MONEY IS THE MOTIVE

Chapter 8- Caretaker

"It feels so good in the moment but it's just a moment..."
_K.Michelle

Dimples.

"How auntie baby feeling?" I sat on the edge of Tiana's bed. "Do you feel like getting out of this dungeon today?"

She slowly sat up. Her hair was all over the place. She looked like a nightmare waiting to happen.

"I don't even care." She said leaning over to lay in my arms. I dug through my bag for a brush and a scrunchy.

I began to brush her hair into a ponytail. "We finna go get this head of yours tended to." I laughed.

"Have you been taking your meds?" I stood up and brushed her weave out of my lap.

"Yeah I been taking them." She mumbled. I knew she was still depressed and distressed.

It wasn't going to get better if she just sat cooped up in her room 24/7.

"How did you sleep last night?" I asked.

"I slept ok." She said getting up from her bed.

"Well you go ahead and get sexy, auntie gone be in the kitchen waiting."

I walked to the kitchen. Joc was sitting at the breakfast bar.

He was like Kema's son now and he was like my nephew. He had been staying here every since the big ordeal with Tiana.

His apartment was under renovation. "What you in here eating?" I asked brushing my hand over his shoulder.

"Bacon...." He said between chews.

"Why you want some?"

"Greedy ass." I said taking a seat beside him.

"How's Tiana? She aint came out of that room in two days."

"Still depressed." I answered.

He shook his head. "The doctor prescribed her some depressants but you know who her mama is."

"This is just gone make her stronger." I say. He nodded in agreement. Joc had this worried look on his face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Do I need to go get some depressants for you too?" I asked jokingly. "I'm good Dimples."

He laughed and pulled out a Newport. "Damn sure don't need no depressants."

He lit his cigarette and walked out to the patio. The twins was with my sister.

I had dropped them off earlier. Kema was gone with Meek to Canada on a business trip so I was house and baby sitting.

I disagreed with Kema hauling ass. Her daughter was in the middle of a depression.

I'm her auntie, I can only help to certain extincts. She really needed Kema.

I know the feeling of not having anyone. That's why I lathered Tiana and the Twins in much love as I could.

My mother and father is dead and my family shuns me because of my means of making money.

The last time I seen any of them besides my sister was at my mama's funeral 2 years ago.

I was called all types of hoes and sluts. Half of them doing the name calling lived in run down slave shacks. I giggled to myself. I wasn't ashamed of taking care of me and my babies.

Interrupting my train of thought, Tiana walked out of her room. She was wearing some worn out jeans and a tank top with no accessories.

"You look so naked." I dug through my bag for the new pair of gold earrings I had just bought.