Choosing Peace

chapter 2.

"So you'll come with me?" I asked Omar over the phone. "Yes, we can go this weekend, Saturday" He told me. "Alright, I'll call you later." I hung up the phone.

After I finished my breakfast I got up to wash my dishes and tidy the kitchen. As I was washing dishes I heard, "Why is it so damn hot in here." I whipped my head around to a shirtless Ja and rushed to the thermostat so set it back to the original temperature. "Sorry, that was me" I said pulling my hoodie down. "You good" we walked in the kitchen where I was and made himself a bowl of cereal.

"So what was your name again?" He asked then stuffed a spoon full of cereal in his mouth. "Sunny" I said continuing the dishes. "The one to momma gave you." He said. "Amira" I told him. "I know your name isn't Ja" I glanced at him. "It ain't. Its Jace." I hummed and continued to clean up. Then I went upstairs and got dressed for the day.

By time I got back down stairs Ja was gone. I opened a few curtains and turned on the TV. Getting a small blanket, I laid on the couch and watched Lucifer.

Hours later...

"Why the fuck is it so dark in here?" I was woken up by a loud voice that rang through the house. "Shut the hell up" Ja said. I looked down to see him sitting and the other end of the couch. "You gon' wake her up" I started to sit up. "What y'all doing that got her tired at 4 in the afternoon." One of the guys said. It was 3 of them, 2 guys and a girl. "Nothing" I said rubbing my eyes. "Why you ain't say nothing Ja?" He looked up from his phone. "Ion gotta answer to you nigga" He mugged them.

I got up and folded the cover. "Y'all leave them alone" the girl walked in with a water bottle in her hand. "Y'all don't even know that girl." She walked towards me. "I'm Ivy." She shook my hand. "Sunny" I told her. I went upstairs to put on my shoes and grabbed my backpack, stuffed a small fleece blanket in there and dug deep in the closet to grab the box Momma Lei had gave me. Grabbing my phone and keychain I made my way to the door.

2 bus rides later and walking 3 blocks I was finally here. I'd power my phone off a block before I got here. Putting the box on the grass I laid out the small fleece and sat on it. There it was, Diane Carrie Sinn. "Hey mom." I stared at her headstone. "Momma Lei gave me a box" I sat it one my lap. "She said it was from you." I told her.

Using the key that was taped to the bottom, I opened the small lock. I took out a hospital bracelet, it was hers dated on my birthday. Turning over a paper with My baby written on the back of it, I saw my mom for the first time ever. I realized that all this time I wanted to see her but I was an exact copy. From the shoulder length locs to my smile. I wiped the tears off my face as I smiled at the photo.

Unfolding a peace of paper it wrote "Dear baby girl, if your reading this I'm gone. I've only spent a year with you and your amazing. I'm sorry I missed out on all the important things and will miss out on the ones in the future. I'm sorry I got sick and left you. I wish it wasn't like this. This life thing is hard but you got this. If you can't take it one day at a time then try one hour. I know you're gonna be amazing and never forget how much I love you. Love mommy" Tears ran down my cheeks faster than I could wipe them.

I pulled up another peace of photo it was my mom holding me in front of a house. I flipped the photo over to see if there was a note like that last picture. Lei, my best friend, is all the family I have you dad's mother lives at 578 Pine Street. Her name is Marie Rodgers, she is a wonderful woman, go meet her if you haven't.

After that photo I went through the many other that showed me what our lives were before my mother's passing. She wrote a note on each on of context behind the photos. For hours I sat there talking to my mom and thinking about how life would be so different if she was still here.

Meanwhile...
[3rd person pov]

"What y'all doing up in here?"  Ri asked as she walked in the front door. "We up in here chillin" Chunx told her from the couch. "Where Ja and nem?" She mentioned when she noticed the others weren't around. "Ja upstairs, Rex inna tub and shorty she left." Vinny explained to her. "She tell y'all where went?" She asked walking to her room. "Naw, she don't even know us like that." Ivy said to her.

A few hours later Amira was no where to be found even after Ri was blowing her phone up. She became worried, Amira usually would answer the phone and it never went to voicemail. 2 more hours went by and Amira walked through the front door. "Where have you been, Amira?" Ri questioned her as soon as she stepped in the door. "I went to go see my momma" Amira closed and locked the door. "You ain't answer the phone" Ri pointed out. "I turned it off" Amira made her way upstairs.

"Damn Ri get off her ass, let the girl live" V said from the kitchen. "Mind yo business, nigga." Ri hollered then headed back to the living room. Amira made her way back upstairs to take a shower before she decided to settle in for the night. She made it back to her room where she prepared for her nightly routine.

As Amira lotioned her legs there was a knock at her door. "Come in" she said and turned around as Ja walked in. "You need anything?" She asked him then continued to lotioned her body. "Nah, Ri was jus tripping out bout you leaving and ain't say anything." he explained to her stepping further into the room. "Yeah" He took her one word response as the queue to leave the room. After she finished getting ready for the night she went down stairs for food.

She walked in to everybody gathered around the table and she peaked to see that they were eating pizza. "May I get some?" She asked. "Yeah" Ja acknowledged her presence, taking no time to include her into the friendly feast. She set 2 pepperoni slices on her plate along with 3 wings and 4 celery sticks. She began to eat and after a few bites she realized she was thirsty and needed paper towels so she headed to the kitchen. Not knowing that Ja was behind her. "You good?" He asked her, she jumped not realizing that he was in the kitchen with her. "I'm fine." She told him, grabbing paper towels and a water bottle.

He eyed her for a moment, "You sure, cuz you ain't said nun since you got down here." he looked down at her analyzing her body movements. "Yes, I'm fine." She told him looking up at him emotionless face. Then she continued to walk back to her chair and eat as he followed behind her. Soon enough everyone else began questioning her about anything that came to mind. She wasn't bothered by it and simply answered their questions and laughed along with them. Ja sat quietly and watched everyone interact while an occasional laugh or comment. Amira wondered why he was so concerned about her being quiet when he seemed to be the only quiet person at the table.