The Princess of Empire

1

"You have Leukemia and we need to find you a bone marrow donor. It usually can be a family member or-"

"I don't have a family, sir. I was raised by a stranger and now I am most likely going to die. Thank you for doing your job, but I am just going to leave now." I tell him.

"Litany, we can still find you a donor."

"Do whatever you want." I huff. He nods his head and leads the room.

When I get home Judy, the woman that raised me, is pacing back and forth. "Why did you leave the hospital?" She demands.

"Look I don't want to be stuck in there like some sick patient."

"You are sick and the doctor can help you, Litany." She claims.

"I know you care and everything, but please don't push this. I will do the treatments, but I won't live there." I demand as I walk over to my room.

I sit on my bed and put my face in my hands. I am just months away from being eighteen. I should be focused on college not this bullshit diagnosis. I start to sob. What if they didn't find a match and I was forced to be this hopeless patient stuck dying in the hospital. I didn't want to go out like that.

I go downstairs and stare at Judy. "Where are my parents?" I demand.

"There is no need to get into this right now." She says.

"I want to meet them. I am dying."

"If they wanted anything to do with you then they would have made an effort to come and see you, but they haven't." She demands.

"They send money. I know that."

"Did Rhea tell you that?" She raises an eyebrow.

"No I have eyes and ears. I seen the bags of money in your room and the little cards that say for my daughter."

"You shouldn't be in grown folks business." She demands.

"Judy, please stop doing that shit. You have been keeping their identity a secret for seventeen years and I am sick of it. Just tell me who they are."

"The money comes from Lucious Lyon." She says.

"I am serious, Judy. I need to at least meet them before I die."

"Litany, I am serious baby." She sighs and grabs some paper out of the hall closet. She hands it to me and my eyes widen at the sight of it.

"Lucious Lyon and Loretha Lyon." I read. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't they keep me? They have three sons and a bunch of money."

"Sit down and let me explain." She says.

I sit down and stare at my birth certificate. I was always told I didn't have one and I never even knew my last name was legally Lyon. I used Judy's last name and went by Fox.

"Your mother was just a few weeks pregnant when she went away to prison. She had you in there and then your father took you home with him. He didn't have any money or anything at the time. He had three sons and he had no idea how to raise a little girl. He asked me for help, so I did and one day he said he just couldn't do it anymore."

"What about my mom?"

"There was a car accident when you were about three months old. Lucious told Cookie you died in that accident."

"You never thought to tell her the truth?" I wonder.

"I didn't want you to leave. I wanted you to be my daughter because I know you and Rhea are all I have. I can't have any kids of my own."

"That sounds pretty selfish to me."

"Please understand baby. I am old."

"Yeah, whatever." I huff as I go back up to my room.