Baseline

2

Excuse the misspelling🎍

"Koi, it's bedtime." I said as I walked up to my two year old who bounced on my bed with her new born pacifier in her mouth. Never understood why she still prefers that kind of pacifier but it keeps her quiet.

"Lay down." I playfully pushed Koi on her back and she couldn't help but to laugh. "Silly. Seriously it's time for bed."

"No!" Her evil laugh echoed through the room and she stood up to bounce on the bed again.

"You want me to get Gigi?" I asked her. The bouncing continued until I called my mother in the room.

"What, Kenny?"

"Get Koiah. She don't wanna listen." Koi quickly got under the covers and look at the tv, sucking on the pacifier faster.

"Lemme see that." My mom took the pacifier out her mouth. Shes been trying to break the habit all week. Koiah gasped and gave her the wtf look.

Tears began to fill up in her eyes so I quickly took the pacifier from my mother and put it in her mouth. Koi relaxed and looked back at the tv.

"Kenny, She don't need that anymore. She's two."

"So leave her be?" My mom don't be making sense sometimes and it irritates me. Getting in the bed, Koiah laid her head on my chest.

"Night, babies. Kenny lock my door if you leave." I nodded as Koi and I watched Little Bear. This nigga stayed outside.

Not too long after, she was knocked out. I slid from under her and went to my dresser to grab my stash. I lifted the carpet in the corner of my room and grab some money and
went out the door.

________

"Toni, don't you have basketball tomorrow?" I rolled my eyes as I put on my hoodie.

"Violet, it's bed time." She got out my bed and sat at the edge of it. We've shared a bed since the first hight she got here and ever since she never left.

"Why do you leave at night and all day?" She asked.

"So you can look nice." I answered putting on lip gloss. If I was gonna sell drugs, I could at least look presentable.

"You're going to work?" Violet asked and locked eyes with me in the mirror. I nodded.

"Come lock the door and lay down. Don't be up all night." I kissed her forehead and she gave me the puppy eyes.

"Violet, I have to go." I squatted down leveling face to face with this doll baby.

"But Toni, it's too dark. What if you get hurt?" She put her hands on my cheek as her eyes began to water.

"Nothing is gonna happen. Okay? TT'll be alright." I assured her. She nodded as I stood up. Violet walked me to the door and I went out. She shut the door and stood the waiting for the door to lock.

Click.

And off I went. Drop off after drop off, hours went by. Selling drugs with no car isn't the easiest thing. Turning the corner, my heart started to beat faster. The alley that I have to pass every night. Usually girls go in and never come out. Raped, trafficked, and never seen again.