SHATTERED GLASS: A Shattered Novel

Chapter One

Three Years Later

"Rabbit?"

Lowering my copy of Moby Dick, I looked over the rim of the book and got up from my spot on the couch. Hopping up on the counter, I plopped my butt right on top. "What's up?"

"What flavor cupcakes do ya' want, baby?" Smurf grinned.

I returned the smirk before I grinned widely back at her. I had grown to love her lopsided grins. In her eyes, I saw what a mother would show to her child. Before her, I hadn't seen that look in a long time. She had three boys: Pope, Craig, and Deran. Baz, however wasn't hers, just like me, but that didn't mean a damn thing. And Pope...well, he was gone and I missed him a lot. Three years is too damn long for my brother to be in jail. During the first few months I stayed with this family, he was the one I grew closest to in a hot minute. He got locked up and it put a damper on our relationship, but his jail stint surely didn't break it. It was during this time I got close to Baz.

They never made me feel like I wasn't a part of the family. In Smurf's eyes, I was her daughter. To the boys, I was their sister. Didn't matter that I wasn't white. I was bright enough to look it, but one could tell I was black. They didn't care about that shit. I was their family and they took care of me as such, even after I attempted to steal from them that night. We actually laugh about that shit now.

"Ummm...red velvet cupcakes. But...I want cream cheese frosting. Why do you even ask shit like this?" I raised my brow. "You already know what I'm going to say."

"Good question." she said, flatly. "Everyone knows you'd sell any one of us for red velvet anything."

"As long as I gots ma' cream cheese frosting." We made our cupcakes and I put them in the oven. I was about to suggest I help with dinner that she had already started, but Craig came in and picked me up over his shoulder.

"Geeeeet ready, everybody! It's Wabbit Season, baby!"

"It's duck season," Smurf playfully spat.

"More like Godzilla season. Jesus, Craig, did ya' grow three inches since last night?" I yelped and screamed for him to put him down, laughing in the process. "Can you, like, not make me vomit?" I slapped at his back and pinched his butt. I felt like the chick from King Kong going up the Empire State Building while being held in the palm of his hand.

Smurf's phone rang. "Hello?" We heard the one sided conversation and quieted down a little when Smurf shushed us... "J who? Josh? What's it been baby? Ten—no, it's been eleven years. How are you?" After a few moments, her face went white, then it went blank "Josh...listen to me..."

Craig put me down and we both listened. Well, I did, more than Craig. He grabbed two beers from the fridge and beckoned for me to join him. I nodded, but held up a finger indicating that I was gonna be a minute. I wanted to listen to who Smurf was talking to. Josh. I had heard of him. He was Julia's kid, I look on her face said something was wrong. I was too nosy to go outside with Craig now. "Ma? Is everything alright?" I asked as Craig handed me a beer.

She held up a finger like I did to Craig. I nodded, opening my beer. Craig pinched my side and I laughed, of course because I always did, and he left and went back outside.

"Oh Josh, sweetheart. Why don't you just go and pack up your things." Smurf said.

A few minutes later and after a bit more talking, she hung up the phone.