them Armon"s great granddaddy house on Oakman. Even so, Brianna parenting relation not even put together like her parents. So how did she figure out who she is?

Carving out every good tiny moment of be herself and add any lessons that good from her mother. Guess from her past, the same troubles tagged along females in her family. She thought ,it was bad luck but it her family demons or weakness that hasnot been cleared.

Poor Bri of the past and Brie of the future tramatize by such life events. The choice that Brianna met with Brie is to not say "You DonT Need to Know,You Mind YourOwn Business."

She calmy replied"I was waiting on your dad to come home and i thought he cool off. He out there and i got handle this..yes we not Jeffersons but i am not going be like my mother."

"....What do you mean by not your mother? What happened?"

"Well Brie, she hesistantly restraint herself from telling her youngest the truth but part of her has to be honest. So she looks down at the floor and think hard. Already Brie dedicded to take her mom hands and comfort her. She smiles at her daughter because she made her feel better.

"Alright there no Sugar coated this situation.i just say my mommie and daddy were going through hot cold times.they wont me stay out of it."

"Ok. So is that like a mood thing?" Brie asked her mother speifcally. She smart but her mother still sugar coat her explanation.

"Yes you can say that and your father is go through his childish tantrums.i am just didnot want you girls to think we arguing."

Oh ok, i get it."
  
"Yes, he will be back home soon. So why don"t you get ready for school?" 

"Ok, will you explain this to Quennie? She ask before she left and seems kind of sad." let her kno im sorri, cause she been go through mod at schol too."

"Really..i did not know that.."face brow lifted on Brianna face as she feels consider for quentisha. she never any school related problem other than homework. She gets up and take Brie to bathroom. "i talk to her later. Dont worry."

"Ok. " 

Brie closed the door in the bathroom and her combs her medium black hair in half bun.both of them wearing a bun and had on fresh cloths. They ran into each other awkardly.

"I got your lunch,let takeoff." 
  
Brie mother gets her keys from the wall hooks and opens the door. She and her youngest left the house. They walk up to stop sign and down the other strert. Three more streets over and across it, Brianna catch a cab and drop off Brie at her elementary school. Then she request the cab to drop her off at the bar otherside of town.

She paid the taxi and she walked in the bar ,look for Armon. He was not there but she went and sat at the counter . The bartender came to her.

"Sorry Miss,Happy hour is not till 4pm. I can serve water or tomato juice."

"i bet,you would give me non alcohlic."

"What can i do for you?"

"I would love a drink but i am sober. I go for tomattto o anyday but i dont do veggie in a tin can. I will aask you ,have you seen my husband here?"

"Ma am , could got to that question first." the bartender and other customers giggling but Brianna grin at them.

"So have you seen a dark young fellow in this herr parts?"

"eh here at the Moes Lounge and Bar,No. Any Young brotha wouldnt caught drink up here.."

"Why is that?" she asked the bartender and he scratch his head as if she knew what type people attract this bar. He simply kept cleaning cups and then place down.

"Fellows,hate to disturb your peace.  This babe want to know,what in with Moes?"  he ask his pay customer and one took the time to answer the woman question. He take look at her.

"Ayyee, a search for young blood and probably not here he goes. Every older man knows that the younger crowd go to place that attract them. Here at Moes nothing but man and woman who spent pennies to release anguish. People like your grandparents old..."

"Yess indeed.you want go to Uptown and check "Aces of Seven lounge, Tuxedo down bar or Freddies. Those attract younger male with females skimpy in cloths."

"Well then i bes to hurry along...thank you all."

"Ma am." the bartender grabs her attention before she leaves the bar.

"Yes sir."

"its none of my business but why he ran off?"

"Poor umm man.he got upset cause i dispose of his baseball bat. He thought he could protect ME with it. Nah, he got grow up like his dad say."

"If that all he got,he has to make do." 

Briaanna set and process,what the man told her. She think that she werre right about dispose of it. Actually, she may have been wrong to destroy it.her head turn to the bartender.

