Dylan struggled with her way of life, having to hide who she was throughout her childhood. Her parents hid the fact she was intersex and told her not say a word. She grew up as a boy and when going through middle school she change her identity and s...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
After seeing Caleb's spam texting I decided to let him see the girls. I wasn't going to be alone though so I texted Kofi to tag along. Now I have to explain to the girls who the crazy man was at the park and that he's coming to our house.
"Girls, come sit with mommy," the girls get up from the floor they were playing at and sit on the couch. "Mommy has something to say."
"What?" Aniyah asks taking my hand.
"That guy that we saw the other day at the park. He's coming over to see you guys," I informed them.
"Why? Who is he," Aniyah questions.
"I don't like that," June says, shaking her head.
"I know what he did was scary but he's your dad. I want you to say hi to him, if you get scared or uncomfortable then I will be there."
"You be there the whole time?" Aniyah asks with worry on her face.
"Yes, along with Uncle Kofi," I see them smile when I mention him. Kofi is the best thing they have as a father figure. They don't see him as often as my sister and her boyfriend but they still have a closer bond.
"Let's get you guys cleaned up ok?" They nod and get up. I follow after them and run into the shower. A little while later I put them in blue jumpsuits that are shorts instead of pants. I go to the kitchen to prepare a snack for the girls. Half PB and J sandwiches, taking two slices of bread and cutting them in half. After placing peanut butter in two pieces and doing the same with the jelly, I put the slices together and then handed them to the girls.
Kofi knocks on the door and I get up to answer it. "Astrid, meme wo akye," (Translation: Astrid, good morning,"
"Yaa anua," I reply, opening the door more to let him in. (Translation: Saying it back, or you too)
He walks in and greets the girls. "Ɛte sεn, girls?" (Translation: How are you, girls?)
"Me ho yε," they both answer. The girls started speaking Twi when they were 2. They understood it younger but it's a hard language to speak. I don't say it often to them, but when friends are around they do. (Translation: I'm good)
I nervously clean the kitchen while Kofu plays with the girls. So many questions play in my head. I scrub the sink over and over again. Soap, scrub, rinse. Soap, scrub, rinse. Soap, scru-.
"Astrid?" Kofi stands behind me and grabs the sponge. My breathing shakes and I lean back onto him. He wraps his arms around my neck and silently sobs into them, not wanting to alert the girls. I turn to face his chest and wrap my arms around him.
"I just feel like a bad mom for keeping him away but..."
"You're not a bad mom. You did what you had to. Astrid, if you had stayed you'd be dead."
