Love To Everyone

Their Lives

He stands on the corner, watching every little thing. The jittery feeling of someone watching him never fails. He looks around half expecting the police to show up and arrest him on the spot. They didn't come. He looks around and waits for his client to get there. Once they come the deal is done. He gets back in his car and shoves the money in his hoodie. He pulls in to the store and rushes inside. His nerves still shook, he grabs a bag of the cheapest diapers. He drives himself home and walks in his home and greets his 2 year old son.

"You are Daddy's love an I have done what I have to make sure you can have the best life for now," the little boy gurgles and smiles up at his father.

******

She moves her body to the music and walks down the built-in runway. She stops every once in a while to get money from each of the men that lean close and fawn over her body. In her mind, she gags every time the old men feel her up. The flashing lights and over done makeup makes her seem beautiful as she dances.

The night finally comes to an end. The makeup comes off and the woman on the stage isn't to be seen for the rest of the night. She packs up her things and heads to the store buying a dozen plastic flowers. She walks the rest of the way to the hospital and signs herself in. She walks into the elevator and presses the button with the number 12. She arrives and walks down the hallways until she gets to one room. She quietly opens the door and her eyes burn up at the sight of her weak mother laying on the hospital bed with a head wrap around her head to cover up the fact that she has no hair. She sets the flowers to the side and kisses her mom on the forehead. She sits on one of the chairs determined to be there when her mother wakes up.

******

"Get up you lazy ass," the drunk man says as he pulls the oldest sister by her hair and drags her to the floor. "I told you to get up." The girl screams at the top of her lungs and the younger one stays frozen on the bed. This wasn't any different from their daily routine. Get hit, get yelled at, go to school, and come back home to start it all over. The man lets go of the girls' hair and grabs her arm forcing her to stand up. He looks at her with hatred in his eyes.

"Worthless." He spits in her face and leaves her there at the door, crying and rubbing her head. The younger sister gets off the bed finally and comforts the older one.

"Don't cry tonight is the night we are leaving," she hugs her sister. It was their promise.