"it maybe true but nowdays thugs have better armor to kill."


"it his weapon that part of his manhood form at late time. You can"t be both because its going to overlap."..

"how did you figure that sir?" she shocked by his findings but could not see for herself. He simply giggled and  rest his eyes on her.

"You see,God has saints in weridest places watch over you. He can see a lost soul a mile away. You are lost and i bet,there are several close to you lost."


"Indeed. Thank you again.." she left the bar and thought about everything happened and agaun,she turn out to be her mother. Its obvious,she played someone else persona and not hers. 

Her wholeness was still being shaped by her own family.she got to sat thing right and ran down the streets to coney island. She asked frightenly to use the pay booth as she got permission, her face lined up with tears.

She started to diial Armon"s job and she ask for him. His supervisor hadnt seen him all day. She slammered the phone down and people study her. She paid no attention and went outside, look for cab to past. She caught one and took uptown . Find a bar or lounge was challenging. 

None of them upward were open during mid afternoon. She spot a crew member and gave all him details. Finally she went home and clean up the house,do laundry gigs,then cried silently. Her girls came home from schoool stress and tired,they saw her cry.

"Whats wrong,Mom? They both asked her in their living room. She hugs them both.

"Nothing,i just been looking for your dad. I asked neighbor and friends bar to call me for any leads." she whines and kept a dry face. "i done something bad and i shouldnt have but you two will know your calling in life."

"What possibley be so bad?" Quentisha questioned her mother wisedom because she never heard such stern nonsense. She only seen her mother be silent and postive about family turmoil. She wonders why now to be apolgetic.

"i dispose of his childhood bat and that something he cherish. A wise soul told me,it wrong what i did."

"I thought it pretty good reason. ,why couldnt daddy see that?"

.l..Because Quennie, he cherish all his life. If someone done that to you,you would be hurt."

"Hurt. I"ll jump on the fool and get my stuff back. Nobody going break my things..."

"Well Violence like MLk say is not the answer. The point is the bat meaning something to him."

"Then its his fault not to bring LInDA out.!" the girl shout out at her mother. However, Brianna detect distress in Quentisha voice. It has got to soar bad in Quentisha temper but her mother has dedicded to decode it now. She kiss brie forehead and asked her to cleanup for dinner. 

The food will be prepared after the talk with Quentisha. She watchs brie go up the attic then look at Quentisha. She fe3l something not right with her.

"I Don"t know, why you are show a tamper fit? Your verbal cues are bit sassy."

"i dont have any of sort."

"Well whatever, you said about your dad set you off?"

"No, i am just Off because_You mother crying or feel guilty about do right. It dont make sense..it don"t."

"Look he had the bat for long time. I was cry before because he been gone  days on. I look and perfect stranger awaken my sense. "

"A Stranger mother" quentisha not really pleased nor care about a dumbo tell her mom jibber jab."What do these bums known about our own pandora of things?"

"Nothing but you learn thing or two from god watch you over...."she go to the kitchen and get out the deep fryer,plug up. Her brown eyes look back at Quentisha. She sighs and grab bag of fries, chicken wings. Pour it all indiviual basket till ready, she walk back to her oldest daughter.

"We all havenot went to churh in while. So we attend church in the upcomimg days."

"No Thanks,i stay and study."

"You will go because you need God to help you in school. Help whatever in this family!"

"Who told You? ..Brie".

"Whom does not matter in the process. What do matter is you come to yo mom for any help or god."


"I pass."

God Darn, Why are you so shell locked inside? Your attitude is despiteful. You cant even comfort your sister."

"She has you!"

"I am the parent but she going be look up to you for prime example lead her life."


"No your still here and you can teach her things too."

"i teach her....." brief pause as Brianna look back at what her mother taught her. Most of it was taken care of herself and go to school. That all she can remember but she has carve herself into her girls. The way that they be better than her mothers or her.

