Love at Booker T.

Chapter 10

I arrive at the house and see Sophia & Janet waiting in the kitchen. I walk over to them, and so does Auntie Keisha. "She told you?" Janet asks.
I nod my head yes. "Play the voicemail." I say, ready for whatever comes out of it.

Auntie Keisha plays the voicemail on her iPhone..

When the voicemail is over, me & Sophia just sit there. We don't shed one tear.. it's the usual for them to talk down to us. But, court? Mom & Shawn was gone put on a show for the judge to get me & Soph back. No, we weren't going back to the projects with them. Ever. We were right where we were supposed to be, with Auntie Keisha, Janet, and Trinity.

And like Shawn said, the pleasure of this all was to beat us.
"Real bad." I hear Shawn's voice say in my head. I cringe.

Auntie Keisha rubs my back as well as Sophia's. Sophia looks fine, but I can tell she's bearing everything inside of her.

"If we go to court, I'm going to talk to the judge in his chambers," Sophia says, breaking the silence.
We stare at her. I had no thought of Sophia knowing about the judicial system, and I know Janet and Auntie Keisha didn't either.

"I watch TV. And I'm in fifth grade." Sophia says, answering the expression on our faces.
"Well, what will you be telling the judge?" Auntie Keisha asks.
"I'm going to tell how my mom is drugged out and how she & Shawn beats me and Simone for no reason. She should beat Shawn for being so ugly." Sophia says, being serious.

I agree, not chuckling one bit. Shawn was one ugly boy, yet he had the nerve to call me & Soph ugly.

"Also, I'll tell him about how we hardly eat, while Shawn gets to. And how we only sometimes have cold water to take a shower in." Sophia says, finishing her statement.

"Yes, Sophia, tell the judge everything you can," Janet says.
Auntie Keisha nods, agreeing with her daughter.
"You too Simone." Janet adds.
I nod my head yes. "I will. I don't want to go back there, and I will do everything so the judge will see what kind of folks my mom & Shawn really are,"

Janet smiles. "Mhm, you better." She says, jokingly.
I chuckle. "I will, Janet. Sophia, go back upstairs and talk to Trinity."
"Will do." Sophia says, running up the steps to their room.

"Alright, Janet & Simone, y'all can go back upstairs, it's getting late," Auntie Keisha says.
She turns towards me. "Oh, and Simone, as soon as that letter comes in from the court, I'll start getting everything we need to get full custody of you and Soph. Evidence like the voicemail."

I nod. "Thanks, Auntie Keisha. Me & Sophia really appreciate all you're doing. Love you."

"Love you too, Simone." She replies.

Me & Janet go back upstairs. It's 10:50 at night, and all that happened today had me tired. I take off my jewelry, lipstick, and change into my pajamas: sweatpants, and an old 'Bonjour' shirt.
I put my satin pillowcase on my pillow, and me & Janet exchange goodnight's. She turns off the light, and I snuggle under my covers. I guess Sophia is sleeping in Trinity's room tonight, so I close my eyes, resting.

And I go into a deep sleep, with my thoughts empty of my mom and Shawn.

••••

I wake up, and Janet is still sleep. I try to go back to sleep, but I'm wide awake.

I check my phone for any notifications, and there's one. A text message.
From Jamal.

I almost fall out of bed trying to unplug my phone from my charger. I quickly unlock my phone to see what Jamal texted me.

Jamal💓:
aye call me

I groan. We could have just texted than talking early in the morning. Then I think for a moment- it would have been a lot worse if he wanted to FaceTime, so I just call him.

"Hello?" Jamal says.
"Hey." I reply.
"Um," He starts.
"I was wondering if you wanted to walk around the neighborhood today.. I don't got no other plans, and-"
"Jamal, I don't have plans either. I'll walk around the neighborhood with you." I say.

"Coo. I'll text you around 12 then."
"Alright, see you later." I say, hanging up.
It's 7:55, so I'd start getting ready at 10.

And I hadn't thought about mom or Shawn once this morning.