Chapter 8
The case worker walked Amanda through the door's of her childhood home. Her brother made their mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies.
When her mother tried to teach her she never paid attention.
Welcome home baby sis, Kalel hugged Amanda happy to see her.
Okay El I'll be back Sunday evening around 8? I live close and so does her foster grand mother as you may know.
See you Sunday at eight Amanda? Sure. Amanda closed the door's behind her smiling but when she turned to her brother she was frowning rolling her eyes.
I'm glad she's gone.
Haha then why were you smiling Amanda? Mommy said never let you left hand know what the right hand is doing.
Daddy said smile, people are thrown off how you really feel and think if you smile then everything is peachy when its not. That's what I do to these damn case worker's, court appointed child advocate's and psychiatrist's.
I answer the questions by the book, she pulled a psychiatrist's medical book for teenagers out of her book bag.
Haha where did you get this Amanda? And i see you're still cussing even after all your punishment's.
The psychiatrist's office the first one. I'm so sorry you have to go through all this Mandy I really am.
We are going through this together Kalel we not me and not you.
She held his hand
We are one they said at the same time hugging.
We can't forget that El, gimme a cookie.
They ate until they were stuffed looking at movies and listening to music..loud.
Kissy stopped by with her dog who loved Amanda and Amanda loved the dog. She and El stayed up when she fell asleep to do his homework together.
He was all caught up with every assignment and had some work done into the following week.
Kissy urged him to read ahead as that's what she does to keep up when she doesn't feel like reading.
How's the job search coming El? Oh i found a maintenance job in a private bar slash ladies spa over on park slope Kissy.
Thats cool do they pay well El? Minimum wage. Lulu growled when El touched Kissy's hand. Stop lulu be nice.
Amanda has a new friend come Kissy let me show you to our guest room. Its okay I can take a cab home El.
What about lulu? Amanda feels more at home with him here please Kissy. She looked in his eyes he gazed into her's.
Kissy leaned toward El to kiss him he popped up goodnight kissy ill see you in the morning bae.
This room has a private bathroom with the original soaking tub.
The cast iron tub with lion's feet? Yes ma'am my mom refused to let my father replace them during the renovations all the bathrooms have them.
I put bubble bath, salt and rise pedals in for you. How did you know I'd--
Stay kissy? I know i wasn't letting you go home at this hour alone. There's a gift in there for you Kissy.
For me? Yes ma'am thank you El.
Kissy undressed in the large quiet brownstone and ran her bath.
True to his word there was a box on the toilet seat Kissy opened it to a Yves Saint Laurent silk floor length robe.
The robe had her name in it. When she lifted the robe there was a classy criss cross strap silk baby doll night gown.
The ensemble was gorgeous kissy stared into the box confused. Why would he go to these lengths to please me and not kiss me?
This is expensive she thought but remembering he received his portion of the death benefits for both parent's when he turned 18.
It was three a.m El knocked on Kissy's door thank God she fell asleep with a mint in her mouth like her grandmother taught her. Sipping water placing the mint back in come in.
El came in crying. What's wrong El? She moved over in bed he lay next to her on his side he cried for an hour.
When he stopped he fell asleep with kissy holding him. She realized all these month's his parent's had been dead he hadn't properly grieved.
With the life insurance policies, the bank's and the state taking Amanda it was a lot for him to handle at his age.
Kalel becoming an instant father to his sister while he himself was technically in still his teen's.
Registering for college, finding a job, completing mandated parenting classes, and
renting to two possible tenant's El's life was turned upside down in a matter of month's.
Theree month's after graduation he lost not one parent but two during 911.
Kalele had no surviving relative's to render aide or even a listening ear.
Both of his parent's only children, both with dead parent's.
No aunt's or Uncle's, no grandmother's or grandfather's no one, just the two of them left in the the family blood line.
She understood why this strong black man forced to face his reality at only 18 was crying like someone robbed him of his life.
Because they had.