Mending Broken Pieces

Chapter 1

6 years later

Neveah struggled to get the door opened for the umpteenth time. She had been meaning to tell the landlord to fix her doorknob but it seemed like she never had the time. With one final push, the door was opened. She closed it behind her an ran to her small family room.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late," she said to her babysitter, Toni.

Toni stood up from the couch and walked over to the door, where her purse and jacket were. "I can't do this anymore," Toni whispered.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Neveah asked.

"Ms. Carter I'm sorry, I know what you're going through but I can't be your babysitter anymore," she explained. "It has nothing to do with Rory. He's a great kid. It's just you living environment. I almost got robbed and I can't go through that again." Toni walked out the apartment, slamming the door.

"Wait!" Neveah screamed before the door closed. She rested her head on it, feeling quite defeated. She turned back to find her son standing there, looking up at her, awaiting her next move. That's the thing. Neveah ran out of moves. She was at a end when it came to finding a babysitter. Especially on the southside of Chicago.

"Mommy, are you ok?" Rory asked. Neveah kneeled down in front of her son, brushing her hand across his cheek. He looked just like his father, Dawayne. At six years old, his light brown eyes surrounded by his long eyelashes was definitely something he inherited from him. The same eyes that she  looked into so Dawayne could tell she wasn’t lying.

*flashback*

“Dawayne I swear to you I'm pregnant with your child.  why and the hell would I lie about something like this?” Neveah tried to explain to him when she pulled him out the cafeteria so they could talk privately.

“Okay you don't have to be lying about being pregnant, but how I know that thing mine?” Dawayne asked while he rubbed his head. In the back of his mind he knew it was true but his pride and ego was bigger than the situation and he wouldn't admit it.

“Dawayne , you know damn well you were my first. I'm not a hoe unlike your lilttle wanna be girlfriend in there,” Neveah said, yelling because he was making her so frustrated.

“Yeah, whatever. I don't know that for sure.”

“Fine we’ll do a DNA test if you don't want to believe me,” Neveah said through her teeth. She was at her wits end with his excuses.

*End of Flashback*

After her son Rory was born they got a DNA test. Which showed the results Neveah knew was true that Dawayne was the father. Knowing that Dawayne wasn’t going to pay child support she didnt even waste her time taking him to court.

“Mommy is daddy coming to pick me up tomorrow?” Neveah was pulled from her thoughts of the past by her son. She just remembered that tomorrow was Dawayne's weekend to keep Rory since he got visitation every other  weekend or when he actually showed up.

“I think so baby. but in the meantime what do you want for dinner?” Neveah change the subject not really wanting to get his hopes up.

Rory put his finger to his chin in a thinking pose like he always seen his mother do, “Mmm skettie o’s “.

Neveah laughed at her son’s antics “ Ok, you can have Spaghetti O’s , then after dinner its off to bed, but go wash up for dinner now," she told him.

Rory turned around and walked to the bathroom. Seeing how the apartment was so small, everything was close together. Neveah made her way to the tiny kitchen then went to the pantry. Opening it, she found only two more cans of Spagetti O's and a pack of Top Ramen noodles. She grabbed a can and reached in the cabinet for a small pot to make her son's dinner.

While the food cooked, Neveah went back into the family room to get the cordless phone and dial a number that she dreaded calling. Hearing it ring, a voice finally picked up making Neveah's stomach do flips, and not in a good way.

"Hello?" He said.

"Dawayne, it's Neveah," she announced.

"Yeah, I know. I got you on Caller-ID, what do you want?" He asked harshly.

Neveah flinched as of he slapped her. "I just called to see if you were still picking Rory up tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll be there early in the morning. Anything else?"

Neveah didn't want to ask him, but he was her sons father. He had to help and not deny his son what he needed. "Yeah, umm. I really don't want to ask you Dawayne, but we really need some money and I-"

"Neveah I don't have any money so-"

"Please Dawayne, Rory needs clothes and I have to pay the rent in a couple of days or we won't have a place to live," she explained. "I'll pay you back just-"

"Neveah! Look, I don't have no money. I can't help you," he said. "I gotta go, my wife is calling me."

The next thing Neveah heard was the dial tone. She squeezed the phone in her hand from frustration. She was struggling big time. She needed help and Neveah didn't know why she thought Dawayne would help his own son. He was plain selfish.

She threw the phone on the couch and got up to check Rory's dinner. Putting it in a bowl she sat it on the small table just in time, as he came in.

"Did you wash your hands good," she asked him.

"Yes, mommy," he sighed.

Neveah put her hands on her waist. "With hot water and soap Rory?"

"Yeess, mommy," he whined

Neveah laughed. "Alright, when you're done, put the bowl in the sink with water, ok? Then get ready for bed," she ordered. "Your dad is picking you up early tomorrow."

"Yay!" He screamed.

Neveah went to bed that night thinking of how she was going to get the things they needed, she was hoping she could pull some extra shifts at the diner.