BANDIT II

•8•

Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. - Maya Angelou, Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

Imer...

"Imani come on! You been in the bathroom for an hour!" I groan pacing the floor. I went out with my pop and uncles last night to drink, and I've been holding my urine since last night. When I woke up this morning, I got up to go but Imani beat me too it. And now she's taking forever. Out of everybody in the family, why did I get stuck with her as a roommate.

"I'm in the shower!" She sings.

"Yooooooo! I have to fucking piss!" I groan in anger, doing the pee pee dance. I could feel my bladder about to burst.

"Ha! You snooze you loose!" She teases. I hear someone knock on the door that connects the rooms, opening it. I see its my mom with a bikini and a sunhat and glasses. I guess everybody is going out to relax by the pool.

"Boy, why are you jumping around like a grasshopper?" My mom giggles.

"I gotta pee." I whine, pouring sweat.

"Imani taking forever in the bathroom again?" She questions dryly. I nod, squeezing my eyes tight as my pop laughs.

"Should of never drunk all they liquor last night knowing your ass can't handle it. You can-" I zoom right in the room, almost knocking my moms down. I enter the bathroom, sighing once I release.

"Aye, where your cover up at?" I hear my pop question.

"Jefe don't start!" My mom warns. I hear something clap, shaking my head.

"Ow! You so rough, your hand print is probably on my ass now. Asshole." My mom mumbles.

"You should respect daddy. I wouldn't have to punish your ass." He chuckles.

"Here we go with this daddy shit again." She chuckles.

"That's right. I start when I wanna start woman and I'll stop when I wanna stop. Now put that damn cover up for I beat you again." He chuckles causing my mom to laugh. Let me hurry up and get outta here. I'm already traumatized from when I walked in on them once. I've been knocking on the door ever since. I can't fraud though, I learned some shit that day. It made my first time experienced like a pro. The girl ain't know what was going on.

...

"Da da da da!" Raine giggles as she splashes in the pool. Zeus, Ramel, Jammie and I all laugh as she continued to splash. We're still on the cruise, waiting to arrive at the island by tomorrow. We're on the Carnival cruise, so it's plenty to do until then.

"Why your sister didn't wanna come with us?" If you didn't know or forgot, Ramel has a sister that's two years younger than him, making her the same age as Imani and I. Ramel told us when Uncle Connor and his mom got the divorce, Aunt Fallon took Robyn right with her. I mean she was pregnant at the time, but after giving birth she wouldn't even let Robyn meet us. And once she grew up, we were complete strangers. Still are.

"I don't even know why you asked that question. We're strangers. I try to reach out to her but I swear my mom brain washed her like we're bad people or something." Ramel shrugs. I nod in understanding and Raine begins to whine.