Night Before Dawn

1. The Cycle

"And my food better be hot too, bitch!"

The irate woman waved her arms in the air after dropping the big mac that my coworker Aniyah served her. I peeked from the kitchen into the seated area where she was throwing her fit. Calvin narrowed his eyes at me before mumbling

"She's always here causing problems like bitch this is McDonald's not the cheesecake factory."

I kept a straight face and went to make the sandwich before my coworker Aniyah started arguing back. Despite her recently being promoted to manager she still lacked professionalism but hey it is just a McDonalds.

I slid Aniyah the big mac before returning to the nuggets. Although customers like this came in quite frequently this was still a regular day, busier than usual but still average. I glanced at the clock and with only thirty minutes left to my shift I grabbed a paper towel to wipe the sweat that was gathering across my brown creased forehead. Calvin waltz around the kitchen fixing up the 10-piece nuggets and sliding them across to the runner. On a slow day Calvin would try to make advances towards me, everyone in the store did but that is not my focus. Working at McDonalds is truly like being in High School all over again. Not like I finished but still.

"Jamar, can you come to my office real quick? There's something we need to discuss."

Aniyah glanced at me before she seductively walked to the office making sure my eyes were on her while she poked her ass out down the aisle. Growing annoyed I knew what she was about to ask me, but I wasn't with that. Aniyah was a short black woman about 5'0 to be exact. She always wore bad leave outs and overall has the reputation of flirting with any young boy in that store. If I had to guess she probably was in her mid-thirties just by how she carried herself but like I said I'm not here for that shit, I'm here for my baby girl Brooklyn and my Nana. The rest of this shit is wack.

As I stepped inside the cramped office it was almost impossible to not tower over her. Her amber eyes pierced into my chocolate ones. She looked me up and down once again before her lips parted ways to ask me

"Jamar, someone just called and told me they'll be late, how would you feel about staying an extra thirty minutes."

She smirked before attempting to rub my gray shirt. I glared at her before flatly stating

"No, I won't be able to."

Her smile went away, and she rolled her eyes.

"Ok Jamar, thanks for at least considering." She spoke solemnly before collapsing into the office chair.

The atmosphere became stale, I was eager to leave. I quickly clocked out and grabbed my black puffer coat. Over the years it has grown thinner due to rips and tears within the coat, but I can't afford a new one at least not right now. Taking a step outside into the harsh raw air I shivered while pulling out my cracked XR looking up at the next bus that would take me to North Philly.

"6 minutes. Not too bad."

I paced back and forth to remain warm. Before I knew it my phone started vibrating in my pockets. I shakily pulled it out to get a glimpse at who was calling and as I figured it was Nia.

"Wassup-"

"Jamar don't do that, like everything is cool."

"Nia I ain't going to do this with you, what's wrong now?" I sighed before glancing back at the phone.

"I need money to pay for Brooklyn's daycare, my mom isn't willing to watch her anymore after she wrote on her walls."

I smiled to myself while thinking about my baby. She was always a little artist. I'm not sure who she gets it from me or her late Uncle Jamir. I still have the many drawings of Sonic that he used to give me when I would grow sad.

"Hello? Mari?" Nia interrupted my past reflection about my older brother.

"My fault I thought I saw the bus; how much do you need Nia?"

"They're saying they want $500 weekly, and I was thinking-"

"500? weekly? Nia, I work at Mcdonald's they don't even pay me $600 biweekly checks how the hell am I supposed to afford that? For all that we might as well let my Nana watch her, you know Brooke her baby."

"Jamar, your grandmother is in no shape to chase after a busy two-year-old, and besides, you would've had a better job if you pursued getting your GED no one told you to stop coming to school."  Although she was right, it still stung a bit. A moment of silence entered the call.

"Look Jamar, I'm going back to school to pursue Nursing. I want Brooklyn to grow up with everything she ever wants and I'm going to need to be sure that she'll be safe and well cared for. I know what I said was harsh and I know that you're trying but we got to figure something out."

"Ok Nia, I get paid tomorrow I'll send you what I can."

After the phone clicked the bus pulled up. As the door swung open, I was met with familiar eyes. It was the same dickhead I would always argue with about not having bus fare. He glared at me before just motioning me to the back of the bus. I nodded before warming myself up on the well-insulated bus.

Looking at the McDonald's that sat on this raggedy ass intersection it reminded me, this cannot be my life. I'm willing to do legit anything to put my Nana and Brooke in a better situation. Anything to get Nia to see eye to eye with me. I try so fucking hard. It is what is though. Glancing back at my cracked XR I wonder is this all my life will ever be. And if it is, I want the rope.