Growing Up

Prolouge

     I have only one word to describe how fast stuff has went...wow! It's already been three years since Juliana was born, and I just cannot believe it! Juli's birthday is a little odd timed so she's about 2 and a half at the moment, but like she did when she was a baby, Juli'll grow like a weed in no time. I can count on that. It's shocking how big she's gotten, it feels like yesterday she was keeping me up all night when she was a few months old. I'm 19 now so it's all on me, no parents to help anymore. The very little they actually did helped tons but now that I'm older I can do it myself.

I graduated high school about a year ago, surprisingly not many people gave me trouble for the rest of my school career except for a stupid Soc once in a while. Some time ago the high school decided to attach a daycare for anyone who needs it, it's basically a preschool that will watch the kids when school hours are over and starts an hour before the school itself does. It's great actually, Pony's going to graduate right after Juli turns 3 so when I'm at work there's someone to check up on her. He'll probably have to do so when he's out of school but he won't stand out like anyone else in the gang would since he's only 17, that's one of the perks of being the youngest for sure.

     When I said it's all going good, I left out a few parts. Juliana understands what I'm talking about sometimes so I need to be careful around her. It's about our parents and the things they want to do. They're trying to start more drama and I'm not liking it one bit.

     Word says that they're planning on taking Juli from me and selling her for "stuff" some say. It just can't wrap my head around it all! SELLING A TODLER FOR MOST-LIKELY DRUGS! Who does that?! The employees at the daycare know thankfully, they're only allowed to let me or anyone in the gang to take her unless I say so via note or phone. They all know them very well so it's not too difficult, and Pony checks up on her and also talks to the employees to see if Ma and Dad came and tried to take her. Everyone tells me not to worry too much, but how can I not? With everything they did to me when I was younger, I can't help but get paranoid about it all.

     Nothing has happened so far, but life always seems to throw curve balls at the Cade's, usually at the worst timing, too. The car finally works, thanks to Steve and his skills. So I don't need to worry too much about walking everywhere like before, it definitely helps the "not getting jumped" part of it.

     It's all going good so far, I just hope it stays good, Juli deserves the best life she can get. She doesn't need all of this drama with Ma and Dad in her life like it was mine. It's sad to know that eventually I'll have to explain it to her, and I know she won't like it. Even now it hurts when she asks me stuff like "Johnny when awe we gonna see Mama and Dad again?" And I have to lie to her and say "Soon Juli, soon." It hurts to lie to her, but she's too young to understand. When she's old enough I'll tell her, but not anytime soon. If the situation gets bad enough I might but for now that's not the case scenario. She only knows the main things like they're bad people and to never trust them no matter what, but that's it, for now at least. She knows the whole stranger danger thing and not to go with anyone who says they've got candy, and if they grab her she knows where to kick them and to scream her head off.

I'm just worried that one day it'll actually happen, and I won't be there or she can't get away. It's always been a fear of mine ever since Juli could crawl, but hopefully that fear never gets proven. I guess that's what happens when you raise you kid sister.