My hands caressed the sides of my rough mattress as I slowly lifted my head, awaken by the sun shining in my eyes. I looked around my jagged room, clothes from the day before still laying across the floor. My favorite maroon curtains with small rips on them. It wasn't much but it was where I could rest my head after a long day. I quickly shot up as I heard pounding footsteps approaching my room, I jumped as my bedroom door shot open to reveal Kaiden, my brother.
"What are you doing still in bed?" He barked as he pushed my door open further.
"I just woke up."
"Well come on! We have to get down to the shop. Dad is waiting for us to come open up and stock. Let's go!" He ordered as I quickly scrambled onto my feet. He slammed my door and his heavy footsteps continued to pound the floor, getting softer and softer as he walked further away and into my mothers room. I could hear the faint mumbling of Kaiden and my mother engaging in conversation, I walked slowly over to the left side of my room and put my head up against the cold white wall, trying to listen to what they were saying.
"We're about to go open the shop ma'." He reassured.
"Okay." She replied effortlessly. My face dulled as I could hear the pain in my mother's voice. The pain that quenched my heart, that made it ache. The aching was my motivation to be the best I could be for my mom; to carry on what she and my dad started.
I dove into the pile of clothing that sat in the corner of my room, hunting for my rags of the day. Something clean but comfortable, nothing special. I grabbed my brown Lacey bodice and a long straggly skirt that went past my feet, as I slipped on a cream colored long sleeved shirt; I could feel the soft fabric of it rubbing against my tender skin. The soft fabric sent chills down my spine and reminded me of my mom. Her smell was embedded in my shirt. A soft but sweet cinnamon smell that was gentle on the nose, a loving motherly smell. It was my favorite shirt because my mom had made it. Before she got ill and wasn't bed ridden for most of her days. The shirt reminded me of how she used to hug me before she was weak. It reminded me of how she crafted it especially for me, with warm ness and love.
I glided over to my dresser and looked in the mirror to see the black nest sitting on my head. I grabbed my brush and began stroking each strand of hair as I looked in the mirror. The image of a young woman staring back at me, although she was covered in stitched fabric; she made the best of it and that's all she could ever do. As I tied my hair into a low ponytail, I smiled at that young woman once more and proceeded to carry on with my day.
"You ready?" Kaiden called prodigiously from the living room.
"Yes." I whispered as I took one more glance before exiting my room. I hurriedly scurried down the hall but as I made my way down, I stopped in the door way and peered in to see my mother lying in bed. The light leaving a beam across her face from the curtains that had hardly been opened to barely filled the darkened room. She laid there, her short black her pushed gently behind her ears.
"I'll see you later, mama." I yelled cheerfully.
A small smog smile stretched across her face as she just barely lifted her head up.
"Bye baby." She responded in low sickly voice. I gave her one last loving smile as I flew away and into the living room, finally heading out with Kaiden by my side.
Stepping out into the world, the hot heat of the atmosphere smacked me dead in my face. The wind lightly blew the heat into my pores, causing me to sweat immediately. Following the dusty trail from the porch to the road, Kaiden and I trotted down past the wooden homes of our neighbors who stood outside either watering their garden or scolding their children for rolling around in the dirt playfully, their shirts and trousers or skirts and blouses now blending in with the earths ground. It takes me back my days as a kid. When my mother would chase me across the field as I ran away from not wanting her to brush my hair and put it in two braided pigtails. My brother and I hiding behind trees and bushes as our father pretended to be a monster on his way to claim us as his "lunch". The smell of gumbo cooking in the afternoons, and eggs with bacon in the morning. The Crunchy and sweetened taste of chicken and mashed potatoes we had every Sunday dinner after we returned from church. Those were the times I wish we could have back. The times I'd risk anything to have those sweet moments again. We continued passing the buildings of businesses that were just now starting to open up as we were on our way to the old deli shop.
"Hey Ms.Jean!" Kaiden called.
Ms. Jean threw her hand up in excitement as she waved at us. I gave a quick side smile.
I pushed the heavy glass doors open as I entered the shop, the smell of processed lunch meats and freshly baked bread filled my nose.
"Morning daddy." I cooed as I walked over to the counter and began fidgeting with the flower pot.
"Morning Leah. You sleep alright?" He asked concerned as he stepped out of the kitchen, carrying the sweet smelling bread on tray and sitting it on the far left side of the room on top on the glass counters that housed our display of sandwiches.
"I slept fine. Just fine, daddy." I responded as I adjusted the roses that sat in the porcelain pot.
"She almost overslept." Kaiden joined in.
"Shut up."
"You shut up."
"Are we seriously doing this right now? Haha." My father chuckled as he stroked his salt and pepper beard. His yellowed eyes narrowed down at me and Kaiden.
"I remember when y'all use to do that as kids."
"We have good and bad times, right sis?" Kaiden smirked.
"I can think of a pretty good time we had." I said as I raised an eyebrow and looked over at my brother.
"What?"
"That time we all laughed at you for peeing in the bed! Haha!"
"Oh shut up Leah, that was one time! I was a kid!" He yelled as he playfully punched me in my right shoulder.
"Leah, instead of messing with Kaiden, why don't you go over to Mrs.Falcons meat shop and pick up some more meat please? We're running pretty low and the prince of Allaya is having a ball tonight to celebrate his 20th birthday and a couple of his soldiers are coming by to pick up the order." Dad asked as he cut the bread in thick three inch slices.
"Yes daddy. I'll be right back!" I yelled as I grabbed the beige picnic basket from the counter and headed out the door.
"I'll be back!" I called out.
