One Step At A Time

A Walk Through The City

*Long chapter ahead*

          In the city of Brooklyn, New York, lived this 22 year old, black female named Gabrielle Johnson. She is in her second year at Juilliard School. She is a dancer at heart and she enjoyed dancing as a kid, but lately she had to stop going to school to take care of her father. At the beginning of her second year, her father told her he was diagnosed with Dementia a long time ago and she couldn't pay for a nursing home, so she decided to rent out an open space that she found and start teaching some dance classes for anyone who wanted them at a reasonable price. Well I'll let her explain her story...

"Aye YO Ash!! I'm going to see my dad, I'll see you later boo," Gabrielle yelled out to Asher, who was in the bathroom putting on makeup.

"Ok babygirl I'll see ya, kiss pops for me will ya," She yelled back.

"Alright girl and you better stop calling me that," she chuckled while walking out the door, closing the door behind her.      

Asher James aka Aj aka Ash and also known to her family as Ashley, either way she is Gabrielle best friend, for about three years now. Asher wanted to move to the big city but was scared to live alone and was afraid the rent was going to be too much by herself, so she walked around and saw a paper that said "Looking for a roommate, Text this number for more information" and ever since then they are inseparable.

After about 45 minutes on the subway and a 20 minute walk she walked into her dad's house. "Oh Gabi you are here, he is doing good this morning, he forgot one thing today, he is getting better though," A middle aged woman who was hispanic started speaking to her when she walked in the house a little.

She place her bag on the couch," Thank you so much Mrs. Gracia, it really means a lot that you wait with him until I get here, let me give you some-" She already had her wallet out.

"No darling, it's ok, I know you need it for your own reason, it's alright, I'm happy to do it for you," she gave her a reassuring smile and hugged her and left.

She smiled and put her money back in her wallet and went and kissed her dad's forehead," Hey daddy, Mrs. Gracia said you are getting better," she was looking for a pot to make some noodles," And Ash said ''Hi!"

"Babygirl, who is Ash?"

She put water in the pot and put it on the stove, turned it on and then walked to her dad and showed him a picture of Asher in her phone," She is my best friend da, do you remember?"

"No baby, I'm sorry..."He looked at her, feeling like he did something wrong.

She looked at his face and smiled at him," Da, it's ok we will try again later, ok?" She hugged him and went back into the kitchen.

As she was cooking their noodles, she was holding back tears because she never thought she would get to this point where her dad would start forgetting things, especially very important things like her and her friends and the friends he has. She felt better because he did remember her mom and he always expressed how much he loved her and how she had her mother's smile and dance moves.

" Hey daddy, do you want your noodles in a bowl or a plate-" She turned around and he wasn't there, so she dropped everything and ran into the living room," Dad? Daddy?"

She saw the front door open and ran outside and bumped into this tall, slender man who is about 6'3 and he had a mask on and a black cap and he looked middle eastern. He had caught her before she fell," Are you ok, sweetheart?"

She looked up into his eyes and couldn't take her eyes off of them,"Um um no- I mean yes,"she became shy and looked away,"Umm I'm sorry I have to go," she grabbed his upper arm and got embarrassed and then looked him in the eye. They couldn't look away from each other until she heard a car horn and saw her dad about to walk into the street.