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A breeze of unfamiliarity rushed over Scotlynd's body as she stepped from the truck. Her anticipation had her biting her nails to the point her acrylic French tips were damaged. It was like as the GPS stated the distance, she could feel herself shrunken. A drive of more than 16 hours couldn't prepare for how her heart felt at that moment.
The buzzing in her pocket brought her from her daydream as she declined another call. Her eyes rolled in annoyance and she quietly sucked her teeth. Zoo was relentless with his calling and deadly messages. He told her she had an hour to get back to his crib, but that was yesterday.
"Can this nigga not get the message?" She thought as she looked around her environment. A smile plastered her face as she saw the vision of her childhood. Her Uncle's home looked just as it did when she left, besides the occasional decaying of the home.
"Scottie, why did you put that hot jacket on? It's almost 100 degrees out here" Akoni asked playfully, running behind her and trying to tug it down.
"Little boy," She warned, slapping his hands away and fixing it. Even though her face was covered in sunglasses he could tell by the way she stood in his direction, to stop. No verbal warning was needed. Scotlynd knew she had appeared crazy with her sunglasses, and hoodie pulled tightly to her. The heat was melting her as she protected her slightly bruised face.
"So damn childish," she muttered. Akoni like a child, ran around oblivious to all that was happening around him. However as Scotlynd stood by the car, she watched closely. She knew, from the way her uncle's shoulders sat lower than usual, the stager in his walk, she knew.
"KJ, how is she," Londyn's trembling voice asked. Knox Jr.'s face crinkled as his nose jumped, he was trying to conceal the puddles that were in him. He couldn't even look at his sister. Londyn threw herself into her older brother's arms and they embraced in a hug that only siblings could relate to when devastation met.
"Not my Momma," she said. Her cries were filled with regrets, broken promises, and sorrow. All her brother could do was hold her tighter as she hollered out as if God himself could hear her.
"Come on Londyn, pull yourself together," He said as the tears he had been battling finally won.
Scotlynd's head dropped as she could see the tears in her uncle's eyes. It made her sick, physically sick. Her fist covered her lips as she tried to swallow the vomit that threatened her mouth. The glasses didn't help to conceal the strokes of tears falling from her eyes. Zahir's arms pulled her close, holding her with all the love his body wielded. No words were ever spoken, but the way everyone acted she knew that her Maw Maw days were numbered. It broke her.
"Come on baby girl," Zahir spoke, helping her walk into her uncle's home. "Akoni, get yo badass in here." He called to his son who was doing flips in the grass. Anytime other time Scotlynd would have laughed, laughter brought her so much joy. But at this moment it felt like her knees were knocked from under her. If you ever felt a heart-burning pain, this was most definitely one of them. Scotlynd was in a trance, looking around the home she would run to as an escape. Now she wished how she could go back to that little house, with the animals, with her Paw Paw and Maw Maw. Scotlynd didn't realize she was crying until Akoni came and swiped her cheeks with the tissue.
