{1} 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘𝐄 | p.jackson

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦

| chapter nine |
in which nia has a vision

NIA OPENED HER EYES. Sitting right in front of her at a table was her mother, Diana Kamaria, typing on her computer with her glasses on.

"Oh, Nia. I miss you," she sighed, slight tears in her eyes. "Where the hell are you?"

Nia's eyes widened.

"You here, love?" A female voice called out.

"In the kitchen!" Her mother said back.

"Mama!" A young girl around the age of four with caramel skin and dark brown hair tied in a ponytail appeared and bounded towards Diana. The girl had dirt all over her and was wearing denim overalls with a light green shirt, scuffed sneakers, and a slightly big baseball cap. "We got dinner!"

Nia's eyes hardened at the young girl without her even realizing it. Who was this kid to call her mother 'Mama'?

"Oh, really?" Diana grinned at the young girl. "What'd you decide, Isabel?"

A boy with matching caramel skin and dark brown hair walked in right behind his sister. The two seemed to be twins. He was wearing a pink My Little Pony T-shirt and jeans and said with a bright smile, "We got pizza and garlic bread!"

"Isaac!" Isabel said, "I want the first pick!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"Hey, you two," a Latina woman that looked exactly like the twins walked in and kissed Nia's mother on the cheek, "be nice. Ven ahora." She was carrying two boxes of pizza and a box of chicken wings in her arms and set it all down on the kitchen counter. Nia tried to focus on the order receipt name: Julia Cortez. ( Come on, now. )

Nia blinked. What was going on?

"Sorry, Amá," Isabel and Isaac said at the same time before racing to eat the food.

"Hi, love," Julia said to Diana with a smile. She glanced at the computer screen. "Nia?"

Diana sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Yeah."

Julia kissed Diana on the cheek. "You'll find her — Sé que lo harás." ( I know you will. )

Diana smiled sadly. "I know. Now—" She stood and clapped her hands. "What should we watch for movie night?"