This is a voyage through the possibilities of who he is and who he can be in various universes. I welcome you to a world of each and every characteristic of DeVanté is existing as a separate entity in its own universe.
created: 23 February, 2018
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"Let's go! You're going to be late!"
I watch as Alanna struggles to refrain from running around as she scurries all over her room, snatching up and grabbing her last belongings. Hairspray, gel, and her scrunchy keep her bun intact as the ball of hair bumps against objects in her room. I knew when she was three-years-old that she'd be all over the place. There are a number of contributing factors so let's just sum it all up by saying she's got all her genes in an honest way.
Her world pauses with a freeze in her movements.
"What's wrong?" Her hand grabs her empty wrist and before she can say anything, I know exactly what she is looking for. "It's on your desk. You took it off to take your bath," I say, pointing behind her.
Alanna's life is made complete with her favorite bracelet, a kumihimo bracelet that her father bought just for her while in Japan. She slept in it and she dined in it but to preserve it, she never showered in it. Alanna's been playing soccer for two years now and she wouldn't be caught dead on thar field without her bracelet. It's her good luck charm when she wants it to be but I do wonder what its signifigance will have in her life once she recognizes just how many angels truly have her back.
"Okay," exhales Alanna. "I'm ready to go." I follow behind her as she waddles with her soccer bag, folding my arms behind my back when she declines my help. "Daddy's coming?"
I nod with certainty. "Yes, he said he'll be there."
"Are you sure?"
Not having the heart to lie nod set her up for disappointment, I push out a smile as I guide her out of the door. "He said he'll be there. It'll all be okay, sweetheart."
Her uncertainty stems from a place of recent disappointment. As if he'd lost his way back home, Alanna's father failed to attend three games in a row with his ruling excuse being his busy schedule. He's never done it before so for first time to lead into three consecutive times left Alanna needing an explanation from her father. While she did get one, it was quite poor. Work had never been enough for him to miss anything Alanna was attached to in the past... Which is why I think he's lying.
A twenty minute drive to the field is the least of my worries. My daughter, accustomed to my car's conditions, rests in the backseat with her favorite custom Wilson soccer ball in her lap. It was a gift from her father. Anita Baker's vocals are on the forefront as my bright and vocal daughter's are background, cheesing as she stares out of the window. Game day is always her favorite day of the week when it is soccer season.
I have to admit, I did not think she'd enjoy it this much. I truly had no idea. Upon moving to this neighborhood, I feared that she'd feel out of place. I'm straight out of St. Louis. Black children don't play soccer where I am from. They didn't play too much soccer where Alanna's father is from either but by the time we met, he'd done his fair share of traveling and wanted her to try something different. I bit and I barked until his cool and collected ways of explaining his persuasive views convinced me to simply take her. If she liked it then we agreed that she'd stay. These events took place two years ago. She was four years old.