She study daydreaming while the kitchen smells of steam from the deep fryer fried fries and chicken good. Her heart slowly beat and brings her back. She then turns down the fryer and look away. 

"How to put this to you in respect..?" she turns to her daughter and push her hair back. "what i am try to say,i teach both of you to take care of each other. Be fair and educate yourself about others.god going to show you,who you are form you into something good."

"Ok,let me ask.Who am i?" 

"Quentisha is you and you are daughter,big sister and something better later."


"So i am  not somebody werid black kid and undesireable at school."

"Werid." Her mother crackup a giggle and it kinda sounds fake also corny.
"Girl pleease,your grandmother was known to be school teacher and your grandfather work in his sweat at car shop. Then your dad dads is in then military...ain't nothing werid herre ."


"I didnt want to tell you about my problems. You had your own with dad. So i took in my hands.."  quentisha cried little by little tears and she wipe off her sleeve.

"Aww, i could always need moment with you. Please bare with me, i am put this parenting at fair point."

"i pretty much handle tenith grade in the spring alone and i managed some type of friends. At least,the bullying stop for minute."

"Quentisha Bagley! You best to be careful with any friends." she shout out as she get another memory of herself in high school get pick on by cheerleaders. She forseen herself tell her mom scarer and her mother be like "Those kids must be rotten to act like that...you better off kept to yo self."

Teen Brianna stress sweat for hours but her teen want friends and her mother tell.her "Friends are nunsance. They cant be trusted,you just be yourself." the word self rung in Adult Brianna alot. That why she advise even both of them to take care of themselves. Friends in her experience cost nothing  a trouble. 

Her oldest daughter Quentisha felt nerveing after the warning from her mom. She gave her mom a half hug.
"i try my best but i do need a social life."


"i understand that but dont let the life of kind change who you are. I didnt let  my mother change me, i just saw that she was heed me to be better me wrong way."


"oh.."

 "You best to be yourself and let god be your first only friend. Your sister to be your next."

"You must have bad socialite party yourself,mama."

"Yes but..."she pause as she gets out the plates and cups..she pass them too to her oldesr daughter. She then watchs Quentisha set the table. Then she go to the fridge and get the cola.

"Here, pour in each cup.." she pass  along to her daughter. Quentisha pour and Her mother starts to grab plate.she put wing and fries on it.

"Brie dinner is ready."

"come mother." 

"As i was saying, it important to watch out for you and your sister. My parents wasnt good at my social life. Your in the jungle where there ppl can break you.""


"i know.."

"Do rememba that and let bless food."

As brianna and her girls do their blessings on the night of hot greasy foods,her husband still out in the streets. He was hang out at some crack house and get joker up on lcds. Then he falls off the couch and the pimp there had kick him out. So he been walking lazily in the alley and go through loop of side effects: dizzyness,fatigue and foam at the mouth. 

After that was done for him, he passed out near a tree somewhere and a older female by named joelle had taken him into her slum apartment. She strip him and she bathe him till he snap out of it.

"Wait minute, what the deval go on?" he said as he feels the cold water on his body ans break through drug effects.

"Sir, you pass out and the young man ask me to clean you up here.

"I Dont need clean up, i have house of my own to go and do that.."

"Ok but your unda the influence.."

He turns around and see his nake body in the shower. His eyes went cold as he seen joelle in laced lingere.

"Look here lady,im married but i be going now."

"little man, you cant go home like this. Its late."

"You maybe older than me but if i fail family,it reflection on my family too." he raized his voice as he stood upbut fall down from the wetness of the water inside. Madam joelle sighs and throws towel over Brianna husband.

"your clothes be hang from the door. You betta chexk out at the hospital. Foolish boy.." she slams the door and decided that he was not worth the flirt. She seen his mature undevelop mentally.

When he left with his clothes on,he crib as he walks and dark outside. Soon he went into some building to rest. The very next daylight,brianna and the girls went to church.