love that binds me

chapter 6

when i woke up the next night my cousins in the tint were quite. The spot next to me was cool and ruined with blood stains. I gritted my teeth. He was hurt and somehow came to come comfort me.

i needed to find him today. To tell him that i atleast felt the same way. I needed Alec just as much as he needed me.

"Jojo!?" a little voice cried out. A small girl with a caramel complexion and hazel eyes ran into the tint. My nine year old sister Maggie.

what she was wearing didn't surprise me. she wanted to work and look like the big girls and she did. her curly black hair fell around her her still chubby childish face. She wore a dress that bore her whole back and arms. It was emerald green and showed just enough of what she didn't have.

"Maggie-" Tali warned never taking her eyes from her vanity.

"well someone's gotta tell her!" she pouted crossing her arms.

"tell me what?" i got out of bed.

"Maggie go back to your tent if Madame catches you here she'll whoop you." another one of my cousins argued.

"Tell. me. what?" i grabbed maggie's arm and made her face me.

i tried to imitate our older sister's cold stare.

"madame sold Alec this morning!" she blurted.

"she...what?" what she ssid didn't yet register. she didn't. she wouldn't.

"He's gone." she mumbled.

i felt oddly numb. like i expected it. no strangled scream, no tears, not even anger. i felt empty.

"he's gone." i repeated.

"Jothi come on, its going to be ok." Tali reasssured.

"i won't be." i replied numbly.

"maggie i think you should leave." she had to physically push her out.

the tent opened again but rather than it being madame it was my mother.

she wore a short black wig with a bang. showing a cleopatra resemblance. she wore a long gold, glitter dress with a slit up the thigh. equipped with a cigarette and my older sister under her arm.

Now Daphne was an exact replica. The light complexion, slim build, dark eyes, and thick hair.

"Hello girls." she came in and took a seat on the hot pink couch.

Daphne didn't speak at all as she sat on the arm of the couch beside our mother.

Tali and the twins ran to sit on the floor.

"Auntie!!" they greeted gleefully.

They actually looked up to my mother. Their own mothers either being sold or wanting nothing to do woth their lives.

my chest hurt to much to try and pretend i had such a great mother.

"you girls are so pretty! and look at those hips Bali!! you'll be a mother in no time!" my mom laughed.

"its tali auntie." she corrected.

"same difference." she waved her off.

"i wish. Babies are just so cute! Didn't one of the other girls just have a little girl?" she asked.

"yeah. sickly little thing. ugliest baby I've ever seen! madame did away with it. creamated it this morning i believe."

i shut my eyes blocking the image. That was horible. i felt sick. i clutched my stomach.

"matter of fact she wanted to do the same with little jojo." everyone laughed except Tali.

"She was the ugliest baby I've ever seen!" she cackled. "i had to convince her she may look like Daphne one day. Boy was i wrong! But look at her now! how gorgeous!" she praised.

"look at you two!" madame stormed in and my cousins and i scattered to the vanities.

"go on get on out!" she shooed them away. they reluctantly left.

i managed to get dressed before she told all four of us to follow her.