Locust Lane

Chapter 6

{Saraji Carson}

My first week at my job was interesting. I might be able to get the hang of it. If I can't figure it out within two more weeks, I'm going to talk to my dad about finding a new job. I'm sure that isn't the only job that I can get.

Instead of staying cooped up in my room all day, I came out my room. I didn't want to ruin my mother's birthday, but I also didn't want her to think that I was avoiding her.

"Come to Grammy, Sweet Pea!"

I walked into the living room to see mama sitting on the ground. Dominique's little cute self was doing her best to take small steps towards her. She had the cutest smile on her face until she stumbled a bit. She then sat on the floor and started whining. My baby literally just turned seven months yet she can walk a little bit. Not only that, she's trying to grow some teeth in. I think babies usually start doing these things around the eight month mark. I'm not too sure though.

"Aww, come on Sweet Pea. You can't just give up when something seems difficult. You have to keep on trying." Mama got up and went over to her. She wiped her tears then stood her up. "You probably have no clue what I'm saying to you right now. Let me say this though: if I gave up when the going got really tough, I would be dead right now. We wouldn't have this moment right now."

A tear came out of Mama's eye as she started at Domo. She was probably soaking in everything she told her.

She wiped her own tear then she grabbed Domo's hands and encouraged her to walk more.

Not wanting to break up their bonding session, I went into the kitchen. Right when I did, I saw dad coming in wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday.

"Saraji?" He looked a little nervous but he played it off by smiling. "You finally came out of your room? Got bored, didn't you?"

I sat the jewelry box that I had in my hand on the island before sitting down.

"Dad, where have you been?"

He came over and leaned on the island before snooping in the jewelry box.

"You still have this?" He smiled as he pulled out my gold diamond necklace that mom gave me.

She first gave it to me when I was a child, but over the years she had to buy me a longer chain for the pendant. The heart shaped pendant has a smaller heart towards the bottom of it to represent both of our hearts. On the inside of the heart it has our names and it says 'best friends forever'. She has one exactly like it.

"Yeah, but that's why I have it on this box. This is my birthday present to her. She told me I don't deserve to call her mama, so I figure she would want this back. I just got it fixed not too long ago. I wore it every single day that I was away. I even wore it when I gave birth to my daughter. They didn't want me to have it on but I refused to take it off."

He attempted to put it around my neck, but I leaned back and put my hand in front of me.

"Jiji don't be like that. You know she still loves you. And I know you still love her. Do you not realize how honored she would be to know that you care about that necklace that much?"

Love isn't always enough to make a relationship work. I don't think she loves me anymore anyway. If she loved me so much, why would she slap me and treat me like I'm worthless? At this point I really don't even want to live here anymore, but I feel more safe being here. Especially since I keep getting threatening messages from Jason.

"Whatever. She's stuck on the past. I wasn't here then, but now I've tried to make things right. That's why I brought y'alls granddaughter to meet you. She deserves to grow up with the love I grew up with. Even though that fact is true, though, I feel like leaving again."