Gemini Girlz

Mommas Girl

My whole life i waited for this woman to just show up and be present. I always wondered why she left me and what was it about me that made it so easy for me to get left. As i watched from my window the rain poured down and people were running to their cars. She promised to come see me today..I looked at the clock and it hit 6 . I shook my head and wiped the tears from my eyes . I lived in the projects with my Grandmother and lets just say wasn't nothing pretty about living in the projects but she made it work. While my grandmother worked long hours at the local hospital my Aunt Shelia watched me. She was 16 and just had her third child. We all lived under the same roof. Grandmother, Aunt Shelia, my cousins Hanif, Jada, Karima and me....Imani.. Today my grandmother was home and she was cooking something good up in the kitchen. It hit my nose and made my stomach growl...

"Imani..."My grandmother started off

"I know...she's not coming today."

"I made your favorite dinner. Beef stew ...."Grandmother smiled kissing my forehead.

"I'm not hungry."

"Aw come on girl...come on and eat. She's probably running late."My grandmothe smiled.

"Grandma....you know she's not coming . you don't have to butter me up."I said getting up and walking into the kitchen. Aunt Shelia was gone and so were the kids. Probably went to spend the night at her baby daddys house. My grandmother didn't want Lawrence , Aunt Shelia's baby daddy, in our house at all after he robbed the local convenient store two years ago. Grandmother always said he was no good and despised him. I was always one that liked to get to know people by myself but if Grandmother said he was a piece of shit than you better believe it because she loved almost everybody.

Around 8 the front door creaked open as i was watching tv. In stepped my mothe wearing a red dress, heels and her hair was in pin curls.

"Danita....."

"Momma...not now ...not now."

My grandmother grabbed my mother by her arm and pulled her into her bedroom.

I could hear my grandmother shouting at my mother and my mother crying.

"You have disappointed this girl for the last time...Stop promising her things if you ain't gonna follow through,"

"Mama ! this is my child. I got caught up at work. I am tired of you and Shelia dissing me. I'm taking her with me...I had enough of this. Imani get your stuff."My mother yelled walking out of the bedroom.

"You ain't taking that child anywhere."My grandmother said. Her hands were shaking and she was visibly angry.

"Imani Lashae Young. Go on in that room and pack your stuff up."My mother pointed

I got up and went to the bedroom and packed up my belongings into my suitcase.

"Where you gonna go Danita? Where she gonna sleep? Who gonna watch that child while you work?"My grandmother yelled

"Mama i got a place and if you guys weren't so busy talking about me and putting me down you would know i've had my own place for 6 months. Mama i love you but this is my baby. Ill raise her."

My grandmother wrapped her arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"If you ever need me you call me Imani and i'm coming. Mind your mama too."My grandmother said as she wiped away tears.

"I love you mom mom."I said hugging her.

"Imani lets go ... I got the car running."My mother said

I followed my mother down the hall towards the elevator. I was leaving the roach infested projects and the pissy ass hallways. I wondered what my mama's house looked like. We got in her car , a gray cheverolet malibu and drove away. The California sky was dark and full of stars. We made it to her home in Crenshaw. She lived in a nice sized blue house with a fence.A black truck sat in the driveway. We got of the car and walked in.

"Who lives here?"

"We live here. Me, you, and my friend Sandi."She said . When we walked in her house was nicely decorated and a white woman with long blonde hair sat on the couch.

"Well.. you mut be Imani."She smiled hugging me . She wore a blue outfit sorta like a stripper outfit but she smelled good.

"I'm gonna get her settled in bed then i'll be back down. Did Frank stop by?"My mama said to Sandi

"Yup he said he's tired of running around trying to find you and to call him."

"I'll call him when i ready. He ain't got nothing important to talk about."

We walked up the steps to a bedroom that was all pink and decorated just right for me. The bedroom was a 12 year old girls dream bedroom. The 90s Aesthetic girls bedroom.

"Wow ...this is awesome."I smiled

"This is what i've been working on. I know i haven't been the best parent but i promise things will be different for now on Imani."My mother said hugging me. I climbed into bed and laid down. I was looking forward to the changes and having my mother around full time.