An author is always writing, like always! I hope everyone is enjoying Spied: A Deceptive High Novel, available now.
I am working on a vigilante novel and I've got the first ever sneak peak for you! Picture 3 women: Nia, Kuan-Yin and Valentina, brought together through foster care, growing up and beating the odds to become successful 20 somethings. Got it?
Now picture these women taking justice into their own hands because they are determined to help any women not go through further hurt and humiliation.
NIA
It was a Thursday evening and I am on my way home from group and self-defense class. It’s hot in Brownser but I rolled the windows down just to feel the warm air flow across my skin. Today was a tough day listening to all of the stories. They make me think of my own. They make me feel hopeless and eager to do something to help them.
When I pull up to our house at the end of the dead end street I don’t get immediately out. I need to decompress before I go in and greet my sisters. Kuan and Valentina. Kuan is probably almost done with dinner and Valentina is either dancing in the living room or doing work on her laptop. I push the seat back as far as it can go and then lean the seat all the way back. Turing the music up. I pick up my phone and opt for motown and soul music. That’s the vibe I want right now. It really gets to me seeing the helplessness in all those women. They have been through so much pain and violence and are just trying to get by.
It reminds me of a time when that was me. Just trying to get by.
The warm breeze quickly turns into hot air and I stay in the car until I can’t bare it anymore. When I wipe the sweat off my face 3 times in under a minute I know it’s time for me to go in the house.
Heading to the truck I look up at the house while I grab my things out the back. I’ll never leave this house, mama’s house. She left it to me in her will but even if she didn’t. I would never leave.
I as I walk to the house with my purse over my shoulder, my tote bag and sunglasses on I sit on the first step. I still don’t want to go in yet and I start to reminisce on my childhood. The worst childhood if you would of asked 10 year old me. I remember growing up in here in Brownser. It’s a city with a little town feel in between Dallas and Austin, Texas. I learned at a young age to keep my hair in braids. The heat will leave you unable to breath, let alone with hair running down your back. Plus, all that humidity. I’ll sweat my perm right out...
KUAN
After work I always come straight home. I’m the one who usually cooks for me and my sisters. I’m not your armature cook over here. I need to prep and to have a good presentation.
When I walk in to the house the alarm goes off and I make sure to shut the door and re-lock it before shutting the alarm off. Dropping my things on the couch I head upstairs to my room to change from professional to comfortable. I chuckle when I think about how Valentina always yells when I leave something downstairs just to go upstairs anyway.
Once upstairs I step out of my clothes and decide to take a shower. I walk into the bathroom and let the water get as hot as I can take it.
I look at myself in the mirror as I grab a makeup wipe and begin scrubbing my face. Mama use to yell at me. “You better e in there child,” she would yell in Creole. “And not in there wasting my water.”
Thinking about mama always is bitter sweet. As I let he hot water hit my face and run down my body I reminisce...
VALENTINA
That song ‘s by shit. The one by Cardi B and Annitta. Driving down the streets of Brownser,they know it’s me coming. All my windows be down.
I don’t tell anyone it’s because my AC is broken.
I sing me gusta at the top of my lungs. I don’t have a nice car. A Toyota that’s a couple years older than I like to admit. It gets me around though.
Plus, mama gave me this car. I’m going to drive it until I’m Fred Flintstone in this bitch. Its just after 2:00 and I am late heading back to work. My break ended 3 minutes ago and I have at least 5 or so before I make it back.
I love my job. I work at a rec center for all the youth in the city. I am one of the event program managers. There’s two of us, me and Khalan, I work with the girls mostly and him with the boys. We basically do all the activities and schedule. It’s for all ages though. So during the day we have the babies and little ones and throughout the day they trickle in as school gets out.
We Keep them until 7 and do some drop offs. Only the ones who don’t have a ride. Can’t have them walking at night by themselves.
One reason why I know they hired me is thanks to mama.
I drive on automatic as my mind wanders. Happens every time I think of mama.
My birth mother ran away when I was 13 from my father. He was beating her and whatever.
They brought me to mamas and I’ve been there ever since. But mama is Creole and that’s what she speaks. All the foster kids she had running in and out of that house spoke it to, at least around her. So I speak that and Spanish, because I’m Guatemalan. I know a little bit of Korean too because my sister is Korean...
Disclaimer: This is completely unedited. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Comments