Always You Will Have My Hand To Hold (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter 1

Once in her room, Lia quickly locked the door. She then placed Attie in her bed and proceeded to get ready for school. This was her last year in high school and sometimes she debated whether or not she should keep going. One look at Attie, she knew her answer, Lia had to keep going. She had to be an example for the little girl, since no one else seemed to care much about Attie. Lia hastily showered, threw some clothes on and threw her work clothes in her school bag along with all her school books and notebooks.

Lia had learned long ago to keep Attie’s belonging in her room. It made getting ready in the morning easier. She looked through her stuff, and found Attie an outfit which she casually threw on the bed. Lia moved around to find the little mermaid backpack she had bought for Attie a while ago. It was on the floor right next to her shoes. Lia opened it to make sure Attie still had the clean clothes in there along with a couple of books. She added a few more things in the backpack for her little sister to take to the babysitter.

After Lia’s mom was imprisoned, Lia had become the responsible adult. At 15 she couldn’t enroll a one year old in a daycare, Lia realized that they asked too many questions. Unless Lia was prepared for someone to come and take her little sister away from her, she had to find another way. That was when she found Sallie; who lived about a block away from her. Sallie was an older lady and she could easily be someone’s grandmother. Sallie was nice enough to watch Attie along with a couple more children in the neighborhood. Lia only had to pay her sixty dollars every other week to take care of her sister. 

Lia knew that Sallie only let her pay so little because, she couldn’t afford it. Miss Sallie wouldn’t let her pay at first, something about her being a child herself and needing to save some money. Lia didn’t make enough money at the fast food restaurant she worked in, but because of Miss Sallie’s niceness she was able to put some aside. Every now and then, Lia would add an extra twenty so Sallie could feed Attie. She knew it wasn’t enough but Sallie never complained. Sallie had been watching Attie for almost 2 years now and Attie loved the older woman like a grandmother. Sallie even joked sometimes about adopting Attie.

“Lia, are we going to see Miss Sallie today?” Attie asked sleepily

“Of course we are, are you ready to have a fun day?” Lia asked turning to the little girl still nestled in the bed. Attie shook her head up and down vehemently and quickly got up. Lia wouldn’t have time to give her a bath, but Sallie would take care of that.

Attie walked to her sister and hugged her leg, as she looked up at Lia expectantly. Lia picked her up and placed Attie on her side, before she gathered her school bag and Attie’s things. Lia made her way out the door and towards Sallie’s home. She could easily carry the little girl the entire way, but Lia had too many things in her hands. So Lia put Attie down, adjusted her school bag and held her hand out for Attie to hold. It took her less than 5 minutes to reach Sallie’s house.

Lia raised her hand to knock but before she could the door swung open, to reveal a short older woman. Sallie had soft wrinkles around her mouth and some near the corner of her eyes, which could only come from laughing too much. Sallie had salt and pepper hair and warm brown eyes, a smile lit up her face as soon as she saw the smile on Attie’s face. Lia also smiled, this was one of the rare times she ever smiled.

“Lia, come in, let me see my Attie.” She stepped aside so Lia could get in and then she added. “Attie, do I get a hug today?”

Attie didn’t need to be asked twice, she ran to Sallie who had bent down with both arms wide open.

“Hi Miss Sallie, Lia said we were going to have fun today. Is Sara coming today? Did you know that Sara is my best friend?”

Sallie smiled and so did Lia. Attie reminded them every day, whenever she could that the only other girl that Miss Sallie watched along with her was her best friend. Lia envied her innocence, she wanted to protect Attie. Lia would never let anything or anyone take that away from Attie.