Copyright © _jasthewriter aka xjasrenae 2020-2022 This is a work of fiction, the events/situations, that take place are fictional and came straight from my thoughts. I do not own the rights to any of the music/lyrics that I use, they are not mine but are available on public platforms. You may not copy or use my work and claim it as your own in any way.
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PROLOGUE
"Either take your ass out there and find a job or don't bring your ass back home after school!" The venom was heavy in Flora's, Nimue's oldest and only sister's voice.
The girls' parents were taken from the world just a year ago; a robbery at the local corner store went wrong and they were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Flora, being the oldest by seven years, took on the responsibilities of managing the household and money but things were not going as Nimue had hoped anymore.
"I'm fourteen! What do you mean I need to find a job? I can't even get my work permit unless I'm sixteen!" Nimue argued, following her upstairs.
"If I have to pick up the slack so do you, I let you grieve for an entire year, pick your face up and learn how to fucking hustle!"
"Hustleeee! We have money! This house should have been paid off! Why are we getting eviction notices?"
Glaring at her, Flora removed her bonnet and cut the television on while Nimue stood there tapping her foot impatiently waiting on her so-called responsible sister to reply.
This was new to her, maybe she was overreacting and being bratty, but she was 14; a teenager, she did not deserve that involuntary responsibility. They had it made, despite their parents' untimely demise, the house was grand, closets were always full, the fridge never empty, and they never had to ask because they always had it. Young Nimue understood her big sister's frustrations but she felt that she should not be held accountable. She was a teenager and wanted to live life as one, not grow up before she was supposed to, but it was clear Flora was about to change that.
"You got three days to find a fucking job or that's your ass," Flora sneered, bringing Nimue back to reality.
There it was, her nightmares came alive quicker than she expected.
Not giving her a fly second to reply, Flora stormed into the bathroom.
"I'm still in schoollll!" Nimue whined, hitting the wall.
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK! THREE DAYS!"
"I'm sorry Ms. Dowell, but we gave you an extension three days ago right after you asked for an extra three days before that. We haven't received a payment in two months, it's either now or never," the mortgage representative said to Nimue as she pleaded for him to give her a few more days to come up with the money for the house.
It has been eight long years since she has seen or heard from her sister. Flora put her out of their family home two nights after their argument, leaving Nimue to jump from different friends' houses until she found a decent shelter to stay at just to finish school.
That was the hardest time of her young life, but she managed, and she vowed to never talk to Flora again. She was doing well with that until Flora sent her a letter a few months ago telling her that she was going to put the house up for sale. Nimue volunteered to take it, thinking she could handle the bills during college with her refund checks and work-study money rolling in, but she wasn't aware that the money Flora was supposed to be putting towards the house and its upkeeping, was being used for her own benefit and purchased herself a home somewhere downtown in Decatur, Georgia.
Nimue was left with bills that were six years backed up while her sister was out living her best life. At only twenty-two, she was borderline homeless, a broke college graduate, with no job, and begging to not have her parents' home taken away. It was her last memory of them, and she could not fathom the thought of losing it.
"Ok... Ms. Dowell because of your circumstances and our history, I can give you four weeks to come up with at least... even if it's just eighty dollars to get things back on the road..."
"Oh, thank God! Thank you!" Nimue exhaled, fanning herself as she paced the living room.
"If you need help finding a job, I can transfer you to someone who can help with that," he suggested.
"I have a few interviews lined up, if I need extra help, I'll call you," she promised.
"Ok, enjoy your day... oh yeah, happy birthday."
"Thanks," Nimue smiled before hanging up the house phone.
Blowing out a breath, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and plopped down onto the soft couch. Today was indeed her birthday but she was in no way, shape, or form excited nor did she want to celebrate. Yes, she was grateful to be alive, but what did she really have to celebrate? Her sister turned her back on her and was down south living it up with God knows who. Nimue was trying to pick up the pieces while trying to put her own life together. It was hard to do but Lord knows she was trying.
They say that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, but she did not feel resilient or like a soldier whatsoever. She felt useless as if her entire life was some big comedy show and she was the butt of every joke. The water was off, but she knew how to turn the meter back on. The ac was broken, which made the already blazing summer hotter. Summer in Virginia was always unusual, but this time around it was uncalled for. It was bad enough all she had to eat was top ramen, cup noodles, sandwiches here and there, cereal, and one bag of buttermilk pancakes stashed in the freezer.
It was crazy how she went from eating fast food and takeout every day and night to having almost nothing at all. She was already considered petite for her height, weighing a solid 125 pounds, and stood 5'6. Her velvety caramel skin shimmered effortlessly in the sun and some often said that her complexion and beauty favored Meagan Good's or Drew Sidora's, but Nimue just gave praise to her mother for having good genes.
Most men considered her the typical pretty girl with a track star figure, but she owed her size to her lack of eating when she knew should have been, life had definitely humbled her quickly. She went to school to obtain her LPN license but couldn't pass her board exam. She failed by three questions and scored a sixty the second time, it was as if the devil was constantly on her back, preying on her downfall and there was nothing that she could do about it.
She was told to wait another 45 days to take the test again, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to. At the college she attended, she put herself in debt of over twenty thousand dollars. Her life was just a complete mess and seemed to just keep going downhill but she had faith God would bless her soon... at least she trusted he would.
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this is one of my babies that I published 2 years ago on Amazon. I've been debating for a while to release it on here for everyone, hopefully you guys enjoy this.
Nimue's name is pronounced (Ne•Moo•Ay)
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Secret Infidelity
ChickLit22-year-old Nimue Nyli Dowell was fresh out of college with little money to her name and left with a boatload of backed-up bills from her oldest sister Flora, who was twenty-nine going on twelve. Both ladies lost their parents over nine years ago, i...
