The Rose that Grew from Concrete

The Caged Bird

-Helen-

Its two weeks before Andre Jr. 18th birthday and I went to see him, I promised Candace I would check on him, but honestly I didn't want nothing to do with someone would knowingly rape his sister. It made my stomach turn just thinking about what he did to her. But I am gonna keep my word to see him and make sure he alright.

Yes ma'am how can I help you the guard said? I am here to see detainee Young detainee number 659837. She looked through the clip board before finding his name. Andre! Yes that's him. Through the double doors she said pushing the button and the two large glass doors opened. Thank you! No problem. I went through the doors to the visitation room and sat at one of the tables. Can't believe I am actually visiting my nephew in a juvenile detention center. My mama would roll over in her grave if she knew how I let this family fall apart. The doors opened and the boys walked into the room. I don't even know what he looks like so I am hoping he'd recognize me.

Aunt Helen this boy said approaching me. Oh my god I said looking at him. He looked just like Andre, splitting image the only part of Candace he had was her nose and eye color. Andre I said slowing the lump in my throat. Yes that's me he said sitting down in front of me. What are you doing here he said sitting down in front of me? I...I came to check on you. Really after 4 years you came to check on me. My own mother doesn't even write me but her sister came to check on me. Look I don't want to upset you, Your mom wanted me to check on you. Hmph so how much time they give mommy dearest? 17 years another chance parole after 15. Serves her right for what she did to Noelle and I.

Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black I thought to myself. So where are you going when you get out Andre? Don't know I ain't got any options you know, since they're making me register as a sex offender. They are? Don't play stupid Auntie you know what I "did to" Noelle I am sure she told everybody in the free world after she ratted on me. What do you mean ratted on you? Mrs. Jackson told me that Noelle told her that I raped her and that she was gonna tell the CPS people and all the kids would be taken out of her house. She said she wasn't about to lose no money cause I couldn't keep my dick in my pants. Is that what happened Andre? Why do you care, everybody has always cared about Noelle, but nobody gave a shit about me. She let me fall by the side as soon as she had her precious little angel. That's not true! Really cause I just spent the last 4 years in juvie for something somebody else did to me.

Wait what you mean something somebody else did to you. He looked at me and sucked his teeth. Who do you think was fulfilling the role before she moved on to Noelle? You saying she was making you sleep with men? Both, depending on what her craving was at the time. When did it start, I mean how? After my dad left there wasn't no money coming in the house and the welfare check was barely enough to cover the rent, so one of her friends told her about this little club down in the red light district where folks go to get their rocks off. Listening to this was making me want throw up. Why didn't Candace just call me if it was that bad? I would have given her the money. Hell she could of moved in with us. To prostitute out your own child though it was sickening to me.

She had you working in the club? Yeah until one of the girls got pregnant then I couldn't work there no more so she had to come up with another way to cover the bills and feed her addiction. So why did you rape Noelle I said straight forward? He didn't say anything he just sat there staring out the window. You ever wonder why the caged bird sings Auntie. Now he's reciting Maya Angelou to me, okay now he must really think I am stupid. Just tell me Andre Jr. don't play stupid. He looked at me, the foster father got off on watching her fight it. What are you saying? I never wanted to hurt my sister, lord knows I didn't but he told me that he'd give me anything I wanted if I did things for him. The only way I could do it Auntie is if I was high, so he'd get me the drugs and I'd do it. What did you get in return? He'd slip me a few twenties after every time. I'd use it to try and get stuff for Noelle and I cause every time they moved us we lost stuff. When we left our house we both had enough clothes for a month, by the time we got to the Jackson's house, we barely had enough clothes for 3 days. The kids at that house were so mean to her, they use to tie her to the radiator, beat her up, and one time one of the girls tried burn her and cut her hair. He let a tear slip before quickly wiping it away. Is she okay now? Yeah she's fine they placed her with a family and she was adopted. Oh he said nodding. I didn't tell him I knew that he'd been raping Noelle long before that because I wanted to get all the information out of him. Looking at him just made me sick.