His Only Daughter

Chapter 10

10 Years Later

Brianna POV

"Tyler, Jasmine, Khalia, come here". I called out to my children.

They came into the front room of our little apartment.

"Yes mama?", Tyler said.

"You guys have to go with this lady, okay?"

"But why mommy?", Jasmine asked with tears in her eyes.

"Mommy's sick, baby girl. I can't take care of you, Ty, or Lia."

The lady looked at me and tapped her watch, as if to tell me I was running out of time.

"But we don't want to go. We're fine here with you.", said Tyler as he held Lia, who was crying.

"I know you don't want to go. But you have to, okay? Ty, my baby boy, take care of your sisters, okay?"

He nodded his head.

"Okay mama."

I looked at my baby girls.

"Jas, Lia, y'all be good okay? Listen to your big brother."

They nodded.

"I love you all so much." I pulled my kids into a hug and their cries hurt my heart.

We let go and someone else came.in and led them out to the car. I looked at the lady who was still in here with me.

"They are going to New Orleans with my parents, right?"

"Yes they are."

"Please keep my babies safe and if you see their grandparents, please tell them that I'm sorry. I'm going to get better. I promise I will."

"I will. Take care of yourself."

She turned and left out and I broke down crying.

I just lost my kids for good. There is no way I will be able to regain custody.

My life has been a living hell these last 10 years. I started smoking weed shortly after having Tyler and then I turned to pills soon after having Jasmine. And after I had Khalia, the pills stopped working for me and I turned to heavier drugs.

I am living in a small one bedroom apartment in Atlanta.

My parents tried helping me but I ran away. I wasn't able to cope with the loss of Tyler Sr. I didn't want any help. And I know that I need help. I need it now more than ever. I need my kids in my life but that won't happen until I leave the relationship that I'm in and stop using the drugs. The drugs were only one of the reasons I lost my kids. I am also in a relationship with this guy. His name is Khalil and he is Khalia's father. He is abusive both verbally and physically. He uses drugs as well.

Speaking of him, here he comes now.

"Where them damn kids at?", he asked, looking around.

"They're gone."

"What the hell you mean they gone?", he yelled.

"DCFS came and took them this morning."

"And you just let them, huh? You a sorry ass excuse for a mother!"

"What was I supposed to do? I had no choice but to let them go. They are better off without us."

He turned and looked at me with a look that I knew all too well.

"They are better off without YOU! You were the toxic one in they life!"

"We're both toxic. Look at us! Look where we live. What we do! We are addicts. And we need help. I don't know about you, but I'm going to get help."