Coach Knowles

14

onika

I woke up with the worst headache ever. It had to be from when August pushed me into that wall.

I thought it was bad yesterday but it's been two days and it's only getting worse.

I pushed him first and I shouldn't have. We were having a normal conversation and I started it.

The smallest movement or sound would make the pounding in my head worse but I had to wake Imani and Amir up.

I got out of bed and held my forehead. Jesus.

I walked to Amir's door and knocked twice. He's a teenage boy, I know better than to enter his room without knocking.

"Five more minutes!" He sleepily yelled from the other side of the door.

"Amir I'm really not in the mood this morning, if you're not ready by the time we leave you're walking to school."

I was serious too, I'm not playing today.

I heard him get up and I went to wake Imani up. She was laying in bed with her little bonnet on. She had the outfit Bey bought for her laid out next to her like it was the first day of school.

"Good morning baby." I lightly shook her and she slapped my hand away. I'll give her a pass since she's asleep and she hates being woken up.

I picked her up and took her to the bathroom. I turned the sink on and put my finger under the water and put a little bit of water on her cheeks until she woke up.

She can brush her teeth by herself so I just leaned against the wall making sure she was doing it right.

"You okay mommy?"

"Yeah my head just hurts a little bit. I'm fine."

"Because of daddy?"

"Hmm?" I didn't know she saw that.

"When you hit your head it made a noise so maybe that's why it hurts. Ice cream always makes me feel better."

Hearing her say that made me want to cry. "We um.. we weren't being serious. It was just a joke."

"But you-"

"Imani." I really didn't even know what to say. "Finish brushing your teeth before you're late."

By the time I was done getting Imani dressed in her sweatsuit and fixed her hair, Amir was already downstairs eating cereal.

"Amir I'm just going to give you money to buy food because I didn't make you lunch."

"Again?"

I did the same thing yesterday because of my headache and it's even worse today.

"Amir please." I put Imani down in the seat next to him and went into the freezer.

"And why is my little sister dressed like a baby stud? This is so weird, what's going on in this house?"

"Mommy what's a baby stud?"

"I'm making you Eggo waffles. Do you want apple juice?"

Just like that she forgot about her question.

After they finished eating I dropped Imani off first then Amir.

I got home and laid back down. Usually I would come home and start cleaning or do laundry or something productive but I was truly tired and not feeling good.

I had a whole before I had to get Imani so I took some medication for my headache and took a short nap.

I woke up to my alarm and it was time to get Imani. Her teacher told me she had a bad day today and she didn't want to participate because someone spilled something on her new clothes.