Transcendence

1: That Girl

 A girl sat in a chair bruised and thin. She scooped food up with shaky fingers and stuffed her mouth full, eyes voraciously searching for more.

"Shaundra." A voice called out into the room. The girl disregard what was said and shoved all she could into her mouth, barely swallowing.

"Not another one."

"Look at her. Poor thing. She must have been starved for days."

"Where did you find her?" There was silence.

"Did you bring her in here from outside?" More silence. Then,

"Slow down honey. The table ain't going anywhere." At that, finally the girl looked up to meet the woman's eyes. Wild almost feral into calm but sad.

"Shaundra,"

"She's staying here."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"This is my house."

"It is our house. I pay half the bills and keep my share. Last time I checked that ring on my finger gave me equal amount of say." There was quiet.

"Look at her Kendrick. We can't let her go back out there." A long heavy sigh.

"Fine. She'll sleep in our guest room. But only after she's clean."

"But of course."

*****

That girl had showered and slept on a bed that felt like clouds. She had watched all the dirt melt off of her body and turn the water a rich dark color. She had sat still as fingers gently combed through her water softened matts and naps and when the comb ran through smooth, the fingers plaited her hair. She fell into the pillows and smelled the soft clean scent of freshly washed laundry. All the while stroking her belly. All the while eying the window, wondering. Fearing. Thinking it all was too good to be true and soon he would come through the door and pull her back out into the cold dark world. But he never came. 

One night turned into two. Two turned into four. Four into a month. Soon, she had been slowly accepted into the family of people who had kindly given her a bed and bath and plenty of food. That girl had gone through so much and met so many people. Traveled the world. Fell in love. That girl had had her heart broken brutally. And now... now that girl had grown up into a woman.

*****

"Next stop: Bronx." Fingers tightly held the handle as the train came to a stop. Letting go, she stepped into the open air and sighed. It was spring time and the birds chirped happily. All around her was green. Vitality and life, rebirth and regrowth. She had been the color of blue for so long but finally, she felt as if she too could be the color of green. In the midst of her thoughts, her phone rang. Plucking it out of her purse, she answered.

"Nug?" She sucked her teeth. Her brother.

"What's up?"

"We still on for dinner with Moms later on tonight?"

"Yeah not unless anything changed."

"Nah. Just wanted to make sure we were still on. You know how you be gettin busy randomly." She chuckled.

"Yeah, thank my boss for that."

"How is that dude anyway? Still tryna get with you?"

"As ever."

"Do you need me to come up there and talk to him?" She laughed.

"Hold your horses. I'm good." Tre snorted.