Zayn and Louis went to a hospital. Liam, Harry and Niall went to an orphanage. Marie-Elise and Bret helped in a school. And I, being only thirteen, stayed behind to do whatever the heck I wanted.
My choice was to converse with the boy I saw in our hut a few days back, the one who had the sick little sister.
The “village” wasn’t very big, I found him singing to his little sister as he rested under the shade of a giant tree.
“Hey!” I waved and sat next to him.
He smiled, “You are Bre-ana.”
I nodded, “I am. What’s your name?”
“Baako. I am first born.” he replied.
“Does your sister have a name?” I held the hand of his beautiful sister.
“No, we call her child. My parents sold as slaves, we haven’t seen them for many years.” he choked on the tears he held back as he talked to me.
“You should give her a name. She is your sister.” I shrugged.
“You name her. I like you.” he smiled.
“Her name should be Joy. She is such a pretty little girl.” I smiled.
“Do you like that name?” he asked her.
All we got was a weak smile.
He laughed, so full of peace, “That was her first smile!”
I laughed with him, “Alright!”
He sighed, “I wish someone would give her food.”
I narrowed my eyes, “Do you have a home, Baako?”
He shook his head, “No mam.”
I rubbed his back as a subtle wind blew through.
“I’m going to find you one.” I reassured.
He smiled again, it quickly faded, “Maybe. Sometimes I think that if I die, someone will pay attention to Joy.”
“No, Baako, I don’t want you to ever say that. I will get both of you attention. Listen to me,” I lifted his chin, locking his teary eyes with mine, “I care about you. Joy loves you. If you passed away, who would take care of her, and love her like you do?”
He nodded and hung his head, “I understand.”
I smiled, “Does Joy know how to walk?”
He pursed his lips in thought, “I don’t know, I never put her down.”
Taking Joy from him, I set her little feet on the ground and held her hands.
“Do you think she can?” he asked nervously.
“Cheer for her.” I replied.
As her brother cheered her on, Joy smiled and kicked her feet, taking little steps in the dirt.
“GO, JOY!!” I whooped.
Baako smiled and hugged her, “Good job, Joy.”
I kissed her cheek and smiled.
“We should give her a bath!” he smiled.
When you talked to him, he opened his mind to so many new things. On our way to the creek, Baako talked of Jesus, parents and African butterflies. Things he quite shunned in the past.
I set Joy in the warm water a scrubbed her clean.
Baako sat and smiled at the treatment his little sister was getting.
I wrapped her back in her pajamas and we sat underneath another tree.
“Do you want to come back to England with us? We could find you loving parents there.” I dried Joy’s frizzy hair, running a hand through it.
He smiled, turning his face to the morning sun, “I would love that.”
Joy began to sleep in my arms as she relaxed.
“How’s everything over here?” Bret popped out from behind a tree, shoving a slim camera into his back pocket.
“Just talking to Baako. He’s going to go back with us.” I smiled as Bret sat next to me.
“Quite the saint, you are.” he smirked.
“No, not as far. But,” I looked at Baako as he fell asleep, “I want him to have a home.”
Bret smiled and held my hand, taking Joy’s hand in the other.
“They’re an adorable pair. He’s only nine and he has to go through this.” I sighed, “It’s not fair.”
“Well what about what you went through? Equal? What makes this different?” he asked.
“You know, other than the caring for someone….I don’t think there is that much.” I replied with a frown.
“Answer this. Why do you want to help him?” he asked seriously.
“Because I wished someone would have saved me then.”
Bret smiled sincerely, “I should be the next Dr. Phil.”
“You’re a dork, Bret.” I chuckled.
“Let’s take these two back to the hut.” he lifted Baako and carried him ahead of me.
I smiled as sleeping Joy snored lightly.
_______________
Bret, the boys and I gathered in the hut that night, news spilling from the corners of the earth.
Baako, Joy and Marie-Elise slept soundly as the rest of us spoke.
“We were able to buy hundreds of vaccinations for the kids!” Zayn trilled.
“We played with over three-hundred kids today!” Niall cheered.
Liam smirked, “Harry had to change a diaper.”
Bret and I laughed.
Louis controlled his laughter, “What made you decide to take Baako to an English orphanage?”
“Why not?” I asked, “People visit them more than ones over here, there is cleaner, him and Joy can get everything they need there!”
Harry smiled, “That’s my girl.”
“By the way, not really but whatever, I planned for Bret, Marie-Elise and I to go hiking tomorrow. Is that okay?” I asked, crossing my fingers.
“Yeah, that’s fine.” Louis nodded.
Bret whooped.
“I want to play kickball.” Zayn smirked.
“LET’S GO!!” Liam snatched our ball as all of us ran out into the dark, African night.
The frogs, crickets and birds were louder than Dijon and Leister put together.
I was at base first, Bret hit the ball and I kicked it in the opposite direction.
Harry and Niall, all on my team, cheered for me to score.
I ran faster, dodging Louis and Liam as they tried to tag me with the ball, and slid onto home again.
“You have to be cheating!” Zayn whined.
I snatched the ball as we traded positions, “No sir, I’m not. You had to do something at the orphanage to keep you occupied!”
Harry laughed.
We continued this until the English Twats (Niall, Harry and I) had 50 to 3 against the London Lights (everyone else).
“I told you guys I was dangerous. But, NOOOOO, you didn’t listen to a girl!”
YOU ARE READING
Breana Tomlinson-Styles-Horan-Malik-Payne
FanfictionBreana was a girl all her own. Resistant, quiet, not afraid to voice her matter. Every single one of her fathers knew that. She was an orphan. The boys were absent in their old lives. Their sweet, funny, childlike lives. Simon, Uncle Simon had a pla...
