My Brother Keeper

Alanas Chapter

Deonte grabbed Alana's hand,

"Hey baby" He said as he picked her up. One of the babysitters were standing at the counter.

"Hello, Mr...?" He looked at her confused,

"Oh uh just call me Deonte." The beautiful brownness of her hair glew in the light and her eyes matched the shadowy color. Deonte's reaction was frozen. She reached her arm out to shake his hand. After being shocked he grabbed it and smiled. "Oh, quite a grip there." She said as they shared a laugh. Deonte stood in shock and continued his attention on the woman. "Uh.. how was she?"

"Oh she was great as always, we love having Alana here. May I ask, who are you? Dad?"

He looked at Alana, "No, uncle. Her moms, my sister, passed away a little after she was born and her daddy in jail so me and his sister be taking care of her."

She looked at him with a kind glance, "Oh you're Seneca's brother?." Deonte looked at Alana and smiled at her. His black hairs on his mustache went up and his hairline moved as his smile grew bigger. The black jacket on his back and red t-shirt made him pop out among the other parents.

"I'm not their biological brother but I feel like I should be shit. Seneca been my sister for a long time. I just love my family...", he looked back at Alana "...all of them". Deonte looked at the woman, "Would you like to join us outside?" The woman reached her hand out and grabbed Deontes hand. Her hand, which was tinier than his, still fit perfectly and the grip was held together by their fingertips. She looked at him and smiled. Her big, white teeth stretched her face wide.

"I would love that."

The wind hit their face as the door opened. Alana flew out the building to the wooden swing set that still had two swings, even though to usually have three.

"Uncle DD come push me ona swing" Alana said in slight baby talk. Deonte looked at the girl and they smiled at each other and made their way over to the swing.

"So uh, do you work?" Deonte picked up Alana and put her in the seat. Her legs dangled over the holes but soon rested inside both, cradling her bottom.

"Yea, I clean up trash at a garbage place down da street from me."

"My father has employees who do that. He owns garbage places in California. I haven't really seen him." Deonte started pushing the swing. Alana's heavy head swayed back and forth with every push.

"You miss him?" He asked politely. Her face grew long and her voice dragged.

"Yeah, well I mean, I see him on Christmas and like Thanksgiving. Not for a long time of course. He drinks a lot and showers us with gifts but, that's not what we want you know?" She put her head down and played with her fingernail.

"Higher DD! Higher!" Alana screamed.

"Her daddy's, daddy was an alcoholic too, dirty bastard. He abused Anthony and Seneca when they was young. He use to make Seneca walk around wearing dirty ass diapers and make him clean up everything." The look on Deontes face grew determined and hateful of the memories.

"Shit, Anthony had to raise him and Seneca." Alana grew more and more excited every time the swing went higher. The woman listened to Deonte in fascination. He continued, "I'm really proud of Seneca you know? Not many kids her age can do what she do. She take care of Alana and the family, she got a job, and she go to school." The woman looked at him in agreeance.

"My daddy always told me life's not about where you came from it is about what u make it." The young woman looked at him and went into her purse and pulled out a pink sticky note pad and a pen and wrote down her number. She looked back up at Deonte. "My name is Tashya Lee." She handed him the sticky note. "You can call me, anytime." They both laughed at her corny pun then, she looked at him with a warm smile. A car pulled up.

"Higher, higher" Alana yelled and cheered. The swing went back and forth and creaked as it moved. Her laughter filled the cold air and echoed thru the playground, which held about six other children.

3 loud bangs, then silence, then screams. Parents grabbed their kids and ran. Everything moved slow, and people swarmed in every direction. Before Deonte could realize what was happening, it was done. Alana's lifeless body hung off the swing and rested on top of the plastic bar holding her in. The swing rocked slowly now as her body rocked slower with it. Her pink coat, now covered in red patches. And the once happy little girl, gone.

Red and blue lights surrounded the blue and yellow playground. Deonte sat on the curb with his hands folded on his lap. Tashya sat next to him with her arm making circular motions on his back. An officer went to Deonte to ask him questions. They brought up that it could have been gang-related and asked if he knew anything about out. With a scared look in his eye and dying in his heart, he told the officers everything. Handcuffs were slapped onto his wrist. The screeching of the tightening ringed in the back of his head. The officers read him his rights and he was shoved into the back of the police car. As it began to pull off, he took one last look at Tashya's disappointed face.