Tie-a-leaf (Paused)

5• Expect the unexpected

  
 
Suddenly, all the nervousness came back like a wrecking ball to a wooden building. I felt hands calming me and it helps a lot and I could breathe again. The other went on and they left me for last, the worst thing they could have done. "I know you. She's the girl I was telling you about. The one who wins the debating competition every year with that next guy." A voice says but I wasn't too focused on it.

"Next." Jah'marley spoke and I inhale a deep breath while standing before I look over at him.

"My name is Ta'Shae East, I am seventeen years old, Graduated second in my grade and on honours roll for five years." I sigh a breath of relief before I sit, looking down in my lap again.

"Mih can ask har a question now?"

"I don't think she's ready Nina." Jah'marley spoke and I look up to see a lady that looks more like me than my own mother and a loud gasp left my mouth. "Heavenly father, which one of you four son and one grand son get this baby?"

The lady starts, looking around the tables at different faces and my eyes stop at one. I've seen him somewhere, I was in the back of a car with mummy driving and she got out and approach him asking for something and he gave her. That I was it and I'm sure. Even though most of these people look alike. I remove my eyes from the man who was already looking at me and as he stands, I quickly got up and run.

I didn't know how I moved so fast but I did, and I ended up at a river. Sitting under a street lamp post and hugging myself from the old winds. I wasn't ready to go back there, not now but sometimes later and I would surely feel better if I was at home and helping with my new sister. Then going to the supermarket in the morning to work.

I heard footsteps approaching and I look up to see a large dog looking into my eyes looking ready to pounce and few others but I kept eye contact with the animal. "Move Max. She's family. Go home to Mathew." The dog sniffing around a bit, gave me one last look before turning and running off with a bark.

I looked up to see six out of the eight girls standing above me. "Come on dear, let's get you out this cold air." Jah'marley's daughter says, the only one with long dreadlocks like few of the others family members. She helps me to stand before putting her arms around me and leading me back on the road. "You got everyone worried, they have been searching for you and your boyfriend got worried too."

"He's not my boyfriend." I mumbles and they laughed.

"Not yet, I know chemistry when I see it." The Pregnant one sings.

"Oh Zara, you don't even like science most of the time and chemistry is more complex. Stick to what yuh really know." Another says.

"Where yuh wah go? Back with yuh friends or to my house?" Zara enquiries, as two other girls help her walk. Her stomach was huge and she was walking like that's, she really strong.

"I... I don't know."

"Let me tell yuh a little something. I was just like you few years ago, only know mih mother and father but his side of family. But I went on a school program and meet a girl that look just like me. We became friends and I get to meet the family that same day but entire family the next morning. It wasn't easy, I was nervous as hell but I pushed though because I wanted to know them. At first the questions were hard as they shoot them on me but I answered all that I could, mi mother run away from this family to have me and I didn't know them for eighteen years. Life was rough and we struggle every day, even to buy a pad or a bag of salt. Father had plenty of us but my mother had just me. It all works out in the end, I'm here and better than before, they pick me from off my knees and help without a problem. Sometimes they throw money at you when you don't even want it but it's their way of want to care when they didn't. Don't bother think about running again, we always catch you and bring you back. Fighting or not. So tell me, where do you want to go?"