Forget Me

Chapter 2

FIVE MONTHS LATER

I look just like her.

Everything is the same.

Brown hair. Brown eyes. Small nose. Thick eyelashes. Small chin.

Everything.

Mo tried to tell me that it's not my fault that dad left but I'm not stupid, it was my fault. Because I look like my dead mother, my dad and brother left me.

I glared at myself in the mirror. My stupid long hair was a frizzy mess. I hated the color, it looked like wet wood. Disgusting.

'Maybe if I die it a different color Daddy will come back', I thought as I twirled a strand around my finger. 'Why not', I thought with a shrug.

Quickly going to my room to grab some money, I ran down the stairs and out the front door, yelling over my shoulder at Mo that I would be right back. I peddled to the little gas station that wasn't to far from my house. I parked my bike and ran inside. What color? Not wanting to give Mo a heart attack, I chose white. I liked it. Slapping down a five, the cashier rung me up without a word and I was quickly out of there. Once I got home I locked myself in the bathroom and got to work.

* * *

An hour later I stood at the door way of the living room, palms sweaty. Mo was sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper. My heart raced as my breath came out in gasps. My chest was tightening. I was scared.

"M-mo?"

"Well hey baby girl, I was wonderen when you was gonna come out of that bathroom", she said behind her paper. Even though she moved from Mississippi more then twenty years ago, she still has her southern accent. One of the many things I loved about her.

"P-please don't be m-mad Mo," I was stuttering so bad since my jaw was twitching from fear.

"Baby girl what do you-", she closed up her newspaper and her widened when she saw me.

Silence.

I swallowed hard. I didn't like getting in trouble. Especially with Mo.

What seemed like a lifetime later Mo slowly smiled.

"You look very pretty", Mo said as she waved me over to sit in her lap. I was surprised.

"Really?"

Mo nodded as she held me in her lap, getting a strand of now snow white hair in her hand. My white hair made my brown eyes pop out and made me seem more pale then I already was. I looked different.

Nothing like my mommy now.

A YEAR LATER

"Mo what is it?", I asked as I looked at the big box that was in front of me. Today was my 9th birthday and I had a small party of just Mo and me. I opened all the little boxes that held small stuff she bought me. Now there was only one present left. The big one. It was a green box with a huge red bow tied on top.

"Open it up baby girl", Mo said.

I quickly untied the bow and opened the lid. I screamed when I saw what was in it. A little blue heeler puppy whimpered as I took it out of the box and hugged it to my chest.

"A puppy! Of thank you Mo!"

I wanted a puppy for so long!

Mo smiled wide and snapped a picture with her camera.

"You is welcome Baby girl now what are you gonna call this sweetie pie?", she asked.

I looked into my puppies big brown eyes and thought.

"Jace, he's name is Jace.", I decided.

"What a pretty name for a puppy", Mo said as she pet him on the head.

***

Later that night I sat in my bed with Jace laying next to me as I scratched behind his ears. Mo sat next to me as she braided my long white hair.

"Mo how did you end up here? With my family I mean?", I asked.

"Well baby girl my family has worked for yours since slavery. Even when it was over,we stayed to help y'all. You was nice to us. You family I mean. I was raised in Jackson until I was ten when my Daddy shipped me off here to help my momma.", She said in a serious tone.

"How come you stayed?", I asked.

"Well when I came your daddy was about a two years old I practically watched that boy grow up. When he met your momma at 16 it wasn't long until she was pregs with your brother. Two years later you came into the world. I knew them that I loved y'all to much to leave", Mo said as she finished with my hair. I turned around and hugged her.

"I love you too Mo", I whispered.

She stroked my back softly,"I love you like you was my own."

Mo pulled away and smiled.

"Time to sleep", she said simply as she tucked me into bed, Jace curling up to me over the blanket.

"Mo can you sing me-?", I asked shyly.

"Of course baby girl"

Since that night when my dad left, Mo would sing a lullaby to me every time I was about to fall asleep.

"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

Go to sleep my little baby.

When you wake you shall have

All the pretty little horses.

Black and bays, dapples, grays,

All the pretty little horses.

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

Go to sleep my little baby.

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

Go to sleep my little baby.

When you wake you shall have

All the pretty little horses."

I sang the last verse with her, my eyes drooping. Slowly, I feel asleep with the memory of mommy singing me that lullaby.