A young Megan Pete loses her father and is left with her stepmother. Megan struggles to find love and when she think she has, it's not what you would expect.
I adjusted myself as Hazel squirmed in my lap. "Hazel, say, 'Cheese!' please, or you will stay home," I gritted.
Jill's eyes fell on me. "Baby, I don't think we should do this."
I sighed hard while sitting behind the camera. This was the third time we've tried to take family pictures this month with no luck. Hazel had some behavioral changes once she heard about what happened to Jill in detail from someone at school...Lord knows hearing about anyone's sexual assault is not for a child. Hazel was also diagnosed with autism a couple of months ago in the mitts of us preparing for trial. It's been challenging adjusting our parenting to fit Hazel's needs but we made sure that we did and stuck to it...even if that entailed talking Hazel out of that school; the twins were almost eleven now.
Hazel sprang from my lap to go sit in between Nella's legs on the ground. "They're fine; she's fine. C'mon Hazel, for Mama, smile for me." I said.
Nella seemed to be getting frustrated. "Ma, I don't think she wants to take these pictures right now." Nella thought about what to say next, leaning down to place her chin on Hazel's head. "Can you serve some face, Zel?"
"Face?! I can do that!"
Me not knowing what just happened, I looked up at Jill who had a white smile spreading from ear to ear. Whatever bond the twins had, I prayed they were able to keep it and I prayed Nella would protect her sister at any given time.
"Alright, good. Now, look at the camera and serve your model face that we practiced! Okay?"
"Okay!"
I quickly snapped a couple pictures before Hazel began to move in Nella's arms.
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The second official day of trial was stressing me; the thought of it was causing me to become irritable. I knew I had to calm myself and try to be in the right state of mind when I walked into that courtroom. My anxiety though, was creeping in strongly. Those anxious thoughts of Beyoncé getting off and coming back to hurt me once again were haunting me. My fingers began the tremble as I disassociated; my camera shook in my hands--my anxiety was unfortunately spreading through my body and I could'nt stop it.
Jill tapped my shoulder. "Baby?"
No response. "Jojo? Megan?"
"Mama, you alright?" Jett had walked towards me, it seemed the smile he had on his face vanished almost instantly.
"Jett, baby, get your Mama some water and take your sister's inside; we're about to get ready to leave for court, okay?" I heard Jill say as she squated in front of me, taking my hands into hers.
"Yes, Mama. Y'all c'mon; c'mon, Hazel."
Jill brought her hands up to my face to caress my cheeks. Her touch forced me out of dissociation, her touch brought me out of the clouds and water that my head had become in that moment. I took my eyes to hers, seeing that her brown face was beginning to turn red, the sunlight beeming on her brown skin.
