"This is what she had become."
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Cleopatra Banks' last week in the small town of New Chelsea is nothing like she would have imagined it, but nothing could have prepared her for the stinging betrayal she's faced with and suddenly the prospect of...
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"Cleo, what are you doing?" Ruby's tiny voice questions me at the entrance of my closet.
Another small voice giggles from behind her.
Like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, I look up from the corner of my closet, wiping a stray tear as I shut the photo album closed. I also try my best to discard of all the chocolate wrappers but Ruby and her little friend have already noticed this and they come bounding up to me.
The other little girl, with dark skin and corn rows smiles at me with a few missing front teeth and her hands behind her back as she stands in front of me.
I look at Ruby who's come to stand beside me.
"Ruby, who's this?" I ask, smiling politely at the other little girl.
Ruby beams at me. "This is my friend Cleo, her name is Hazel. Hazel, this is my sister Cleo," Ruby turns to her friend, standing tall and proud but then she whispers in a voice clear enough for me to hear "Don't mind her, she does crazy things like this all the time," she says and little Hazel giggles.
"Cleo, can we have some chocolate too?" Hazel speaks up. Judging by all the missing teeth I can tell she's already an addict but that doesn't stop me from handing one small chocolate bar to each of them.
"Don't tell mom okay?" I look at Ruby and she smiles at me. "She says she needs your help, that's why she sent us here," Ruby informs me. Hazel is too busy devouring the chocolate in her hand to say anything but she does manage to nod her head in agreement.
"With what?" I ask, leaning in closer to her. "With the party. She thought you were still sleeping but it's hectic busy outside so she said I should come get you now," Ruby says before taking Hazel's free hand in hers. "Come on Hazel, let's go," Ruby commands and the two run out of my closet, leaving no further information.
Party? What party? Did I forget someone's birthday again?
Curious as to what's going on outside, I get out of my bathrobe and put on the oversized shirt from the box and a pair of jeans. I spot an old worn out pair of flip flops and slip into them then rush out of my room, making a mental note to come back to the box once I'm available again.
Pandemonium must be the theme of this party because that's all I find when I get to our backyard.
Little children who look between the ages of five and eight are running around, playing, screaming, pulling on each other's hair and a few adults are trying to calm them down. I notice one little boy jumping into the pool before an adult goes diving in to rescue the child who comes out of the pool laughing.
I manage to spot mom on the far side of the backyard leaning over a grill, flipping over some burger patties and a glass of something nearby on a stool. Another woman is helping her out and also sipping on the same colored stuff.
