life's confessions

settle in

|karen| it had been about three days since i last saw deaja. i've spoken to her everyday up until now.. as Drew suggested we fasted and prayed and I finally heard what I was gonna have to do.

I called deaja's phone and waited for her to pick up. "Hello?" She answered the phone. "Hey dee" i said in response.. "hey, how you doing?" She asked. I explained to her that I was alright and that I wanted to come and pick her up. She agreed and we decided on a doable time.

I turned over to find Drew drifting off to sleep. "John" I called his name making him jump up like I slapped him or something.

"Why you doing all that jumping for?" I asked him staring at him rubbing his eyes like a toddler fresh after their nap.

"You scared me Karen, what you mean?" I gave him a look then got up to go and get dressed for the day ahead of me.

I threw on a simple sun dress cause I wouldn't be doing as much today. I walked out the house and immediately got in the car driving off to the hotel.

I pulled into the front of the hotel to the sight of deaja standing out front making her way to the car. "hey wassup?" I asked her. "Nothing really where we headed?" She asked. "Actually i was wondering if it was okay if we talked in your room.

She agreed and we went upstairs to where her room was on third floor. I walked in to the site of a neat bed and couch. The room is bigger then expected. She had it good but that's not why i was here.

"So me and my husband has been praying a lot... about how to move forward." She nodded her head "yes?" She said. I could tell she was anxious so I wasn't about to stall anymore.

"How would you like it if you came and stayed with me?" I asked her holding my breath. I didn't know how she was about to react but to my surprise a big smile spread across her face.

"I would love to but I don't want you to feel like I'm a burden.. I'm doing alright here." I looked around the room then started to talk. "Yes I understand but this is no living arrangement for a child.. a fifteen year old at that." I started.

"It's what God laid on my heart to do.. we just need your okay so we can go to court and get this all figured out." I told her.

"If you insist" she said shifting in her seat. "I do, you want me to help you gather your things or you wanna wait?" I asked trying to sort out what's next in all this.

"Is it okay if i just pack a couple bags for right now?" She asked.. once again I could tell she was nervous. "Yeah go ahead and do what you gotta do... I'll be downstairs in the car waiting on you."

I went downstairs and out the automatic doors and dialed up drew's number. "heey what you up to?" I asked excited to hear from him. "Nothing, how'd it go?" He asked me.

"It went well, she's packing her bags as we speak.. we gon have to introduce her to everybody at some point so go ahead and call the kids and tell them to stop by the house"

"Alright we'll be home shortly, love you bye bye" i said before hanging up the phone. I popped open the trunk and got out to help her place her belongings in the trunk.

We sat in the car but before driving off I had to let her know a few things. "dee, don't be afraid to ask or talk to me about anything.. im here for you even if we just met.

"I've been through so much it may take me a while to open up but I promise from the bottom of my heart that I am very grateful for all you've done already."

I've always been the emotional type so of course I was trying to choke back tears. I let her know the the game plan for the day and if at any time she wanted a rest that was perfectly fine.

"Remember that dna test we took a couple days ago?" I asked her. "Yes ma'am, what about it?" She asked. "Well they emailed me the results but I haven't opened them yet. We can when we're at the house though if that's okay with you."

We walked through the door to everybody sitting in the living room. They all stood to their feet when they saw deaja behind me.

"Guys this is deaja, deaja im sure you know who they are but just incase this is my baby jdrew, my oldest kierra and my grand babies kali and jacob.. lastly this is my husband drew.

They all exchanged hellos when all of a sudden kierra began to speak. "Gosh you look like auntie dorinda, ma you sure that's not her child?" She said and i tapped her on the hand.

"Kierra it's okay to hush your mouth sometimes." I said shooting her a look then replacing it with a smile.

"Let's look over these results then I'll show you where you'll be staying and all that good stuff." I said taking her by the hand bringing her to the couch. I grabbed my phone from out my purse and looked up to see deaja still standing.

"Girl if you don't come here and sit down, don't be shy" I said patting at the seat beside me. She did so and I opened up my email to where the results where at.

"Alright let's see" I said scrolling before I saw what we was all looking for. "So your a moss but we been knew that.

"It says I'm your great aunt. that would make sense cause your mama was my niece but we were to close in age for her to be calling me auntie.. so cousins it was." I said reading over the whole thing.

"Mama never told us how exactly she was our niece- we couldn't deny you if we wanted to so let's just drop it" I said growing tired.

I looked over and placed my hand on her knee shaking it a bit. Everybody else sat around in silence processing everything that was going on.

"So that means she's our little cousin?" Jdrew asked like he didn't just hear the whole run down. "Yes j" Kierra said shoving her elbow into his arm.

"Well if that's all I'm gonna take her to her space, I'll be back soon." I said grabbing her hand and some of the bags she brung.

"Your house is beautiful" she said looking around in amazement. "Thank you, waking up at two in the morning on school days did pay of well if I do say so myself" we laughed and headed downstairs to the basement.

"Well here it is, drew had this fixed up for kierra but she moved out so now it's yours." I said sitting her things down beside the bed.

"Is it okay if i give you a hug? Then I'll leave you to settle in." I asked unsure if she was comfortable to it. "Of course it is" she said, i went over to where she stood and gave her a long hug before walking up the stairs.