Topside

1

Me and little are staring at the light that is shining down on us.
Both mine and her Afro glowing.
She lays down so I do the same.
We hear people talking and I pick my head up.
I look to see a man with a flash light looking around.

"It's okay bubba" I say rubbing my hand over her face.
We get up and walk to the ladder that connects with the topside waiting for our mom.
She looks up and stares at the door waiting for it to open.
It never did.
So I take her hand and begin to walk back to our home.

"Is mama gonna com back?" She asked looking up at me.
"Of course she is,she always does"
I say picking her up and swinging her around.
She giggle and I put her on my hip.
She lays her head on my shoulder and I reach our house.
Once we get inside I put her on the bed and give her the iPad.

I sit with her between my legs and watch the duck video with her.
When her iPad gets a low battery signal.
"Let's go charge your iPad little" I say lifting her up and taking her hand.
We walk outside with everybody and go find a charger.
She plugs her iPad in and we go to the big trash pile.

She digs through it a while and finds something.
"Look tori a butterfly!" She says lifting up this piece of jewelry.
"Wow that's so cool!" I say.
"Can we go back to the topside?" She says.
I look at my watch.
"Yeah momma should be home soon" I say taking her hand and walking to the latch.

She looks at it for a while then at the floor.
Suddenly it opens and our mom climbs through it.
Little smiles.
"Mama I have a star and I met a ladybug!" She says smiling.
She picks her up and hugs me.
"And I picked her up and I wanted to put her back in" little explains.

"Let's go back home okay?" She says as we head back to our home.

We get home and lay on our bed.
"Look at it mama" little says lifting the piece of jewelry.
"It got wings" little says.
"Is that what your wings look like?" She asks mom.
"A little bit yeah" she says.
We will hang it up okay?" She asks looking at all the other things on the ceiling.

"We can put it in a special spot" I say.
"Where?" She asks.
"Right there" she points.
Little giggles.
"Are you okay?" Mom asks.
"Mhm" little giggle as mom puts a kiss on her forehead.
She puts a kiss on my forehead to.
"Wanna go to Lollys?" She asked.
"Yeah" she says.

We got to lollys and mom talks to the people.
Me and little sit on the floor and color.
Mom is talking about the topside people wanting to kicks us out but I pay no mind to it.

"Why don't we use red next?" I say and give her the red crayon.
"I will watch them tomorrow I always watch them" Lolly says.

We leave and got to fill up a water bucket.
"Come on baby bring the light closer" mom smile as little giggles.
I help mom hold the bucket as little brings the light closer.
"What am I gonna do with you two" she smiles and shuffles my Afro.
She splashes water at little then at me.

Me and little laugh at the sudden act.
"How'd you get another loose tooth?" She asks little.
"I don't know" she says.
"What we're y'all eating?" She asks.
"What we're y'all eating that made your tooth loose?" She asked smiling.
"Cookies" little says.
"Who gave you a cookie?" She asked.
"Lolly" she said.
The water bucket fills up and mom Carry's it.

Little starts running.
"Little hey!" Mom says
"Get back here!" She says and little giggles.

We get back to the house and start getting ready for a bath.
Mom tickles little a little bit.
Hearing little laughter makes me smile.
Mom puts a tub on the floor.
"Mama check my wings" she says.
"Let me check" momma says
She sits down and looks at little back.
"They should be right abouttt here" she says checking.

"Almost not yet" she said looking up at little.
"I felt them today" she says.
She kisses her back.
"I think they're gonna be rainbow" she says.
Mom starts undressing little as she tells her about what she thinks her wings are gonna look like.
I sit there and wet a rag getting ready for littles cries.
"One or two wings?" She asks
"Two" little says.

"How are you gonna fly around with wings that big" she asks tickling little.
I start scrubbing littles legs as she talks with mom.
"Do you want me to wash your hair today Victoria?" Mom asks me and I nod my head yes.
"Okay after little bath I think we'll have enough water left" she said kissing my forehead.
"I love you tori" mom says.
"I love you to momma" I say smiling.
"I love tori to" little says.

"I love you to little" i say smiling.
"Give me your other foot" mom says scrubbing little.
"It's cold" she says frowning.
"It's okay" I say putting her head to my chest as mom scrubs.
She starts whimpering.
She starts scrubbing her back and I get her towel ready.
"Mama where are we going to fly to when I get my wings?" Little asks and looks at my mom who's cleaning up the water while I dry her.

"We are gonna go where ever you wanna go" she says.
I get little dressed and mom washes my hair.
"I wanna fly everywhere" she says.
I put her shirt on and mom finishes washing my hair.
I pick little up.
We go to the lollys house and I sit down with little on my lap.
I tone out what everyone's saying and play with little.

"What do you say?" Mom asks little.
"Thank you Lolly" she says and mom kisses her cheek.
"I love you baby" she says.
Little and me walk away as she looks in the bag.
We get inside the house and sit down.
Little starts singing.
So I started singing with her.
"Mama called the doctor and the doctor said no more monkeys jumping on the bed!" We both sang together.
Little giggled.

We were putting glitter gel on paper as mom walked in.
"Little Victoria you still awake?" She asked.
"How y'all doin?" She asked.
"Good" we both said.
"Wanna come outside with me?" She asked.
"Yeah" we both said.
Everybody's outside sitting around the fire talking smoking.
And littles in my lap sleeping.
I rub her back and close my eyes.

The chatter around us growing louder as it got colder.
Mom walked up to me.
"We're gonna go to bed now" she said smiling warmly at me.
"Okay" I said standing up putting little higher up on my waist.
I walk inside our house and lay little down on the bed.
I get in next to her as mom lays behind me.
I put my arms around little and mom puts her arms around me.

"Good night my babies" she said as I fell asleep"