𝕋𝕠𝕩𝕚𝕔 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕤𝕪

Step One

Dave East
Los Angeles California

Today was our first group meeting we would be introducing ourselves and getting to know how the program works

"Hey my name is Maya"Some lady said I looked up seeing a small petite dark skin with a nice little shape she had curly hair and a tattoo on her arm that read Josie with butterflies around it

"Dave"I said giving her a nod she smiled at me

"Your my partner for the month"She said sitting down next to me smiling hard still

She too friendly

"Cool"I said not really caring for her presence I was just ready to talk to my babies and hurry this whole "healing process" up

"So you tell about yourself"She said burning a whole in my face

"My name is Dave I'm from Harlem I own a barber/tattoo and do music here and there"I said keeping it short

"Hmmm well my name is Maya I'm from Memphis and I do hair and nails along with taking care of my niece"She said

"Why you here at this place anyway"I asked

"My sister Josie got shot right in front of me and I would ignore the reality of it until last year when her daughter my niece Jaycee turned 3 everything hit me and I went through some deep shit my momma sent me here"She said playing with her fingers

"And you"She asked looking up at me

"Healing"I said in a duh tone

"Aren't we all but what you need help healing with"She asked

"Everything I've been through from losing my Pops then having my daughter with a crazy ass woman then finding out my moms has been diagnosed with cancer"I said mugging her

She just looked at me with a faded smile

We just sat in silence for a while until some other girl walked up

"I'll be back"I lied I was going to sit in the backyard until it was time for the group session
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"My name is Ruby I've been in the program 3 months and I checked myself in because I lost my baby and my husband in a car accident"She said playing with her fingers

"Take your time"Dr Martin said as he wrote on his piece a paper

How we suppose to heal and all these people still sad and been here for months

"While I was going through the grieving process I was making way too many mistakes and my pastor recommendsed this program so I checked myself in I've been doing better I'm coming to the realization it wasn't my fault"She said wiping a tear then sitting down

"Dave your next"Dr Jackson said smiling at me

"My name is Dave this my first time in this shit I checked myself in because I need to get right for my daughter"I said simply then sitting down

Dr Jackson looked at me with a stale face signaling for me to stand back up

"What do you have to get right for her exactly"Dr Martin asked looking at me

"My mental I get in moods where I disappear and ignore everybody including her I just live in the moment very recklessly"I said then sitting back down

"Well Dave was our closing and I want you guys to share some of your thoughts"Dr Jackson said

"I would like to comment on Tina's story my message to you is your a strong woman coming here after all you've been through and your a survivor can't nobody take that from you"Carlos said Tina was a Domestic Violence survivor she had 5 kids

"I would like to comment on Dave's story you were the only one out of the group who checked yourself in that's a very big step of healing"Maya said smiling at me

I gave her a nod

A few more people went until they announced what will be doing today

"So we have some new faces and some old faces but today you guys will be enjoying a day inside getting to know each other today we are doing video calls instead of phone calls so yall enjoy dinner is at 5 sharp"Dr Jackson said before walking out

I just sat back I debated on if I should wait until tonight or now to call them
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"Hey baby"I said to Kairi as she put her whole face in the camera blocking Ari

"Hey daddy where you went"She asked

"I'm on a small vacation I'll be home soon"I said giving her a light smile

"Tell him what we did today"Ari said in the background

"We went to see the princesses they was so prettyyyyy"She dragged making me chuckle

We talked a little longer until She gave Ari the phone

"How was your first day"She asked looking at the screen on and off

"Weird you know ion like folks''I said shaking my head

"Dont be being rude Dave"She said looking at the camera mugging me

"Heard you What you doing"I said licking my lips

"Looking at apartments and condos"She said flipping the camera

"You planning on moving"I asked scrunching my face

"Out of New York no but out of the gang house yes"She said putting the camera back on her

"I miss yall Cuhs I anit think it would hit me this bad"I said honestly

"We miss you too"She said giving me a smile

We talked until it was time for calls to be over
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"Anyone sitting here"Tina asked pointing to the seat next to me

"Nah you good"I said grabbing the mashed potatoes and put them on my plate

"Thank you"She said as I handed her the mashed potatoes

"Before we eat grace"Dr Martin called out

"Whose leading"Dr Jackson asked looking around

"Me"Tina said holding her hand out

I placed my hand in hers and my other in whoever the person was sitting next to me

"Dear lord we wanna thank you for this wonderful meal and the nourishment it will give to our body we ask you to keep the blessings going In jesus name Amen"She said and we released hands

"Amen"Everyone said in unison