Keyla

Part 1 Ch. 1: My Story Begins

Hi! I'm Keyla, and I am 12 years old. This is more story, oh, you're probably wondering about my ears and tail, huh? Well sit down and enjoy. It all started when I was 5. I came home, and I was giving the following assignment. "Tell me about both your parents." I was nervous 'cause Mama doesn't talk about Papa, and when Grandma, tried telling me, she got really mad and told Grandma, not yet. I get home, and like clockwork, Mama comes in with a huge smile on her face, she gives me a huge hug, and a kiss. She helps me with my backpack laying it on the couch, she sees I played in the leaves at school again. She laughs, and takes out the leaves out of my hair. She says, she was busy at work today, talking about the manager she hated. Then she says, that she came home, and decided to make cookies, because the day is always better with cookies. Then she asks me how was school, and asks me if I have any homework. I say yes, but please don't get mad.

"Why, would I get mad, Baby?" she asks

"Cause the assignment, is about both parents, and you don't like talking about Papa, you even got mad at Grandma, when she talked about him." I say

She sighs, walks over to the couch, climbs into it, she opens her arms wide, I climb up into her lap.

"I just don't want her to tell you, but you're ready now, and I wanted to be the one to tell you." she says, "It was a long time ago, there was a handsome man. He fell for me, just as I did him. We got married, and he built us this beautiful house, and the well out back. He took care of me, while we awaited for our beautiful baby. One day I went to the hospital, and 12 hours later, you were born. Your dad said, he would be back with the taxi, later that day. He kissed my forehead, and yours, then he said 'Il mio bellissimo angelo e bel bambino.'" she said

"What does that mean? What happened next?" I asked

"Patience dear, it means my beautiful angel and my lovely child, in Italian. I use to love the sound of those word, she said, then she looked sad. "But then when I waited downstairs, outside for him with you in my arms, he didn't show. I waited and waited for two hours, before I got up, and walked the 20 miles back to our house. When I got there nothing was left of his everything was gone. I put you in your crib, and went looking around the house for him, until i saw a note, that read 'Il mio bellissimo angelo, I am sorry but I can't do this, I don't want to disappoint you, more then you are now, so I am leaving you, I don't know when or if I will be back. I love you now and forever. Bellissimo angelo. Take care, both you and our lovely child.'"

I lean up and I hug Mama, after hearing this. I hug her tightly, and I say.

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you, Baby." she says, hugging me back

After that I finish my homework, then it's time for supper. After supper, I draw some water, and take my bath. Then it's time for a quick story then off to bed. A year later, Grandpa calls, he says that Grandma has died, and The funeral will be in two days, and the will reading will be tomorrow. We go to the reading, and Mama leaves me with my cousins, saying this sort of thing aren't for children. She kisses my cheek., saying she will be right back. I know the drill, when it comes to my cousins, they are a lot richer, than I am, so they think I am their maid, also because they are almost 18, they think they are my boss They also treat me as a maid so instead of gaining their attention, I sit in a corner where Mama can see me, but they can't. One hour later all my aunts storm, out of the building, dragging my cousins, behind them. They glare at me, calling me a riffraff of a niece. It turns out that Mama, and Grandpa got everything. Mama accepted her half, but never touched it, she said she will save it for emergency use. A week later she picked me up after school, literally, she picked me up and spun me around, she said that she got a promotion at work today so we are going to have a Mama and Keyla day. We spun around, playing in the grass, until we got lectured, and shooed off, so we packed a picnic, and spent the rest of the day at the park.