Don't You Worry

Chapter 2

"Jazmine wake up baby. You promised to help out at the soup kitchen." Jazmine felt a hand on her arms shaking her gently. Her eyes shot open, and she was relieved to find her mother.

Jazmine earned a worried look from her mom.

"You had a bad dream?" Her mother Trina asked.

"Um, Yeah... And I'm just tired." Jazmine lied hoping her mom wouldn't see right through her.

"Aww I know, but you promised Lavern you would help at the soup kitchen, You can't just up and quit last minute." Her mother said.

"I know... I'm getting up." Jazmine said climbing out of bed, and heading to the bathroom.

She completed her morning routine opting out of looking into he mirror. Seeing herself made her feel ashamed, and the whole situation just felt like a dream. If she didn't look in the mirror, it would stay that way. 

It was easy to pretend everything was fine, when she didn't have to see the broken, fragile girl she had been reduced to. Finishing up in the bathroom she put on a long sleeved shirt, jeans and cardigan, and slipped on a pair of sneakers for comfort. Usually she would dress up, making sure she looked, and smelled nice.

She felt good when she dressed her best, and allowed her clothes to express her daily aesthetic. But she couldn't muster up the passion to dress up.

'Was that just how things were now?'

If so she didn't like it. But she didn't bother to change out of her simple clothing, and instead went down stairs for breakfast. Her mother had cooked up a delicious breakfast of toast, pancakes, and eggs.

The delicious smell filled her nose, and her eyes said yes. Yet her stomach felt sick at the thought of actually taking a bite of any food.

'Great! I don't have an appetite either.' She thought sarcastically.

"Bye Mom." Jazmine said fixing the bag on her shoulder.

"You not gonna eat?" Her mother asked.

"Nah. I'm not hungry. Probably gonna wait till later or something." Jazmine responded.

Her mom raised her eyebrows giving her a curious look.

"And whats going on with you miss thang? You normally ready to eat me out of house, and home." Trina playfully teased her daughter, though her slight worries were present in her words.

Jazmine could tell her mother was just joking around, and being worried. Yet she couldn't help the panic of her mom finding out the truth. Finding out she was touched sexually without permission.

She was soiled. 

'What if she hates me? What if she doesn't believe me?' 

"Nothing I'm really just tired, and not in the mood to eat." Jazmine responded trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

"Uh huh. Well I guess I'll put some food away for later, Cause I don't know what your friends do, but we don't waist food in this house." Jazmine's mother insisted, finishing up with the last pancake.

"Ok I'll just eat it later. Love you." She said hugging her mother tight.

She didn't want to make her worried, but when her mother wrapped her arms around her in a loving embrace, giving her a kiss on the forehead, she felt a bit safe. She pulled away adjusting her bag again. 

"Bye baby be safe." Trina said making Jazmines throat knot.

"Bye momma." She rushed out leaving out the front door.

If she stayed any longer she would break down in front of her mother, and she didn't want that to happen. The bus was crowded when Jazmine climbed aboard. She clenched her fist taking her chances at sitting next to a older woman who appeared blind, with a white cane resting in against her. 

The woman had a weird herbal smell, and a necklace with a bird pendant. She was a beautiful woman, with wrinkles settling in on her face, and a few grey hairs growing in her wavy locks. The woman seemed nice enough, but Jazmine couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. 

Jazmine looked out the window, to distract herself, and when she spotted her stop she pressed the button to get off at her stop. The women next to her stood up aswell when the bus stopped, but she struggled making it through the crowd of people. 

Jazmine watched the woman struggle a little bit, and bit her lip. She wanted to help, but this anxiety that wasn't normally there told her to mind her business. Her head filled with a bunch of scenarios, all with bad endings.

But she couldn't hold back, her kindness getting the best of her. 

"You need help ma'am? She asked nervously.

"Yes. Thank you?" The woman said.

She helped the woman make it through the crowd of passengers, especially the couple of people who couldn't be bothered to give the blind woman enough space to squeeze by.

They left out of the bus, and the woman turned to her smiling.

"Thanks. Such a sweet girl." She complimented.

The woman had a thick spanish accent, when she spoke, but not so thick Jazmine couldn't understand. She found herself enjoying how the woman pronounced her words. 

"Very beautiful too." She added earning a confused look from Jazmine.

"You carry so much weight. Someone violated you, and now it ways heavy on your heart." She said.

Jazmines eyes widened, and her mouth parted.

"How... I don't..." Jazmine stuttered searching for a coherent thought

"I know you don't trust me. But things are not always what they seem. Take my hand, and you will understand." She said holding her hand out.

Jazmine's mind spun, and she felt dizzy. She looked around seeing people walking pass ignoring the two. This woman was a complete stranger, she didn't even know her name.

Jazmine wasn't completely sure if this woman was trust worthy, but something told her this was the right thing to do.

She grabbed her hand gasping when she felt a surge in energy. Her body hummed, and relaxing in her hold. She felt the woman analyzing her, and though her mouth stayed still, it was like the was all around her giving her a sense of peace, and protection.

The woman let go her hand.

"I cannot see from my eyes, but I am blessed to see other ways. My name is Marta. I was told someone in need of my help would be on the bus today. You feel alone, but you are being guided. Mi Amor, your ancestors... they are with you. Take this." She said, placing something in Jazmine's hands.

She opened her hands to see a pouch colorfully woven, with a tiny doll sewn on the front. It had no face, but it was cute.

"What is thi..." She trailed off looking up to realize she was alone on the side walk.

She looked back at the bag feeling an unusually draw to it. Like she had to open it. Curiosity burned inside her, and she loosened the draw string dumping a group of tiny wooden dolls on her hand.

Thread and small fabric was used for the clothes, and there was what she could only assume as paper for the face. Looking inside the bag she saw there was a small roll of paper inside. 

"These are worry dolls. We all have a calling. When I was a young girl in Guatemala these dolls protected me. Now they will do the same for you. Tell them your worries, and they will help." Jazmine looked at the note then back at the individual dolls in her hand.

They intrigued, and unnerved her. As a young girl she had been warned about the spiritual world. She believed in it's existence, but the Mystery of it all kept her away..

Also she had watched enough scary movies to see how messing with the supernatural could quickly turn left. But the dolls didn't feel bad. In fact she found, she didn't want to part with them.

She sighed putting them in her bag, and heading to finish her visit to help at the soup kitchen. She would worry about the dolls later.